High Level Group of Independent Stakeholders on Administrative Burdens
Edmund Stoiber, Chairman of the High Level Group: "The motto of administrative burden reduction has to be: as little legislation as possible. Europe has to give priority to ideas and innovation without bureaucratic stop signs. We will give economic growth in Europe a forward push if we manage to get on with this. "
Under its first mandate 
the Group's main task had been to provide advice on administrative burden reduction measures suggested in the context of the Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the EU, the aim of which is to reduce administrative burdens on businesses arising from EU legislation by 25% by 2012. With the new mandate adopted by the Commission on 17 August 2010, the Group will continue this work until 31 December 2012 to fully exploit the savings potential of the Action Programme. In addition, the mandate has been extended by the following aspects:
-
The group shall advise the Commission on its Simplification Rolling Programme, in particular with regard to the acts with high potential for reducing administrative burdens;
-
it shall assist the Commission in ensuring progress in adopting proposals on reducing administrative burden by the Council and Parliament;
-
it shall prepare a report by November 2011 on best practice in Member States to implement EU legislation in the least burdensome way;
-
it shall engage in a more regular and structured exchange with the Impact Assessment Board.
High Level Group activities
In the context of its extended mandate the HLG had called upon national governments, regional and local authorities as well as business organisations and other stakeholders to submit examples for best practice in Member States to implement EU legislation in the least burdensome way.
The examples submitted are currently analysed. On 1 July 2011 the HLG launched a targeted consultation with stakeholders and other interested parties on a selection of best practice examples until 31 July 2011. If you are interested in getting involved in this consultation, please contact the HLG Secretariat via sg-hlg-ab(at)ec.europa.eu.
14 July 2011
The HLG discusses the on-going work on the Best Practice Report and hears a presentation from DG MARKT [158 KB] .
5 May 2011
The HLG adopts the 8th opinion on offline suggestions [70 KB] and hears a presentation of Sweden [5 MB] .
8 April 2011
The HLG holds a discussion with Commissioner Cioloş and hears presentations about burden reduction efforts in the area of Regional Policy.
10 March 2011
The HLG holds a public meeting in Amsterdam. It adopts its 7th opinion on stakeholders' suggestions [107 KB] , discusses the 2010 Impact Assessment Board Report and hears presentations from the Netherlands and Denmark on administrative burden reduction activities.
24 January 2011
The HLG discusses administrative burden related activities in the field of energy with Commissioner Oettinger and hears presentations on administrative burdens for citizens and on support activities to Commission services on measuring administrative costs.
7 December 2010
The HLG hears a number of presentations about administrative burden reduction activities in Member States.
22 October 2010
The High Level Group adopts an opinion on the future extension [61 KB] of the scope of the Action Programme.
The HLG hears a number of presentations about administrative burden reduction activities in a number of Member States.
30 September 2010
The HLG discusses the extended mandate.
8 July 2010
The HLG adopts an opinion on the Stakeholder Consultation on Smart Regulation [118 KB] and its second opinion on the priority area of transport [54 KB] .
20 May 2010
The HLG adopts an opinion on the extension of the Action Programme in January 2009 [81 KB] and its second opinion on the priority area of environment. [46 KB]
12 April 2010
The HLG holds a hearing on suggestions to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens in the field of EU environmental legislation.
11 March 2010
The HLG holds a first discussion on the future extension of the Action Programme.
28 January 2010
The HLG adopts its sixth opinion [51 KB] on stakeholders' suggestions.
10 December 2009
The HLG discusses ideas about its future mandate and a report [340 KB] prepared by WIFO-CEPS on the 2009 extension of the Action Programme.
12 November 2009
The HLG held a public meeting in Stockholm. It adopted another opinion on stakeholders' suggestions [40 KB] and discussed principles of Better Regulation. This discussion will continue at its next meeting on 10 December 2009.
17 September 2009
After nearly two years of intensive and fruitful work the HLG presents its intermediate report [100 KB] to the European Commission and its President José Manuel Barroso at the start of a new mandate.
7-8 July 2009
The HLG adopts opinions on Financial Services [37 KB] [37 KB] , Statistics [63 KB] [63 KB] , Cohesion [48 KB] [48 KB] and its fourth opinion on stakeholders' suggestions [64 KB] [64 KB] .
28 May 2009
The HLG adopts opinions on administrative burden reduction in the priority areas taxation [98 KB] , fisheries [68 KB] and working environment [92 KB] .
Invitation to stakeholders for consultation on administrative burdens due to EU environmental legislation. Click here [72 KB] for more details.
16-17 April 2009
The HLG adopts an opinion on administrative burden reduction in the priority area environment [117 KB] and its third opinion [30 KB] on stakeholders' suggestions.
4-5 March 2009
The HLG adopts opinions on administrative burden reduction in the priority areas agriculture [76 KB] , pharmaceutical legislation [39 KB] , food safety [42 KB] and transport [57 KB] .
20 January 2009
The HLG adopts its second opinion [38 KB] on stakeholders' suggestions.
10 December 2008
The HLG adopts its opinion [73 KB] on Public Procurement.
22 October 2008
The HLG adopts its opinion [25 KB] on the reform of the rules on invoicing in the VAT directive.
18 September 2008
The HLG adopts its first opinion [26 KB] on stakeholders' suggestions. Dr Stoiber and Jury members launch the "Best Idea for Red Tape Reduction Award".
10 July 2008
The HLG adopts its opinion [66 KB] on administrative burden reduction in the priority area of company law.
29 May 2008
The HLG continues its discussion on the priority area of Company Law and votes on the idea of reducing the administrative burden imposed on small businesses by the EU's accounting and auditing rules.
15 April 2008
The HLG holds a first meeting dedicated to the priority area of Company Law and adopts its final opinion [16 KB] on the FTA 2008.
26 February 2008
The HLG adopts its first opinion [58 KB] on Fast Track Actions (FTA) 2008.
17 January 2008
The HLG holds its constituent meeting.
23 November 2007
The Commission nominates the other members of the High Level Group.
13 September 2007
The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, announced on this day the nomination of Edmund Stoiber as chair of the High Level Group of Independent Stakeholders on Administrative Burdens: "Mr Stoiber is a committed European and an outstanding personality of high repute with more than thirty years of experience at political, legislative and administrative levels. He has personally been involved at the forefront of efforts to improve legislation in Bavaria, Germany and Europe."
31 August 2007
The Commission pledges to take a transparent approach towards implementing the Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the European Union. It therefore sets up a High Level Group.
Provisional Agenda for 2011
22 September
20 October
15 November
7 December
Meeting reports - Presentations
14 July 2011
Evaluation of public procurement Directives [137 KB]
Green Paper on the modernisation of PP [158 KB]
5 May 2011
8th opinion on offline suggestions [70 KB]
Annex - Selection suggestions [16 KB]
Swedish presentation [5 MB]
Minutes of the meeting [82 KB]
Annex to the minutes [29 KB]
8 April 2011Minutes of the meeting [47 KB]
Clearing House Presentation [3 MB]
Development of Clearing Houses [2 MB]
10 March 2011
Minutes of the meeting [33 KB]
7th opinion on stakeholders' suggestions [107 KB]
Annex - Selection suggestions [19 KB]
Presentation of the 2010 IAB report [2 MB]
Presentation: The Dutch approach to Regulatory Reform [340 KB]
Presentation: 10 years Actal [89 KB]
Presentation: Best Practice in Denmark on Administrative Burden Reduction [12 MB]
24 January 2011Minutes of the meeting [46 KB]
Presentation: Administrative Burden for Citizens [29 KB]
Presentation: SG C3 Support activities to other Cimmission services [372 KB]
7 December 2010Minutes of the meeting [49 KB]
Presentation: Smart Regulation 
[263 KB]
Presentation: Simplification Strategies for Luxembourg [2 MB]
Presentation: Simplification of legislation in Latvia [2 MB]
For additional information please see the following:
-
Press release [15 KB]
-
Memo [35 KB]
- Video
-
Pending proposals [20 KB]
-
Updated sectoral plans [93 KB]
22 October 2010Minutes of the meeting [39 KB]
Opinion on the future extension of the scope of the Action Programme [61 KB]
Bulgaria [132 KB]
Finland [2 MB]
Portugal 
[7 MB] ; FAQs [272 KB]
Presentation about the IAB in 2010 [3 MB]
30 September 2010
Minutes of the meeting 
[106 KB]
8 July 2010
Minutes of the meeting [95 KB]
Opinion on Stakeholders Consultation on Smart Regulation [34 KB]
Opinion on Stakeholders Consultation on Smart Regulation - Annex [35 KB]
Second opinion on transport [54 KB]
Speech of Marcin Korolec, Under-secretary of State, ministry of Economy, Poland [67 KB]
Presentation by ASA [322 KB]
20 May 2010
Minutes of the meeting [26 KB]
Second opinion on environment [46 KB]
Opinion on the extension of the Action Programme by 30 acts (January 2009) [81 KB]
Overview of 22 acts covered by HLG opinion (Extension 2009) [16 KB]
Presentation: Implementation of the sectoral reduction plan in the field of VAT [345 KB]
Presentation: Implementation of the Modernised Customs Code (MCCIP) [751 KB]
Presentation: Noah and the Red Tape [633 KB]
12 April 2010 - Hearing on EU environmental legislation
Agenda [17 KB]
Overview of suggestions including responses by the Commission and the HLG [291 KB]
All suggestions [15 MB]
Invitation [72 KB]
11 March 2010
Minutes of the meeting [27 KB]
Presentation by DG Agriculture and Rural Development [3 MB]
Presentation on Smart Regulation and Impact Assessment [205 KB]
28 January 2010
Minutes of the meeting [33 KB]
Sixth opinion on Stakeholder Suggestions [51 KB]
Annex - Selection suggestions [21 KB]
Presentation by CEPS [453 KB]
10 December 2009
Minutes of the meeting [51 KB]
Measuring and reducing administrative burdens - CEPS contribution to te EU Action Programme. [340 KB]
Administrative Burden Reduction Check List [9 KB]
12 November 2009
Minutes of the meeting [23 KB]
Decalogue for Smart Regulation [14 KB]
Fifth opinion on stakeholders' suggestions [40 KB]
Annex [18 KB]
Presentation about the Action Programme [424 KB]
17 September 2009
Minutes of the meeting [72 KB]
7-8 July 2009
Opinions on the priority areas financial services [37 KB] , statistics [63 KB] and cohesion [63 KB] .
Opinion on stakeholders' suggestions [64 KB]
Annex A 
[99 KB]
28 May 2009
Minutes of the meeting [40 KB]
Opinions on the priority areas taxation [98 KB] , fisheries [69 KB] and working environment [92 KB] .
16-17 April 2009
Minutes of the meeting [62 KB]
Opinion on the priority area environment [117 KB]
Opinions on stakeholder suggestions [30 KB]
annex A [39 KB]
04-05 March 2009
Minutes of the meeting [75 KB]
Opinion of the HLG on the priority area agriculture [76 KB]
Opinion of the HLG on the priority area food safety [42 KB]
Opinion of the HLG on the priority area pharmaceutical legislation [39 KB]
Opinion of the HLG on the priority area transport [57 KB]
Presentation on working environment/employment relations [223 KB]
Presentation on environment [133 KB]
20 January 2009
Minutes of the meeting [56 KB]
Opinion of the HLG on stakeholder suggestions [38 KB]
annex A [39 KB]
annex B [267 KB]
10 December 2008
Minutes of the meeting [56 KB]
Presentation on public procurement reform: part 1 [118 KB] and part 2 [764 KB]
Opinion of the HLG on the priority area of public procurement [73 KB]
22 October 2008
Minutes of the meeting [67 KB]
Opinion on reform of the rules on invoicing in the VAT directive [25 KB]
Presentation of ALTINN: the Norwegian experience with e-services for businesses [3 MB]
Presentation on simplification and administrative burden reduction in the Common Agriculture Policy [234 KB]
Presentation on VAT invoicing proposals [406 KB]
18 September 2008
Opinion of the HLG on stakeholders' suggestions [26 KB]
Minutes of the meeting [72 KB]
Presentation of the fisheries control system [124 KB]
10 July 2008
Opinion of the HLG on administrative burden reduction in the priority area of Company Law [66 KB]
Minutes of the meeting [18 KB]
29 May 2008
Minutes of the meeting [33 KB]
Press release from the Chair [12 KB]
15 April 2008
Opinion of the HLG on FTA [16 KB]
Minutes of the meeting [18 KB]
26 February 2008
Minutes of the meeting [32 KB]
Presentations by members [889 KB]
Presentations to the HLG [4 MB]
Opinion of the HLG on FTA [58 KB]
17 January 2008
Minutes of the meeting [25 KB]
Presentations to the HLG 01 [3 MB]
Presentations to the HLG 02 [2 MB]
Presentations to the HLG 03 [3 MB]
Members
List of members [12 KB]
Mandate and internal working rules
Commission decision of 17 August 2010 
Commission decision - 31 August 2007 [27 KB]
Rules of procedure for the Group [22 KB]
