1. Business Taskforce report ‘Cut EU red tape’ Melanie Johnston EU Team, Better Regulation Executive

2. 2 PM’s Business Taskforce In June 2013, the Prime Minister appointed six business leaders to identify EU rules and regulations (including proposals) that need reform to help British and EU companies grow. Taskforce members: – Marc Bolland, Chief Executive Mark & Spencer; –Sir Ian Cheshire, CEO Kingfisher [B&Q and similar EU retailers]; –Glenn Cooper, MD ATG Access [SME manufacturer]; –Dame Louise Makin DBE, CEO BTG [pharma]; –Dale Murray CBE, Entrepreneur and Angel Investor; and –Paul Walsh, formerly of Diageo.

3. 3 Taskforce recommendations 30 dossier recommendations that could make a real difference to growth COMPETE principles to ensure new legislation is fit for purpose Competitiveness test; One-in, One-Out Measure Impacts Proportionality rules Exemptions and lighter regimes for SMEs Target for burden reduction Evaluate and Enforce

4. 4 Progress on implementation We have already achieved ten of the 30 dossier recommendations: –non-regulatory approaches on shale gas and traineeships; –a streamlined approach for clinical trials; –new rules for Environmental Impact Assessments, which should minimise burdens on SMEs; –a new framework for Non-Financial Reporting, which will only apply to businesses with over 500 employees; –proportionate rules on Country of Origin Labelling for Food; –The Commission withdrew two proposed Directives - Access to Justice in Environmental Matters Directive and Soil Framework Directive –The agreement reached on the Posting of Workers Enforcement Directive limits the amount of paperwork that businesses are required to provide. –SMEs have been exempted from having to register as waste carriers when transporting small amounts of non-hazardous waste

5. Progress on COMPETE principles 5

6. 6 Next steps Our priority for the new European Commission is to secure their commitment to the COMPETE principles At June European Council EU leaders agreed ‘that regulatory fitness should remain a priority in the work of the institutions’ and on the continued need for a ‘strong commitment to regulatory simplification and burden reduction’ BRE activities include working closely with the Commission, other EU member states and MEPs to promote EU smart regulation Implementing the recommendations of the Taskforce report also remains central to our work to deliver the EU better regulation agenda

7. What you can do Support the COMPETE principles by: calling for better regulation and the Taskforce’s recommendations, to be prioritised by the next European Commission and European Parliament. Encourage your counterparts elsewhere in Europe, and any EU umbrella business organisations with which you are associated, to take up these messages in Brussels. 7