A new study by the European Parliament Think Tank analyses ‘gold-plating’ – additional rules and regulatory obligations that interfere with expected policy goals – in the European Rural Development (EAFRD), Fisheries (EMFF), Regional Development (ERDF), Social (ESF) and Cohesion (CF) Funds.

The study discusses the presence, reasons and effects of gold-plating across the five funds and proposes solutions and recommendations to reduce it in both the 2014-2020 and post-2020 programming periods.