high level group on administrative burdens 5 th march 2009 administrative burden reduction in dg...

High Level Group on Administrative Burdens5th March 2009

Administrative Burden Reduction in DG

Environment

Timo Mäkelä

European Commission – DG Environment


Broad Picture

Pressure from business on environment legislation has been and remains constant

Environment Legislation a small part of the total administrative cost (in the Measurement: 0.5%)

So, we have been reducing our administrative burden for some time: for existing and in new legislation

For example, we have scrutinised all our acquis


Our Reductions during this Commission

Cutting burdens is a joint responsibility with Member States.

In environmental field, Member States have considerable choice over how to implement and so also on the costs to businesses.

For DG ENV annual savings exceed new costs by €300m (not just costs to business)


Measurement Exercise: IPPC (Rec.2)

Purpose: sets out principles for regulation of most polluting industrial installations, based on permitting and monitoring

These installations are significant share of all pollution (e.g. 83% sulphur dioxide, 55% VOCs to air)

2 year review finished last year. Proposal estimated to cut burdens by €180m/year

Consortium Recommends:

Member States cut unnecessary costs in renewal of permits. (Est. saving €13m/yr) We agree.


Measurement Exercise: Seveso (Rec.s 4, 5)

Purpose: Manages risk of industrial accidents for installations storing particularly dangerous substances

We are currently reviewing the interaction with other measures, with a view to possible change at end 2009


4. Member State level web-sites for easier notification submission. (Est. saving of €1.6m.year). We would like to see details.

5. Co-ordination of inspections with industrial emissions inspections. (Est. saving of €1.6m.year). We agree.


Measurement Exercise: ELV (Rec. 12)

Purpose: To reduce the environmental harms, and increase environmental benefits, from car scrapping. (12m tonnes of waste/year).

We are waiting to consider reports on implementation due from Member States, before deciding on the need for review.


Member States putting in place on-line issuing of ‘certificates of destruction’ by the businesses receiving cars for scrap. (Est. saving of 14m/year). We believe this will only be suitable for some Member States.


Measurement Exercise: WEEE (Rec. 7)

Purpose: To reduce the environmental harms, and increase the environmental benefits, of treatment of waste electronic and electrical equipment (9m tonnes/year)

After a 3 year review process, we proposed a changed Directive in 2008, including provisions estimated to cut burden from Directive’s obligations by €66m.


Member States to use electronic reporting for records of equipment sold and waste treated. (Est. saving of €20m). We need more information on the detail.


Measurement Exercise: Waste Shipments

Purpose: To avoid hazardous and other waste being dumped in our outside the EU without proper treatment

We revised the Regulation to improve effectiveness and cut unnecessary costs, new Regulation in force in July ’07

Consortium Recommends (Rec.s 10, 11):

10. Continued use of general notifications (Est. saving €2.7bn/yr) – already in place

11. Member States to provide IT systems for shipment registration with pre-filled forms (Est. saving €14m/year). We agree.


Greatest Potential : More efficiency

The differences between Member States’ implementation of the same pieces of legislation shows big savings can be made by Member States adopting best practice.

IPPC: the review estimated that if all Member States streamlined procedural requirements – particularly with other related legislation – as some had done, €150-300m could be saved.

The next slide shows the difference in time required to meet the same objective in different Member States


IPPC: submit information on monitoring of releases: number of minutes per firm

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FR ES IT SK LV CZ


Conclusion

Cutting administrative costs is in everyone’s interests.

DG Environment has a history of working with businesses and Member States to improve our requirements and share best practice at Member State level

Welcome the consortium’s work and recommendations

high level group on administrative burdens 5 th march 2009 administrative burden reduction in dg...

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