Brussels, 13 December 2017
A new online register, launched on Tuesday 12 December, will make it easier to find and track EU decisions taken in the form of delegated acts.
To help the public and interested parties to follow this part of the EU decision-making process, a new common online register is being launched by the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission, so that anyone can easily search and find delegated acts linked to a certain topic or piece of legislation.
European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “We are delivering again on the Commission’s Better Regulation Agenda and on our joint commitment with Parliament and Council to better law-making for Europe’s citizens. By launching this new online register, we are making the EU more transparent and opening up the windows on the process for adopting technical rules to implement our policies.”
President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani said: “The register will enable citizens to follow the decision-making process on delegated acts, which often seem technical, but can be politically sensitive as well. It is an answer to the Parliament’s long-standing demand to bring EU decision-making closer to citizens and thus make the EU institutions and EU law more transparent.”
Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Matti Maasikas, on behalf of the Estonian Presidency of the Council said: “The EU decision-making process must become more accessible for citizens. I am glad that the new register will make it easier for everyone to follow how delegated acts are adopted. This is in line with our aim to bring more transparency into the work of the EU institutions.”
The new Interinstitutional Register of Delegated Acts offers a complete overview of the lifecycle of this process. It allows users to search and follow the development of delegated acts from the planning stage conducted by the European Commission, up until the final publication in the Official Journal. The register also illustrates the various steps taken by the European Parliament and the Council as well as the work of Commission expert groups involved in the preparation of delegated acts. The Register increases transparency of the decision-making process as it offers a one-stop-shop for delegated acts where all relevant information can be easily found. It also allows users to subscribe and receive notifications about the development of specific delegated acts which they are interested in.
Delegated acts are used to supplement or amend EU laws. They are most common in the areas of economy, agriculture, environment and public health, the single market and trade. They are a form of secondary legislation which is used, for example, to update technical requirements in legislation. Parliament and the Council empower the Commission to draft delegated acts, which are then submitted to them. Parliament and Council are able to reject draft delegated acts.
Background
On 15 March 2016, the three EU Institutions agreed on an Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA) on Better Law-Making, based on a European Commission proposal, presented in the May 2015 Better Regulation Agenda. This Interinstitutional Agreement set out changes across the full policy-making cycle, from consultations and impact assessment to adoption, implementation and evaluation of EU legislation. Under the Interinstitutional Agreement, the three Institutions committed to set up, at the latest by the end of 2017, a joint functional register of delegated acts, providing information in a well-structured and user-friendly way, in order to enhance transparency, facilitate planning and enable traceability of all the different stages in the lifecycle of a delegated act. Today’s launch of the register delivers on this commitment.
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