Like all industries operating in the European Union, the ceramic industry is subject to a suite of EU regulations to cover the proper functioning of the single market. Regulation is important for ensuring a level playing field and for accounting for the externalities associated with the activities of the industry. When applied effectively, EU regulations allow the European Union to deliver on its policy objectives while at the same time respecting the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity.
There is a cost implied with meeting the standards set by regulations, and as with any costs, they should be fair and proportional. There is a balance to be found where the costs of complying with regulations are not disproportionally high relative to production costs and profit margins and in comparison with the potential benefits of such regulations. For this reason, it is important to evaluate the costs of regulation and its effectiveness in order to be transparent and to form an evidence base for future policymaking.
A Cumulative Cost Assessment (CCA) is an ex post evaluation tool to determine the costs generated by selected pieces of legislation on a particular sector. It is retrospective and strictly centred on regulatory costs, does not include benefits side of rules, nor does it assess the cost-benefit balance of the legislation.
The aim of the Cumulative Cost Assessment of the EU Ceramics Industry is to determine the costs of EU-wide regulations for our industry over the period 2006-2015. The report assesses a variety of regulations that affect the European ceramic industry in different ways, including amongst others: the internal market, energy, climate, environment, workers’ and workplace safety, and consumers and health legislation.