Simplification of existing legislation

Simplification is about making life easier for European citizens and businesses. It is about making legislation easier to understand and comply with, and it is about cutting red tape, so that businesses can focus more on production and growth.

Simplification is part of the Commission's Smart Regulation agenda. It involves both cutting red tape in existing legislation and avoiding new burdens in the future, and is closely linked to both evaluations and impact assessments. Evaluations identify what should be simplified, and impact assessments shed light on the costs of introducing new burdens. Simplification and reduction of regulatory burdens are therefore an integral part of the whole policy cycle in the Commission.

On these pages you can find more information about the Commission's work on simplification within the Commission Work Program, and the new strategy for minimizing burdens for SMEs. You can also find a feedback form if you would like to propose changes or have your say about regulatory burdens.