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Select Committee on European Legislation Eighth Report


LEGISLATIVE SIMPLIFICATION

3.   We consider that the following raises questions of political importance, but make no recommendation for its further consideration:--

The Cabinet Office

(17660)
11669/96
COM(96)559		 Commission Communication on the SLIM initiative (simpler legislation for the internal market).
Legal base: --

      Background

        3.1  In May and June 1996 we considered[7] a Commission proposal for a pilot project on the simplification of Community law. The Commission sought the Council's endorsement of a project to examine Community legislation in four specific areas (statistics, technical regulations on construction products, the mutual recognition of diplomas, and legislation relating to ornamental plants). The projects, to be known as SLIM projects (Simpler Legislation for the Internal Market), were to be operated by small groups comprising representatives of Member States and the relevant industry. We concluded on each occasion that the proposal did not raise matters of legal or political importance.

        The results of the projects

        3.2  The latest Communication is the Commission's report on the four pilot projects.

        3.3  In the case of the statistics project, the team has proposed:

          --  short term reductions in the information to be provided by traders, coupled with simplification of the classification of goods;

          --  studies into other changes which could substantially reduce the overall burden on businesses, particularly small ones; and

          --  work on support measures, for example the promotion of data submission by electronic means, simpler legislation and better guidance for information providers.

        3.4  In an Explanatory Memorandum dated 10 December 1996 the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr Freeman) tells us the Government is confident that these recommendations represent significant short and medium term reductions in burdens on business.

        3.5  The construction products team suggested:

          --  improving the working procedures of the Commission and the European standardisation bodies which deliver technical specifications;

          --  abolishing a compulsory link between the application of the Construction Products Directive and the availability of technical specifications, which would allow industry to be able to put their products on the market on the basis of independent certification before harmonised standards were available; and

          --  a two-stage option to improve working procedures whilst, at the same time, developing an action to bring closer together national regulations on construction works.

        The Commission, we are told, will come forward with proposals based on the SLIM team's recommendations in 1997.

        3.6  Scope for simplification was similarly identified by the SLIM teams working in the two remaining areas. In each case the Commission proposes to come forward with new proposals in 1997.

        The Government's views

        3.7  The Minister, in his Memorandum, says that the report complements the Government's own work on deregulation and concludes that the SLIM initiative demonstrates that legislation can be simplified and the burdens on business reduced. He says:

          "In welcoming the results of the first phase of the SLIM initiative at the Internal Market Council meeting on 26 November, the Government urged the Commission to make implementation of the SLIM team recommendations a priority in the coming months. This request was supported by other Member States, who joined the Government in expressing strong support for a second round of reviews."

        The Government has indicated to the Commission that the electro-magnetic compatibility Directive, VAT information exchange system, personal protective equipment Directive and the package travel Directive are areas that would benefit from the SLIM approach.

        Conclusions

        3.8  This report demonstrates that, in the four project areas examined, there appears to be scope for reducing both the complexity and burdens of Community legislation. It suggests that the same technique would produce the same kinds of benefits in other subject areas. This is a welcome conclusion, and we are clearing the document.

7.  (17187)--; see HC 51-xx (1995-96), paragraph 12b (21 May 1996), and (17227) 7423/96; see HC 51-xxiii (1995-96), paragraph 14 (26 June 1996). Back

 

© Parliamentary copyright 1996
Prepared 19th December 1996