Press Release: Cutting red tape: Commission delivers on its promise and goes beyond

Based on a Commission proposal from 2007 the European Union set itself an ambitious target of cutting administrative costs imposed by EU legislation by 25% by 2012. On 22 October 2009 the Commission published an overview of progress to date and sectoral reduction plans for 13 priority areas. In total, the measures proposed by the Commission and under preparation would enable businesses to save around €40.4 bn from €123.8 bn on red-tape stemming from 72 EU texts and the measures that transpose and implement them in the Member States. Reduction measures put in place by the Commission or proposed by the Commission and already adopted could bring a reduction of EUR 7.6 billion. Measures proposed by the Commission and pending adoption by the European Parliament and the Council would add EUR 30.7 billion to that amount. Preparatory work on further reduction could lead to the presentation of additional measures bringing further reduction of at least EUR 2.1 billion. Now it is in the hands of the co- legislators to ensure that businesses can feel the difference on the ground.

ESO: Background information: European Commission Website: Better regulation http://www.europeansources.info/record/better-regulation-why-and-how/

EurActiv, 23.10.09: Brussels piles pressure on EU countries to slash red tape http://www.euractiv.com/en/enterprise-jobs/brussels-piles-pressure-eu-countries-slash-red-tape/article-186677

European Commission: MEMO/09/474: Cutting red tape – Overview of reduction measures and illustrative examples http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/474&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

---