News item | 04-03-2025 | 15:50
Today, the House of Representatives agreed to the Institutional Advisory College Testing Regulation Pressure (ATR). This gives the ATR a permanent status and the advisory college is structurally anchored as an independent body. The ATR also receives more powers, including a mandatory involvement in new legislation with substantial consequences for the regulatory pressure. With this law, the government is taking an important step in the structural approach to regulatory pressure reduction.
Minister Beljaarts (Economic Affairs): “Tackling unnecessary regulatory pressure does not only mean that we look critically at the rules we already have. But also that we manage to prevent unnecessary regulatory pressure in the future. Preventing worse is exactly what the ATR was set up for. With this law, the ATR becomes permanent and can monitor better regulations with a larger mandate. This is desperately needed because entrepreneurs are a lot of time, money and energy on regulatory pressure, which in turn puts a brake on our economic growth. That is why combating unnecessary regulatory pressure is one of the spearheads of this cabinet. ”
Expansion of tasks ATR
The ATR tests proposed regulations for regulatory pressure effects and advises on the prevention of unnecessary costs, even before regulations are determined. With the approval of the Chamber, this position of the ATR is made permanently and further expanded. The most important extensions;
- Testing of EU regulations: During the realization of new European regulations, the ATR can advise on the prevention of unnecessary regulatory pressure. This is important because a large part of the regulatory pressure comes from European legislation.
- Advice Ministries: Ministries can ask the ATR for advice on their intended policy, so that the consequences of regulatory pressure are estimated at an early stage.
- Advice to the States General: The Lower and Upper Chamber can ask the ATR for advice on initiative laws and amendments.
- Mandatory involvement ATR: In line with the government program, the ATR is now obliged to be involved in the preparation of laws and regulations with significant regulatory pressure effects.
Less pressure with rules
Tackling unnecessary regulatory pressure is a top priority for this cabinet. That is why Minister Beljaarts presented the action program less pressure with rules in addition to the ATR institutional law last December. With this action program, the government wants to prevent unnecessary regulatory pressure and make existing bottlenecks more workable, both at national and European level. Through the regulatory pressure reduction program, existing bottlenecks in sectors such as construction, hospitality and retail are tackled. Specific files, such as the CO₂ reporting obligation and working conditions legislation, are being revised to alleviate charges. This action program is a cabinet -wide task to make regulations easier and more effective.