European red-tape cut

4th October 2013


Related Topics

Related tags

  • Business & Industry ,
  • Certification ,
  • EU

Author

IEMA

Environmental regulation is becoming less burdensome particularly for smaller businesses, claims the European Commission in a new communication

Outlining efforts to improve EU legislation through its “REFIT” project, the European commission cites the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) as an example of where it has been able to consolidate rules to make compliance both simpler and cheaper for firms.

According to its calculations, the IED, which replaced seven existing directives, has reduced the administrative burden on businesses by €32 million each year. The commission also highlights the changes to the costs of REACH registration for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as a further good example of where changes have been made.

The communication also gives details of the areas the commission is working together with the European parliament and council to improve legislation. These include proposals to consolidate rules on animal and plant health, which will entail the repeal of 46 legal acts in total. Other areas of law currently under review include rules on chemicals not covered by REACH, Natura 2000, the EU eco label and the European eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS).

The commission confirms it is carrying out a review of EU waste policy and legislation under REFIT and says that at the beginning of 2014 it will hold a workshop to discuss concern over waste rules raised by specifically SMEs. The commission also pledges to take action to ensure more SMEs can participate in the European resource efficiency platform.

The commission’s president, José Manuel Barroso, said: “Europe is there to help find solutions to the big challenges we are collectively facing. However, to be effective, we need to make sure we concentrate on the right priorities and have the right dose of regulation. Let's think twice whether, when and where we need to act at European level.

“With REFIT, the commission has undertaken the most comprehensive exercise to date to make EU law lighter and simpler.”

The REFIT communication confirms that the commission is planning to withdraw and reconsider a number of its proposals for legislation that have stalled in the EU parliament and council, including its 2006 suggestion for a Soil Framework Directive and plans published in 2003 on access to justice on environmental issues.

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

The time is now

Dr Julie Riggs issues a call to arms to tackle a modern-day human tragedy

15th March 2024

Read more

The UK’s new biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements could create 15,000 hectares of woodlands, heath, grasslands, and wetlands and absorb 650,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

13th March 2024

Read more

Campaign group Wild Justice has accused the UK government of trying to relax pollution rules for housebuilders “through the backdoor”.

14th February 2024

Read more

Digital tracking, packaging data delays and new collections provide a waste focus for this edition’s environmental round-up by legislation expert Neil Howe

28th November 2023

Read more

Environmental crimes could result in prison sentences of up to 10 years and company fines of 5% of turnover under a proposed EU law agreed by the European parliament and council.

21st November 2023

Read more

Stuart McLachlan and Dean Sanders discuss their book: The Adventure of Sustainable Performance: Beyond ESG Compliance to Leadership in the New Era.

14th November 2023

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close