Small business have been urged by an influential task force to contribute towards a study into the effect of European Union (EU) legislation on UK firms.
The Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF), a body set up by the government to monitor red tape, is asking British companies to come forward and give their opinions on how legislation from Brussels has impacted upon them.
Over the past year, a number of EU employment regulations have been adopted by the UK, including flexible working laws which allow employees with young children to vary their hours or even work from home.
However, the British government has clashed with the EU over other pieces of employment legislation, including measures to limit workers to a 48-hour week and attempts to give temporary staff the same rights as their permanent counterparts.
Despite pressure from the trade unions, the UK still has an op-out on the 48-hour week rules, while the temporary worker legislation looks set to finally become British law even though business leaders have argued that it will damage flexibility.
Business lobby groups have also voiced concern about the amount of red tape generated by the EU, with David Frost, chief of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), telling Startups.co.uk that he was worried that Europe will have an even greater influence on UK firms in the future.
The BRTF said that with European legislation account for around 40 per cent of new regulatory proposals, the issue of EU influence on British firms was “a hot topic.”
The task force said it will be seeking to find out whether promises made by the EU in February to simplify its regulations have actually been met.
David Arculus, chairman of the BRTF, said that the task force would like to identify an area of existing European legislation, where the regulations have built up in an inconsistent, confusing or burdensome manner.
“Our review will focus on the actual European Directives…and the problems that are being experienced with them.
“We are looking for the burning issues and proposals that have been put to us so far include data protection or waste legislation.
“We are calling upon stakeholders to suggest specific regulations or Directives that they want to see reviewed, and the problems associated with them. We are keen to work on issues with wide relevance,” he said.
The BRTF will take the opinions and suggestions from businesses and pass them onto the EU, in the hope they will influence future policy towards regulation.
Small firms wishing to contribute towards the study should call 020 7276 2142 or email taskforce@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Suggestions will be accepted until the end of December, but the BRTF said that they would ideally like contributions by the end of next month.