1. REFIT "Platform"
Two 'Clusters‘: Government experts/Stakeholders (business, NGOs, trade unions)
Chaired by the First Vice-President and Deputy S-G
Stakeholders: prompt (sectors, laws); assess suggestions coming through ‘have your say’; assess at own initiative.
Member States: prompt (sectors, laws, processes); assess stakeholder suggestions.
Joint Platform: hear Commission (or MS) response – to act or say why not;

2. REFIT Platform Established: 19/05/2015
Chair: First Vice President-Timmermans
Objective: Advise the Commission on how to make EU regulation and its implementation by Member States more efficient and effective, reducing burden without undermining policy objectives.

3. Stakeholder group (18 stakeholder experts +CoR + EESC)
Composition
Stakeholder group (18 stakeholder experts +CoR + EESC)
Government group (28 experts from Member States)

4. REFIT Platform Input
Suggestions for regulatory burden reduction can be received via:
Website: "Lighten the Load – Have your Say";
Platform members;
Oher means (e.g. letters addressed to the Commission).
All suggestions are published and made accessible to the Platform members by the secretariat (the Secretariat-General of the Commission).
SG C

5. REFIT Platform Input 218 stakeholder suggestions received;
The EU helpdesk "Europe Direct" responds on suggestions falling outside the Platform mandate
Member of the Platform can evoke suggestions for discussion at any time
SG C

6. 17 opinions adopted in June 2016 Plus 5 Opinions in September 2016
REFIT Platform Adopted Opinions
REFIT Platform met twice in plenary setting and three times in group sessions
17 opinions adopted in June 2016
Plus 5 Opinions in September 2016
Opinions cover wide range of EU policy
Agriculture, financial services, personal data protection, construction products regulation, Cohesion Policy funding ….

7. REFIT Platform Working method
In the Policy area of Taxation and Custom Union, the Platform adopted 4 opinions and recommends:
To withdraw the use of the reverse charge mechanism and replace it with a simpler VAT regime. Some members of the Government group consider that reverse charging may continue to be necessary to combat fraud or other measures would be required to compensate.
To reduce the variety of documents required from businesses, in intra-EU trade. Some members of the Government group consider that reducing documentary obligations is too risky in light of VAT fraud

8. REFIT Platform Working method
That the Commission proposes a regulation to create a comprehensive online VAT Information Portal and that such action is informed by the outcome of ongoing discussions in the Council on the Commission Communication on the VAT Action Plan and the experience with the mini-one-stop-shop (MOSS).
That the Commission produces another proposal for a standard VAT declaration. Some members of the Government support this recommendation.

9. Follow up by the Commission
REFIT Platform
Follow up by the Commission
The Commission is committed to "comply or explain".
Yesterday adoption of the Commission Work Programme 2017.
Follow-up of some kind on 21 out of 22 opinions
REFIT Scoreboard (SWD(2016) 400 Parts 1 and 2)

10. Contact: SG-REFIT@ec.europa.eu
REFIT Platform
Contact: