Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the EU

The Commission's Action Programme aimed at lightening the administrative burden on businesses by removing unnecessary reporting and information requirements.

The target to reduce the administrative burden stemming from EU legislation by 25% by 2012 has been fully achieved.

The programme covered the following areas:

Agriculture and agricultural subsidies
Annual accounts/company law
Cohesion policy
Environment
Financial services
Fisheries
Food safety

Pharmaceutical legislation
Public procurement
Statistics
Tax law (VAT)
Transport
Working environment/employment relations

For more information please visit Measurements and Results.

Legislation covered

42 EU legal acts pdf - 27 KB [27 KB] (including national implementing measures) – 2008
30 additional acts pdf - 20 KB [20 KB] - 2009.

Methodology

Administrative burdens are measured using the EU Standard Cost Model.