EU REFIT machinery ‘cutting red tape’ at the cost of the acquis communautaire

The increasing politicisation of the better regulation agenda, including REFIT, has led to the introduction of a rhetoric according to which any piece of legislation is deemed an obstacle to growth, competitiveness and employment, as well as particularly burdensome for SMEs.

Quite apart from the criticism that can be levelled at its expensive, time-consuming, qualitatively questionable and still predominantly onesided evaluation process, REFIT has become a real threat to the social acquis communautaire.

This policy brief describes the historical and political background of the European Union's 'Regulatory Fitness and Performance' (REFIT) programme, its 'mechanisms' and instruments as well as the challenges of this exercise in 'better regulation' for Social Europe.

• Primary Source

The Wonk.EU, 29.09.15: Erik Akse: REFIT: What it is and how to work with it https://thewonk.eu/reports/working-with-the-commissions-refit-programme__rd72.html

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