Activites

• 1999/04/09 Final act published in Official Journal
• 1998/12/18 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0773/1998 summary

    In adopting its opinion on the Commission's report to the European Council entitled 'Better lawmaking 1997', drafted by Mr. Jean-Pierre COT (PES, F), the Parliament points out that the requirement to produce high-quality legislation concerns both the formal quality of texts and their substance, and that the drafting of simpler and clearer legislation in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality is a condition which will determine its acceptance and proper application by citizens. It deplores that the Commission deals in a single document with the implementation of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, on the one hand, and with matters relating to the formal quality of texts, on the other hand, and considers such an approach prejudicial to in-depth analysis of the various issues. It reiterates its concern as regardds the growing tendency to present proposals for 'framework directives' (e.g. in the areas of water policy, VAT applied to telecommunications services, the transport of dangerous goods by waterway, energy product taxation and airport taxes) following the failure of more ambitious proposals and emphasises the risk of thereby creating law of a status which is uncertain, less mandatory ('soft law') and less sure, which results in fictitious harmonisation and in uncertain transposition into the national legal systems. It notes with concern the Commission's excessive production of non-legislative documents (Green and White Papers, communications and interpretative notes) and the growing imbalance between such activities and legislative activity, on which the Commission has sole right of initiative. It recalls that the principle of subsidiarity is one political principle among others and that, in particular, it should not be invoked in order to restrict Community action aimed at ensuring solidarity between regions in accordance with the objective of economic and social cohesion. The Parliament invites the Council to act upon the pending legislative proposals drawn up by the Commission on the subject of company law, the free movement of persons and taxation. It also invites the Council to ensure that the search for a compromise does not lead to the legislative proposals submitted to it being weakened or rendered ambiguous. The Commission and Council are invited to ensure that levels of protection in the area of the environment, product quality and the health and safety of workers are not lowered under the guise of legislative simplification. Lastly, the Parliament considers it desirable for legislative proposals and preparatory documents to be made available to the national parliaments in good time to enable them, if they so wish, to express opinions on certain subjects and so strengthen co-operative relations with the European Parliament.�

• 1998/12/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1998/11/25 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0460/1998
• 1997/12/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1997/11/26 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(1997)0626 summary

    OBJECTIVE: the purpose of this annual report to the European Council is to describe the action taken by the Commission to help the Community achieve 'better lawmaking'. SUBSTANCE: The report shows that the considerable effort made by the Commission since the Edinburgh European Council has borne fruit. It confirms its approach of doing less but doing it better, consulting interested parties more extensively, improving the drafting quality of its texts, simplifying and consolidating existing legislation and seeking to provide easier access to Community law. The Commission is equipping itself to continue work in this direction through major internal reform initiatives such as MAP 2000 (modernization of administration and personnel policy for the year 2000) and SEM 2000 (better financial coordination between departments in the Commission and the Member States). However these initiatives will not produce the desired effect unless there is greater support by the European Parliament and the Council which must, for example, adopt the many proposals for simplification and formal consolidation which are pending. The Member States have a major role to play in this area. Having a major legislative role, they must transfer to national level the efforts being made at Community level. The Commission considers that the improvement of the quality of legislation must continue to be a priority for the European Union and its Member States. �

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(1997)0626
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A4-0460/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0773/1998

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)