“The Commission Communication on Smart Regulation published today does not meet the expectations of European manufacturers. While we welcome the notion of streamlining impact assessment guidelines, the focus on alternative options such as soft-regulation and setting up a score-board to monitor the implementation of EU regulation at national level, the Commission has nonetheless missed a unique opportunity to build on the bold commitment to stem the flow of new regulation called for by thirteen Member States and unleash the potential for manufacturing to do business and create growth and jobs,” comments Uwe Combüchen, CEEMET Director General.

The expectations raised by the positive signals from the High Level group on the reduction of administrative burdens, have simply not been met by today’s Communication.

The European Commission urgently needs to realign its so-called smart regulation strategy with Europe's economic reality of faltering growth, stubbornly high unemployment and declining competitiveness.

"We find this topic crucial and have published straight forward recommendations for Smart Regulation earlier this year at the Tripartite Social Summit and again in the joint CEEMET-Orgalime industrial policy manifesto of November 2012," he concludes.

For more information, please contact:

Uwe Combüchen, Director General

Tel: +32 2 706 8467

E-mail: combuechen@ceemet.org

Karoliina Rasi-Hedberg, Senior Public Affairs Advisor

Tel: +32 2 706 8472

E-mail: Karoliina.rasihedberg@ceemet.org

About CEEMET:

CEEMET is the European employers’ organisation representing the interests of the metal, engineering and technology-based industries. Its members are national employers’ organisations and federations, representing 200 000 member companies across Europe. The vast majority of them are SMEs, providing over 13 million jobs of direct employment.