Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2017
On 8 October 2010, the European Commission issued a communication paper on Smart Regulation in the European Union. The paper reports on progress made, future priorities and strategy in the field of regulatory reform, for the information of interested outsiders. It is the latest in a series of such communications, issued on a regular basis since the first major, systematic action plan in 2002.
However, this most recent communication comes at a time when the context has changed noticeably. First, the financial crisis sparked by the credit crunch has altered attitudes to regulation. More attention is now being paid to the effectiveness of regulation and its overall quality than before. The Communication acknowledges this and underlines that regulation is essential to ensure that markets deliver sustainable prosperity for all. Second, a number of the Commission’s tools have been in place for some time, allowing it to draw useful lessons from its own experiences as well as from those of other countries. Its impact assessment system recently underwent a major examination by the European Court of Auditors.
1 Key publications by the European Commission are available on the Internet at <http://ec.europa.eu/governance/better_regulation/key_docs_en.htm#_br> (last accessed on 28 October 2010) or can be traced using their code. They include “Smart Regulation in the European Union”, 2010, COM(2010)543, and Action plan “Simplifying and improving the regulatory environment”, 2002, COM(2002)278.