Cumulative impact of regulation and administrative procedures very burdensome. Estimate total cost of regulation and administrative procedures to business, and undertake to reduce these by stepped reduction. Wide support for SLIM project on simplification of Internal Market legislation, but needs strengthening. Member States must play their part. Member States have a responsibility on competition policy which tends to have uneven application - e.g. state aids, tax barriers.
Commission needs support of operators to make changes.
Intellectual property protection major concern for business, particularly SMEs. Need to generate feedback from SMEs about the difficulties they encounter in the Internal Market and to draw operational conclusions. Need to balance different objectives of legislation eg. Environmental protection against impact on industry - compliance costs. Careful not to harm the Internal Market.