Better Regulation A key priority for the European Commission "Public participation – together towards good legislation" Brdo pri Kranju, 13 th May 2015 Jeroen Casaer European Commission Secretariat-General Unit 'Work Programme and Stakeholder Consultation'

Political Guidelines 2014 Political Guidelines "Agenda for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change": After the European Parliament elections of 2014, the time has come for a new approach Key challenges for the new Commission: rebuild bridges in Europe after the crisis restore citizens’ confidence in Europe focus policies on the key challenges ahead for our economies and societies strengthen democratic legitimacy Focus on 10 policy areas where the EU can make a real difference – deliver concrete results Leave other policy areas to Member States where they can act more effectively An EU that is more ambitious on big things and smaller and more modest on small things 2

Better Regulation: A key priority Key tool to achieve policy goals in smarter and less burdensome ways Change the way the Commission works: A new structure of the College Focus on limited set of key actions A new 'Better Regulation Package' (adoption scheduled for 19/5) A modernised approach for policy development and evaluation More transparency with increased stakeholder engagement Reinforced scrutiny and quality checking of impact assessments, evaluations and 'fitness checks' Capacity strengthening of staff with new guidelines on planning, impact assessments, evaluations and stakeholder consultations Strong emphasis on the 'REFIT' programme to make EU legislation more efficient and effective, while reducing burden on business A proposal for a new 'Inter-institutional Agreement on Better Law making' (with the European parliament and Council) SG C 3

Better Regulation throuhout the policy cycle 4

Planning Commission Work Programme 2015 Focus on 3 areas: =>New initiatives – focus on 23 initiatives Linked to the 10 priorities of the Juncker Commission =>Clearing the desks List of 80 ongoing initiatives for withdrawal or modification =>Ambitious Regulatory Fitness programme (REFIT) Cutting red tape Remove regulatory burden 5 SG C

Policy impact assessments Integrated approach Links the problem, underlying drivers, the objectives and range of policy options Assess all benefits and costs. Economic, social and environmental impacts. Analysis on EU added value and subsidiarity and proportionality principles => Scrutinized by the Impact Assessment Board Wide scope All initiatives with likely significant impacts, from policy proposals to implementing measures Transparency Publication of Roadmaps, Impact Assessments and opinions of the board Comprehensive stakeholder consultation Impact Assessment Board becomes Regulatory Scrutiny Board New composition, including external experts Greater scrutiny and quality checking Wider scope: Impact Assessments, Evaluations, Fitness Checks SG C 6

Evaluation Assess the actual performance of EU policy against initial expectations: Does the policy work well? "Evaluate First Principle" More attention to broader areas of legislation and cross- cutting issues (via Fitness Checks) An evidence-based judgement of the extent to which an intervention has: been effective and efficient been relevant given the needs and its objectives been coherent internally and with other policies achieved EU added value SG C 7

Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme ("REFIT”) Central element in making EU policy more effective while reducing burden Identify burdens, inconsistencies, gaps and ineffective measures across acquis (‘Mapping’) Take action: withdraw, repeal, simplify, improve Assess: evaluations and Fitness Checks Consult: Involve Stakeholders Track Progress: Scoreboard SG C 8

Dialogue with Citizens and Stakeholders  Citizens' Dialogues With Commissioners, style of town-hall debates across the EU  The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) Invites the Commission to propose legislation Requires 1 million signatories from 7 Member States  Stakeholder Consultation At the heart of smart legislation throughout policy cycle 9

Stakeholder Consultation Wide scope: Treaty obligation to carry out broad consultations with parties concerned before making a policy proposal. Transparency and outreach: Listen openly to citizens and stakeholders, explain what you do in each step of the policy cycle. Provide feedback on received input. Rules: General principles and minimum standards for consulting external parties. New in Better Regulation Package => strengthened consultation/feedback throughout policy cycle => define consultation strategy at the start of an initiatives => Public consultations obliged also for evaluations and fitness checks => one single access point for all consultations ‘your voice in Europe’ SG C 10

Phase 1 Establish the Consultation Strategy Define consultation objectives Map stakeholders Determine consultation methods, tools & timing Create consultation webpage Phase 2 Conduct Consultation Work Announce & communicate Run consultation Inform public on contributions Analyse content Phase 3 Inform Policy Making Summary of consultation results Quality assessment of the effectiveness of the consultation process

How do we respond? Acknowledgement and publication of responses to open consultations Publication of summary results Discussion of results (incl. discarding of notable views) in impact assessment reports Explanatory memorandum accompanying Commission initiatives Commission Communication (following green paper) 12

Strengthen capacity of staff Better regulation needs to settle in the minds of all staff: New guidelines: => integraded guide covering all aspects of the policy cycle: applicable universally to all policy areas New toolbox: offering concrete tools and methods for each phase of of the policy cycle Training programme: general/specialised training open to all staff => Guide the work of services to drive change and deliver higher quality 13 SG C

A shared Mission … EU Level - A new Inter-Institutional Agreement for Better Lawmaking Member States – A national better regulation agenda Stakeholders – Active Involvement SG C 14

Further information Smart Regulation Roadmaps Consultation – Principles and Minimum Standards Your Voice in Europe Transparency register Commission at work – Notifications Impact Assessment Register of expert groups OECD – Regulatory Reform => produced useful better regulation guidelines and analysis documents 15