BETTER REGULATION: COMMISSION CALLS FOR 68 PROPOSALS TO BE SCRAPPED.

Compared to the list of 72 proposals which featured in a version of the list from last week, the final version has been whittled down to 68. One of the proposals which was dropped from the final list in recent days concerned the implementation of the Protocol on Alpine transport after Directorate-General for Transport said that there was a chance that the Convention could be ratified by Italy.

Impact assessments.

Apart from the 68 proposals the Commission wants to scrap, it has listed six where it wants to carry out further economic analysis to see the impact on competitiveness. These include:

- proposal for a Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases;

- proposal for a Regulation on waste shipment;

- draft Decision on a convention on international interests in mobile equipment and on matters relating to aircraft equipment;

- a proposal for a Directive modifying a Directive on VAT on travel agents;

- a proposal for a Regulation amending a Regulation on administrative co-operation on VAT on supplies of travel services.

The Commission also wants to carry out a fresh impact analysis on a proposal for a Directive on the conditions of entry and residence for third-country nationals for paid employment and self-employment.

It has maintained its position from earlier drafts that the proposal on temporary workers should be reviewed in light of progress on the services directive and called for natural optical radiation to be removed from the proposal for a Directive on risks from physical agents in line with the European Parliaments position.

Addressing the EP, Mr Verheugen said that the aim of withdrawing these proposals was to combat the notion that the EU was a obureaucratic monstero. At the same time, the plan was to free up growth in the economy which was being held back by excessive or complicated regulation. oOnly by relaxing bureaucracy, removing rules which have become pointless and providing industry and service providers a modern and predictable long-term legal framework will it be possible to preserve Europes position as a place for employment and investment and to improve its chances in global competitiono, he told MEPs.

He stressed that the exercise was not about oideologically motivated deregulationo, but obetter regulationo. The Union should be careful not to overload society with unnecessary bureaucracy and reassure citizens that European law is being prepared with the greatest care.

Mr Verheugen said that the Commission was...