European Commission opens up new part of law-making process
The European Commission has opened up a new part of its law-making process to the public.
The commission has already been involving citizens and stakeholders in its decision-making process by holding public consultations on impact assessments, legislative proposals, evaluations and fitness checks of how existing laws are performing in practice, and inviting suggestions for administrative burden reduction.
But now people will also be able to express their views on draft delegated and implementing acts, which are used by the EU institutions to update elements of adopted legislation or specify the conditions by which EU laws should be implemented.
Draft delegated and implementing acts will now be put online and open for public feedback for a period of four weeks using the commission’s new online feedback tool.
The move is part of the EU’s Better Regulation Agenda and a wider effort to make the EU institutions more transparent.
Frans Timmermans, first vice-president of the commission, said: “Transparency and consultation are at the heart of our efforts to produce better regulation for better results.
“Since taking office 18 months ago we have thrown open our decision-making process and consult at all stages with those who have to deal with EU rules.
“Stakeholders will now be able to give their views for the first time on delegated and implementing acts, before they are adopted by the Commission.”
A spokesman for Transparency International EU, told Global Government Forum: “We welcome any steps the EU is taking towards including the public more in its decision-making process.
“Under the Juncker administration, the EU has already put in place a number of transparency measures involving consultation.
“This is another way of communicating better with citizens, which is always a good thing.”
Click here for more information on the European Commission’s consultation tool
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About Winnie Agbonlahor
Winnie is news editor of Global Government Forum. She previously reported for Civil Service World - the trade magazine for senior UK government officials. Originally from Germany, Winnie first came to the UK in 2006 to study a BA in Journalism & Russian at the University of Sheffield. She is bilingual in English and German, and, after spending an academic year abroad in Russia and reporting for the Moscow Times, Winnie also speaks Russian fluently.
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