Press Release: European Commission wishes to reduce the volume of Community legislation by at least 25% by January 2005

A Communication on simplifying and improving the regulatory environment was adopted by the European Commission on 6 December 2001. The document is intended for the Laeken European Council and is designed to send a strong political message to the Community institutions and the Member States about the way Community laws and regulatory instruments are prepared and applied. The Commission ia aiming to reduce the volume of Community legislation by at least 25% before the end of its term of office. It has also decided to withdraw a hundred or so pending legislative proposals which it does not regard as being of topical interest.