Marijke van Hees, chair of the Dutch Advisory Board on Regulatory Burden (ATR), summarizes the activities of RegWatchEurope (RWE) in 2024. ATR chaired RWE in 2024.
1. Looking back at 2024, could you provide a summary of the key achievements and initiatives RWE has focused on this year?
2024 has been a productive year for RWE, marked by several significant initiatives. We started the year with a workshop on the business-friendly implementation of CS3D, followed by a conference in The Hague on addressing cumulative regulatory burdens. Later, we hosted a workshop focused on the interplay between Better Regulation policy and research, emphasizing the workability of new legislation, the role of data science for scrutiny work, and the integration of SDGs into Impact Assessments.
Additionally, RWE delivered Key messages towards the new European Commission mandate, stressing the importance of reducing regulatory burdens to enhance the EU’s global competitiveness. We also strengthened our partnership with the OECD’s Regulatory Policy Division, including a collective visit to their headquarters in Paris and participation in the OECD Regulatory Policy Committee’s Annual Meeting. We also invested in practical contacts at staff level with the European Institutions.
2. This year, RegWatchEurope has significantly reinforced its collaboration with the OECD. Can you reflect on this strengthened partnership and its potential moving forward?
The strengthened collaboration with the OECD has been an exciting development for RWE. Together, we are advancing three key workstreams: sharing research outputs, collaborating on joint research projects, and expanding our network via Regulatory Oversight Bodies connected to the OECD. This partnership leverages the OECD’s strong academic foundation and international expertise alongside RWE’s practical, real-world regulatory insights.
By combining these strengths, we can better address global regulatory challenges and influence Better Regulation practices on an international scale. Moving forward, we aim to deepen this collaboration, ensuring it continues to yield impactful results and enhance regulatory frameworks on the ground.
3. As we look toward 2025, what are RWE’s key priorities and how do you see the role of better regulation evolving in the coming year?
In 2024, we initiated two important research projects focused on Better Regulation issues related to the CSRD and GDPR, particularly examining discrepancies between estimated costs in Impact Assessments and actual costs for businesses. Finalizing and distributing the findings from these projects will be a key priority in 2025 to further improve the EU’s policy cycle. As for new initiatives, we are looking forward to the Danish Business Regulation Forum’s presidency of RWE in 2025.
Strengthening ties with the OECD and the European Commission will remain central to our efforts. As we work to enhance the EU’s global competitiveness, reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens and ensuring the business-friendly implementation of EU legislation look to remain crucial areas of focus.