WRITTEN QUESTION E-4086/00 by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Business Impact Assessments.
Date: 2001-01-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, European undertaking, impact study

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/231

them to pursue their economic policies more easily and gear their economies to the new market
conditions. The EU is often their leading trading partner, sometimes even ahead of the countries of the
former Soviet Union.

The agreements reflect the progress made in the EU(cid:146)s bilateral relations these countries. They reflect the
historical context (transition from the former Soviet Union to independent and modern structures) and the
thoroughgoing changes in the societies of those countries with the switch from a socialist to a market
economy and the adoption of democratic principles (free elections, respect for human rights and the rule
of law). By putting in place a political dialogue, the agreements are thus geared to these conditions and
fulfil this function in countries still in the throes of transition and in which reforms have yet to be
completed or even started. They were designed solely for relations with the new independent states of the
former Soviet Union.

(2001/C 174 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4084/00

by Lord Inglewood (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: Italian law on the buying, registration and selling of cars

Does the European Commission believe that the Italian law governing the buying, registration and selling
of cars complies with EC law, with particular regard to nationals of other EU Member States who are
legally resident there?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2001)

The Commission has looked into issues relating to the car market, with particular regard to State measures
governing the import and registration of new and second-hand cars for private or business use. It has
dealt,
for example, with a complaint concerning the possibility of Community citizens buying and
registering vehicles in Italy without being legally resident in that Member State. The case was resolved
and filed in 2000 after a circular was adopted giving all Community citizens the right to register a car in
Italy under their own name, provided that they have reasonably close ties to the country (for example, if
they own a secondary residence there).

However, the Commission would like to give the fullest possible answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s
question, which seems to concern a problem encountered by nationals of other Member States when
buying or registering cars in Italy. To do this, the Commission would need further details concerning legal
provisions, practical difficulties (for example, documents required and compulsory technical inspections),
administrative or fiscal barriers, and any excessive costs, which might exist in this Member State.

(2001/C 174 E/248)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4086/00

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: Business Impact Assessments

Bearing in mind that the Commission is responsible for carrying out a Business Impact Assessment on all
of its proposals, given that four Council of Ministers resolutions and a Council decision reaffirm this fact,

C 174 E/232

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

and bearing in mind that the costs to European business of a failure to undertake a detailed cost-benefit
analysis of the impact of EU legislation are huge, could the Commission please give a detailed explanation
as to why, in a large number of policy areas, Commission proposals do not undergo Business Impact
Assessments and what concrete measures it is taking in the relevant directorates-general to improve this
situation?

Could it also forward a list of the legislative proposals submitted during the current parliamentary term, i.e.
since July 1999 on which a Business Impact Assessment has been carried out?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2001)

As the Honourable Member is aware, the business impact assessment (BIA) system was first developed and
used by the small and medium sized enterprises (SME) task force in 1986 and further revised in 1990 into
its current form. Following the revision of the methodology in 1990 it was decided that business impact
assessment should be an obligatory attachment to legislative proposals with significant impact on business.
The measurement of significant impact is the subject of a joint decision between the drafting and affected
services within the Commission. These internal Commission working procedures along with comprehen-
sive consultation with outside interests are part of the open and transparent Commission policy as
established by the guidelines on legislative policy announced by the Commission in January 1996.

Although the business impact assessment system has, over the years, proven to be a useful tool for
assessing the impact of legislation on enterprises, certain shortcomings of the system have become evident
over the years.

Against this background the Commission launched the BIA pilot project in September 2000. It will run
to February 2002, with preliminary conclusions to be drawn in the autumn of 2001. The specific aim of
the BIA pilot project is to strengthen the business impact assessment methodology and techniques,
including a systematic consultation of interested parties.

The BIA pilot project will apply to a few legislative proposals from the Commission(cid:146)s Work Programme
for 2000 and 2001 and will, in addition, also include further exploration of the current use and the
necessity of a more systematic approach towards cost-benefit analysis as a tool when assessing the impact
of legislative proposals.

While the pilot project concentrates on improving the system for assessing the impact of proposed
legislation on business, it also feeds into the broader debate currently going on within the Commission on
better regulation, following the request from the Lisbon European Council on a common strategy for
further simplification of the regulatory environment. This discussion includes considerations of a more
integrated process for regulatory impact analysis, including co-ordination of impact assessments on several
areas and groups (e.g. business, consumers, health, safety and environment). These ideas are also the
subject of discussion ahead of the White Paper on European governance.

The above-mentioned BIA pilot project will run in parallel with the existing and regular business impact
assessment system. However, both the BIA tool and other impact assessments applied by the Commission,
are limited to the Commission legislative proposals.

The European institutions, and the Member States, recognise that a fundamental cultural change in the
approach towards regulation, and throughout the decision-making chain, is a common challenge for the
future.