Experts of better regulation get head start on Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU
Reducing unnecessary costs and obstacles that hamper economic activity delivers benefits for citizens. Directors and experts of better regulation will convene in Helsinki this week to discuss enabling legislation, experimental approaches and in particular the future of better regulation.
Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at an important turning point for the EU, which means now is a good time to talk about the future. The topics to be discussed during the Meeting of Directors and Experts of Better Regulation (DEBR) on 27–28 June in Helsinki include enabling legislation, experimental approaches, ex-post assessments of legislative amendments and the outlook for better regulation in Europe in the 2020s.
The aim of the meeting is to come up with new ideas and approaches. The meeting also serves as the starting signal for work towards better regulation during the coming six-month period.
“Above all, Finland’ Presidency wants to deepen the discussion on the objectives and importance of better regulation, for example in terms of sustainable growth in the EU,” says Anu Laitinen, Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
Clear, predictable and enabling regulation strengthens competitiveness
What exactly is better regulation? In some EU member states, such as Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK, better regulation is an integral part of competition policy. In countries such as France and Belgium, in turn, it plays a key role in legal policy.
Better regulation is a form of legislative development, but it is also more than that. In practice, it refers to better law-making, to making sure that acts and decrees are functional and fair and make life easier for both citizens and businesses.
“It’s also important that provisions and regulations are prepared transparently, carefully assessing their impacts,” Laitinen says.
The Meeting of Directors and Experts of Better Regulation (DEBR) on 27–28 June in Helsinki brings together a group of experts from the member states, the Council of the EU, the EU Commission, the OECD and Finland to discuss topical themes and future priorities of better regulation. Follow on Twitter: #ParempiSääntely #BetterRegulation
Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU begins on 1 July 2019.
Inquiries:
Anu Laitinen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 164
Erno Mähönen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 066