European Commission publishes Annual Burden Survey for 2021!

The European Commission has just published its 2021 Annual Burden Survey, explaining and taking stock of the EU's better regulation efforts in 2021, their concrete findings and follow-up.

The CoR and the Commission have been cooperating on better regulation for a long time, including through the CoR's Network of Regional Hubs (RegHub), which assesses the implementation of EU law at local and regional level. Thanks to RegHub's unique consultation method, its in-depth implementation reports and the added-value they bring for evidence-based policy making in the EU, the Commission decided to integrate RegHub as a subgroup into the new Fit for Future Platform (F4F) to inform the Platform's opinions as part of the regulatory fitness and performance programme (REFIT).

In its function as a subgroup, RegHub has consulted its network on the implementation of the EU's patients' rights Directive, the INSPIRE Directive, and the implementation of eProcurement solutions in the EU. The findings of these consultations substantially contributed to the respective F4F opinions drafted by CoR members and representatives in the Platform, Mark Speich (eProcurement), Anne Karjalainen (INSPIRE), and Ulrika Landergren (Patients' rights in cross-border healthcare).

Beyond these opinions, and on the request of F4F Chair Maroš Šefčovič, RegHub has carried out an extensive consultation of its network to find out which factors impede infrastructure roll-out at local and regional level, leading to the publication of the RegHub special Report on 21st Century Rules for 21st Century Infrastructure: Overcoming obstacles to transport, green, and digital infrastructure deployment.

With its annual survey on the Union's efforts to simplify legislation, the Commission now presents a detailed follow-up to all F4F opinions and the RegHub Special Report, and explains what commitments it will make in these areas, taking into account the recommendations and findings.