Regulatory simplification: Commission presents plan for a clearer and more effective EU framework

The European Commission has presented a plan to modernise the Union’s legislative process, with the aim of making EU rules clearer, simpler and better enforced, while strengthening the competitiveness of the Single Market. The initiative is structured around five main areas: embedding the principle of “simplicity by design” into future legislative proposals; reinforcing the Better Regulation framework to improve transparency and stakeholder involvement; reviewing existing legislation to reduce overlaps and unnecessary complexity; tackling regulatory gold-plating at national level; and accelerating the enforcement of EU rules while reducing the number of long-standing infringement procedures. The Commission also calls on the European Parliament and the Council to ensure the consistent application of simplification and better regulation principles throughout the legislative process.