The German federal government supports the proposal put forward by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take stronger measures against what is known as “Gold-Plating.”
Federal government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told the dts Nachrichtenagentur on Wednesday that while he does not have all the details of the initiative, he could only reinforce and support it in principle. The government is committed to fighting against “Gold-Plating,” noting that this tendency is frequently observed domestically. According to Kornelius, the proposal is welcome because it aims to ensure that the implementation of EU directives and measures occurs based on necessity, rather than as part of a competitive effort to surpass requirements.
“Gold-Plating” describes a strategy used when transposing EU directives into national law. Under this practice, a core EU requirement is implemented in national law with specifications that go beyond the original demands of the European Union.
On Wednesday, in her address on the state of the European Union, von der Leyen introduced a “Pact against Gold-Plating.” Although the Commission has stated that it is doing its best at the European level to reduce bureaucracy, she emphasized that member states must now play their part. “If we are serious about simplification, we also need a pact against Gold-Plating,” stated the EU Commission President.
