Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-15-Speech-1-066"
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".
Mr President, I would very much like to congratulate the rapporteur, Mr Doorn, on this particularly constructive and well-balanced report. It underlines the need for stepping up our joint efforts in order to improve the quality of new and existing Community legislation – with good reason. I therefore welcome the support lent to the SLIM initiative, as well as the support shown by this Parliament.
This legislative process for which we all carry some responsibility, concerns us all, of course. I am convinced that the current political consensus in aid of a better legislative climate within the European Union will lead to real and permanent improvements. I would also like to thank Mr Bushill-Matthews for the alternative meaning he gave to the acronym SLIM, namely ‘Substantially Less Interference by Members’. I am very grateful to him for that. I will try to quote this at the appropriate place and time, and those whom the cap fits can wear it.
On a final note, I would like to let Mr Doorn and your Parliament know that the amendments are acceptable to the Commission.
Our review of the SLIM initiative and this report have demonstrated where and how the initiative can be improved. Consequently, in tandem with the representatives of the Member States, we are, in this connection, looking forward to making and implementing important recommendations under the wing of a newly established internal market Advisory Committee. With the fifth and subsequent stages of the SLIM in mind, we are currently considering suggestions with regard to sectors which could be due an overhaul. Any suggestions in this connection from this Parliament are, of course, welcome. As soon as agreement has been reached on a shortlist of sectors which can be overhauled, we will contact representatives of the industrial and business world, consumer organisations and trade unions, all referred to as the so-called ‘consumers’, every step of the way. That should offer them the opportunity of contributing to the SLIM initiative, either directly or indirectly, and of being informed of the progress made. I am convinced that this approach will allow all those taking part in this overhaul exercise to focus on the key issues of simplification, and that the SLIM teams will be making relevant and practical recommendations. I am therefore looking forward to reporting on the progress made during the next couple of months.
As you know, the Commission is required to submit proposals to the best of its ability within six months of receiving the recommendations of the SLIM team, provided that these are recommendations which it can subscribe to. We will make every effort to fulfil this commitment, and I am addressing Mr Bushill-Matthews in particular with this statement.
We are thrilled with Mr Doorn’s recommendations that Parliament and the Council will each assume their responsibilities, by carefully considering all proposals in this connection, so as to ensure that the SLIM initiative runs as smoothly as possible.
I share Mr Doorn’s view that an increasing number of legislative areas should be simplified. I am with him on that one. I, too, would like to see this happen. That is, of course, only possible within the confines imposed by other priority duties and within the budgetary scope available.
I would like to underline this point. The Commission receives many requests. The Commission has many duties, but it does not always have the means available to fulfil these duties fast and efficiently. That is an important matter which also merits much attention in this Parliament. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that we can accelerate the simplification process, not least as a result of the work in which the Commission itself is involved.
In response to the appeal made at the European Council in Lisbon, to reach a coordinated policy so as to simplify the legislative climate, the Commission is currently subjecting its position on legislation in general to a thorough investigation in the widest sense of the word. It is examining areas where non-regulatory alternatives could be introduced. Moreover, it is pressing for the development of better ways of gauging the effect of newly proposed legislation on the business world and industry, so as to minimise possible extra expense and administrative red tape. An enquiry in this connection was also submitted this afternoon.
The efforts which are now being made to draft better legislation coincide with preparations for the white paper on better management. I am mentioning this particularly for the benefit of Mrs Kauppi.
The Commission’s work will be complemented by the results of the discussions held in a high-level working group on better legislation, which was convened by ministers of the Public Office following their meeting in Strasbourg in November last. It is this working group’s duty, and Mr Ford called for attention to be given to this, to examine the quality and simplification of both national and Community legislation. I am already looking forward to the report and the recommendations of this working group."@en1
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