Within the framework of the Better Regulation package and the European
Sustainable Development Strategy, the Commission has taken several concrete
actions to improve the way it designs policy. Impact Assessments form an
integral part of the Better Regulation strategy 
[122 KB] .
Impact assessment (IA) is a process aimed at structuring and supporting the development of policies. It identifies and assesses the problem at stake, the objectives pursued, the main options for achieving the objective and analyses their likely impacts in the economic, environmental and social fields. It outlines advantages and disadvantages of each option and examines possible synergies and trade-offs. Impact assessment is an aid to political decision. It aims to improve the quality of Commission proposals and to improve and simplify the regulatory environment. Impact assessment is applied to major Commission proposals, i.e. those listed in its Annual Policy Strategy or its Work Programme.
Impact Assessments carried out in DG INFSO since 2003 (see below) cover the key policy proposals of this DG, for example initiatives such as i2010 – a European Information Society for Growth and Employment, proposal for a directive on Audiovisual Media Services or the recent Review of the Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications.
Ex-ante evaluations and Impact Assessments
Under the new Financial Regulation, all new initiatives with budgetary
implications for the Community Budget must be accompanied by an ex-ante
evaluation. Ex-ante evaluation combines analytical steps of an impact
assessment (i.e. definition of problem, objectives, options and impacts) with
assessment of cost-effectiveness of the proposed budgetary spending. Practical
guidance can be found in the Guide on ex-ante evaluation [269 KB] . Information on the ex-ante evaluations and
impact assessments planned for 2008 can be found in our DG’s Evaluation Plan
for 2008.
Key documents
- Impact Assessment Guidelines
- Impact Assessment Roadmap Template
-
Ex-ante Evaluation Guidelines (2001) [269 KB]
- Strategic Review of Better Regulation in the EU - COM(2006)689 [122 KB]
- Communication "Responding to Strategic needs: Reinforcing the use of
evaluation" - SEC(2007)213 [270 KB]
-
DG INFSO's Evaluation Plan 2009 [26 KB]
DG INFSO's ongoing or planned Impact Assessments 2009
DG INFSO's completed Impact Assessments
2008
2007
2006
2005
- Communication on "i2010 - a European Information Society for growth and
employment" SEC(2005)717 [540 KB]
- Communication on eAccessibility SEC(2005)1095 [312 KB]
- Audiovisual Media Directive SEC(2005)1625 [361 KB] + SEC(2005)1626 [325 KB]
- Impact Assessment of the Competitiveness and Innovation
Programme (CIP) (managed by DG Enterprise and Industry, but including
ICT Policy Support Programme) SEC(2005) 433 [586 KB]
2004
2003
Additional information
For more information on this matter, please refer to the website of
- The Impact Assessment website of the Secretariat General
- The website on Better Regulation
- Link to Agenda Planning
or contact:
Martin UBELHOR - Juha LATIKKA
Directorate General Information Society and Media
Lisbon Strategy and Policies for the Information Society
Evaluation and Monitoring
Tel no.: +32 2 297 58 20, +32 2 295 03 72
Fax no.: +32 2 296 66 13
email: infso-c3 in the domain ec.europa.eu