Allister attacks "Gold plating"
09 June 2006
Jim Allister MEP has hit out at “Gold Plating” of EU directives by Westminster and Northern Ireland legislators.
“In a submission to the independent review into the implementation of EU legislation into UK law, by Neil Davidson QC I have drawn attention to 12 key areas affecting business in Northern Ireland where our legislation has been more stringent than that required by the EU and more stringent than that being implemented by other EU states.
This attitude by legislators must change. The only outcome of transposing EU law in this way is the strangling of local business and the handing away of our markets to our competitors, including the Republic of Ireland.
The “gold-plating” examples I have drawn attention to are:
1) Part Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000
2) Information and Consultation Directive 2002
3) Insurance Mediation Directive
4) Investment Services Directive
5) The Consumer Credit Directive
6) The Waste Incineration Directive
7) The Packaging Directive
8) IPPC Directive
9) Emissions Trading
10) Equality
11) Common Agricultural Policy – application form
12) Cross compliance
I have also taken the opportunity to recommend to the review some suggestions as to how “gold plating” might be brought to an end. These include, early and effective consultation, keeping pace with other countries, concentration on the legislation rather than gathering tax and creating real partnerships with those who will be most affected.
This is a constructive approach which recognises the reality of the directives, whilst requiring greater engagement between member states, planning consistent transposition and cooperating throughout the process to identify all the benefits and opportunities.
If this approach is adopted, for all directives, it will go a long way to removing the effects of the real and perceived “gold plating” and negative impacts of EU legislation on business in NI.”
You can view Jim Allister's submission in full by clicking below:
http://www.jimallister.org/uploads/Review_of_UK%E2%80%99s_Implementation_of_EU_Legislation_151.doc
