Efficient Management of the Regulatory Framework

1
Efficient Management of the Regulatory Framework

• Guido Kayaert, Nestlé
• Brussels, 16 Nov 2007

2
Introduction

• Regulation is only one of the factors affecting
  competitiveness
• Balance between functionality of legislation and
  cost of compliance
• Efficient management of the regulatory system

3
Administrative burden and regulation

• Competitiveness of the European Food Industry
  (LEI study)
• CIAA benchmark report The Competitiveness of the
  EU Food and Drink Industry

4
Reducing administrative burden

• Internal Market remains first priority
• Effectiveness and proportionality of legislation
• Science based ?
• Ambiguity of legislation
• Costs of implementation
• Procedures, inefficient data protection and lack
  of predictability are hurdles for innovation
• Harmonised enforcement
• Data management

5
Regulations

• To include
• Management of the regulatory system
• Decision-making processes

6
Impact of Food legislation

• Food legislation is not a major factor
  hampering competitiveness, nor is the EU system
  seen as inferior to the US-system
• A surprising result, but does it reflect reality?

7
Management of regulatory system

• Genuine simplification
• Harmonised interpretation of regulations
• Coherent control and enforcement
• Flexibility to adapt to changing environment
• Monitoring of results
• Review process
• Change of mindset

8
Better Regulation

• Not necessary less but better and integrated
  regulation followed by all decision-makers
• Based on sound impact assessment
• No action is valid option but should not mean
  leaving it to the Member States to impose local
  measures
• Regulations to set objectives with operators to
  identify the best way to reach them

9
Alternative approaches

• Voluntary initiatives are valid alternatives
• Efficient and cost effective monitoring
• Self-regulation, co-regulation

10
Action plan for the Food Industry

• Identify needs and challenges
• Develop a process that involves operators
• Pro-active

11
Industry initiatives

• European Technology Platform on Food for Life
  The vision for 2020 and beyond
• Managing Environmental sustainability in the
  European Food Drink Industries

12
Long term vision

• Future challenges 2009-2014 (DG SANCO)

13
Key drivers of change (DG SANCO)

• Governance
• Consumer Confidence
• Globalisation
• Changing Society

14
Governance critical factors(DG SANCO)

• Reinforcing governance systems and cooperation
  between the different levels of policy making
• Delivering real results
• Embedding openness and transparency
• Ensuring coherence within DG SANCOs policies and
  with wider policy fields

15
Coherence among EU policies Biofuels

• Energy objectives
• Environmental sustainability requirements
• Economic aspects
• Food safety and Public health
• Research policies
• Social aspects food security, food prices
• Review clause

16
Globalisation

• Asynchronous rules GMOs
• Incident management
• Increased number of incidents often due to more
  sensitive analytical methods
• Issue/Crisis prevention
• Relationship between the role of companies and
  public authorities (WTO)

17
Data collection

• Lack of reliable and representative data
• Access to data from different sources in
  harmonised format
• Research needed to develop efficient and
  affordable systems
• Collaborative effort

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Conclusion

• Internal Market remains key objective
• Better Regulation to focus on future needs and
  integrate requirements of different policies
• Mapping exercise to prepare a Master plan for
  the Food Industry
• Research on how to manage harmonised and
  representative data base