EEF leads Red Tape Challenge for Manufacturers

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation is helping to spearhead the two week campaign through its Chief Executive, Terry Scuoler, who will act as sector champion.

Commenting on the Challenge and his role, Terry Scuoler, said:
“The growth in regulation has plagued business for a long time. But by getting involved in the Red Tape Challenge, companies now have a real opportunity to help turn the tide. By telling government how regulations are affecting them, how they could be improved and where they should be scrapped, they can help to start dismantling a key barrier to growing their businesses and our economy.”

The RTC is a government initiative designed to help deliver on its commitment to cut the burden of regulation weighing down on the economy. Businesses are being invited to tell the Government, through a dedicated website, which regulations are justified and which are not.

Once businesses have made their contribution, the Government has committed to working out within three months which regulations will be kept and why. Crucially, the default presumption will be that regulations, that cannot be justified, will go. If Ministers want to keep them, they will need to make the case for them to stay.

EEF is also lobbying for reduced, simplified and more effective regulation in a number of areas covered by the RTC such as Environmental policy, such as the considerable scope for consolidation in waste and packaging regulation.

Similarly, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive has been implemented in the UK through a succession of regulations amending and adding to the provisions of the original European legislation. Consolidating them into a single piece of regulation would make the requirements easier and less time consuming to understand.

Other areas that should be simplified include health & safety, employment law and company law. Manufacturers feeling the burden of regulation are encouraged to participate.