The bonfire of red tape needs proper scrutiny

A version of this article appeared in European Voice newspaper (6-12 October 2005)

Who could fail to rejoice at the “bonfire of red tape” promised by the European Commission? 68 draft laws to be withdrawn!  I certainly welcome the European Commission’s plan to withdraw proposals that are obsolete, that are making no progress due to lack of agreement between member states, or that are unnecessary or unachievable.

But I do not believe for one minute the claim made by the European Commission that it is dumping proposals that hamper much-needed economic growth.  How does getting rid of “a council regulation establishing measures for the recovery of cod and hake stocks” encourage economic growth? Or scrapping a 1999 proposal for an agreement between the EU and Poland to co-ordinate social security? These proposals might not be necessary - but they are not red tape that prevent European businesses from expanding. 

Indeed, if the Commission persists in presenting this deregulation exercise as an important initiative for creating jobs and growth, it leaves itself open to the accusation of putting on an elaborate dance to cover up the lack of real activity to tackle Europe’s most pressing problems.  

Where is the action to complete Europe’s single market? Here it is probably more, not less, regulation that is needed. Where is the action to get member states to invest in growth? Where is the progress in coordinating member states economic policy? An initiative is urgently needed in this area. Where are the actions to boost renewable energy and energy conservation? These are the things that would stimulate growth. And there is no excuse for the European Commission not coming forward with them.

My concern about the “bonfire of red tape” as a serious political initiative is deepened by doubts expressed in the European Parliament about the Commission’s legal right to withdraw legislation. In addition, few could have been impressed by the way it was announced by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso in the media last week before even his Commissioners had agreed it. Here is a man clearly desperate to be seen to be doing something – understandable perhaps since he appears to be walking away from the constitution without offering an alternative, and who is so far silent on a solution to the impasse over the EU budget.

The Commission’s so-called bonfire of red tape is not a bad idea – it is a modest, sensible proposal which deserves a cautious welcome. While many of the Commission’s recommendations are uncontroversial, the justification for scrapping some of the laws deserves some examination before being agreed. I want to hear in more detail why the EU does not want a common Europe-wide set of rules for weekend lorry bans, or why the Commission wants to reserve the right to reconsider the proposal on the rights of temporary workers.

But please don’t tell me the Commission is liberating economic growth by scrapping a few regulations. We are still eagerly awaiting a European plan for growth and investment:  it’s what Europe needs and what the Party of European Socialists has repeatedly called for -  and no smokescreen of a ‘bonfire of red tape’ will disguise the need for it – or the absence so far of such a plan.