Annual Report 2018

The Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB or ‘the Board’) was set up under the Commission’s 2015 better regulation policy. It scrutinises the quality of impact assessments, fitness checks and major evaluations for
the Commission.
The Board is a procedural safety mechanism governed by a mandate (1
). It acts during the early stages
of preparing legislation, and it helps to protect Europeans against poorly conceived laws. It also helps
to find solutions for evaluations and impact assessments that are meant to inform policy decisions. It
allows work that is in good shape to progress quickly with its stamp of approval, but is also able to halt
the preparatory process. Any political decision to override the Board requires a public explanation why.
Fast facts:
• The Board is independent and reports to the President of the Commission.
• There are seven full-time members, both from inside and outside the Commission.
• The Board scrutinises all impact assessments, fitness checks and major evaluations.
• All opinions are published.