Allister welcomes new campaign against gold plating
09 September 2006
DUP MEP Jim Allister has welcomed the launch of a Federation of Small Businesses campaign against gold plating following the publication of the joint FSB and Foreign Policy Centre Research paper entitled, “Burdened by Brussels or the UK? Improving the implementation of EU directives”.
Jim Allister said,
“This policy paper and campaign has reached many of the same conclusions which my investigation into Gold Plating, earlier this year, reached. My consultations with the Confederation of British Industry, the Ulster Farmers Union, the Federation of Small Businesses and others, demonstrated that there was significant evidence of Gold plating and that this was having a damaging effect on business competitiveness in the UK.
Having to cope with increasing directives from Europe is bad enough, but it is simply unacceptable that our own government adds to the burden on business by increasing regulations beyond the EU requirements to the detriment of local business and industry.
In common with the FSB I concluded that early and effective consultation on new legislation with a full review of already implemented legislation would be a constructive way forward.
The FSB report will contribute to the ongoing review of Gold Plating by Sir Neil Davidson QC to which the DUP has given evidence.”
