As policymakers across the European Union navigate the ongoing structural transformations in our economies and societies, they need to ensure the actions they take are effective in meeting citizens’ expectations and fostering trust in government. From optimising the opportunities offered by new technologies such as artificial intelligence or bioengineering, to efficiently managing the sustainable transition, to protecting people’s rights in an online environment, governments need sound policy solutions. Laws and regulations are an important part of these solutions, helping to manage risks and maximise opportunities to improve people’s lives.
If well-designed and implemented, rules can provide certainty and enable well-functioning markets, supporting fair competition and fostering investor and consumer confidence. In contrast, overly complex rules or inconsistent implementation can place a burden on citizens and businesses and can undermine European competitiveness at a time when growth and investment are under growing pressure. Keeping rules simple, streamlined and proportionate, and cutting excessive burdens in existing legislation can be powerful tools to unlock innovation and resilient growth and secure long-term prosperity.
Achieving these objectives will require governments across the EU to fully embed better regulation principles across the whole policy cycle. This starts with fostering meaningful dialogues with businesses and citizens to identify priorities for targeted government action. It also means ensuring rules are designed so that they are both effective and easy to comply with. Finally, it means tracking results to review and improve rules for the future. The OECD Recommendation on Regulatory Policy and Governance provides a framework to guide countries in these efforts to strengthen the quality of their rules.
Rules that are efficient and coherent are especially important within the European Union, where they underpin a single market of 27 Member States, representing nearly 500 million people. The Single Market can be a powerful engine for economic growth and prosperity, but its full potential is held back by complex rules and institutional responsibilities. The European Commission has made simplification and implementation a key part of its strategy to boost European competitiveness, but well-coordinated efforts across all EU institutions and Member States are needed to ensure that EU rules are effective, proportionate and easy to implement for citizens and businesses.
This third edition of Better Regulation Practices across the EU supports regulatory improvement efforts across Member States. Based on the OECD Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance, it provides an evidence-based assessment of how far EU Member States have come in implementing better regulation practices consistent with the OECD Recommendation. The report also identifies key opportunities for further improvement to foster a more competitive and resilient economy to the benefit of all EU citizens.
Mathias Cormann,
Secretary-General, OECD
Valdis Dombrovskis,
European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification