“Better and simpler laws enhance democratic legitimacy at all levels of governance: they improve transparency, raise accountability, and build trust in the work of public officials. Ultimately, they can improve citizens’ participation in public life. As local and regional politicians, we have a strong interest in achieving these goals. We must strive to make this new narrative a shared reality—by streamlining our work on better regulation and making it more visible and impactful.” These were the remarks of Karin Müller, State Secretary for European and International Affairs and De-bureaucratisation of the State of Hesse during a recent meeting of the European Committee of the Regions’ (CoR) CIVEX Commission.
Müller was reporting on the first meeting of the Better Regulation and Active Subsidiarity Steering Group (BRASS-G), which she chairs. Speaking on the significance of this work, Müller underlined: “Better law-making and simplification aim to make laws more understandable for citizens and easier to apply for citizens and businesses—thus increasing the quality of life and prosperity of our communities.” She emphasized that better regulation and simplification are essential tools to strengthen competitiveness and prosperity, in line with the recommendations of the Draghi and Letta reports.
Müller also referred to the recent adoption of the opinion by EPP-CoR member Jelena Drenjanin, titled “A Simpler and Faster Europe”, which provides clear guidance for future action. The opinion highlights the importance of involving local and regional authorities both before and after legislation is adopted. This inclusive approach aims to reduce bureaucracy while ensuring EU laws support entrepreneurship, protect citizens, and function effectively on the ground.
In this context, Müller stressed that local and regional authorities want legislative proposals to be assessed taking into account the principles of subsidiarity, partnership, and multilevel governance. They should also be evaluated in terms of their territorial impact, as well as their potential to simplify rules and reduce administrative burdens.
Established in 2022, BRASS-G is a relatively young political body but has already carved out a key role in promoting active subsidiarity and better regulation. Its work will continue in the current mandate, with the next BRASS-G meeting scheduled for 26 November in Brussels.