The Better Regulation Toolbox: Preparing legislation for the digital age

To this end, the European Commission has reinforced its digital-ready policymaking approach within the Better Regulation framework, encouraging Member States to design legislation ready for effective digital implementation from the outset.  

Incorporating digital requirements at the policy design stage enables governments to develop clearer legislation, reduce administrative burdens and facilitate the delivery of digital public services. 

What is digital-ready policymaking?  

It is based on the principle that legislation should be designed with future digital implementation in mind.  

 When developing new legislation or public policies, policymakers must consider factors such as system interoperability, data management, user experience and the potential for automating administrative processes.  

The aim is to ensure that legislation keeps pace with technological developments and does not hinder the digitalisation of public services. 

The role of the Better Regulation Toolbox  

The European Commission provides the Better Regulation Toolbox to support this process. It is a collection of practical tools designed to support the preparation, implementation and evaluation of public policies.  

One of these is Tool #28, which focuses on integrating digital considerations into the legislative process.  

The tool encourages policymakers to consider the following from the outset:  

• Interoperability between public sector systems;   

• Data management and reuse;   

• User experience;   

• The digitalisation of administrative procedures;   

• Process simplification;  

• Reducing administrative burdens for citizens, businesses and the public administration.   

Policymakers can develop public policies that are both more effective and easier to implement by integrating these principles into the legislative process. 

This is an opportunity to modernise public administration.  

In Portugal, this approach is in line with the ongoing modernisation and digital transformation of the public administration system, which is making interactions between the public administration, citizens and businesses simpler.  

Designing legislation ready for digital implementation makes it easier to integrate new services with existing platforms, such as Gov.pt. This reduces duplication, promotes interoperability and improves the user experience of digital public services.  

This approach also helps to create a more coherent public administration system that can respond quickly to societal needs. 

Building efficiency from the start  

Applying the principles of digital-ready policymaking can deliver benefits throughout the entire lifecycle of public policy.  

Key advantages include:   

• Clearer and easier-to-implement legislation;   

• Greater integration between public sector systems and organisations;   

• Reduced bureaucracy and administrative burdens;   

• More effective use of available data;   

• Simpler, more user-centred public services.   

Anticipating the challenges of digital implementation during the policy design phase enables governments to minimise the need for future adjustments while improving the efficiency of public administration. 

Preparing legislation for the future  

As the digital transformation of public administration continues, it is becoming ever more important for legislation to evolve alongside it.  

The approach promoted through the Better Regulation Toolbox is a significant step in this direction, helping policymakers to develop legislation ready for a digital, interoperable and citizen-centred environment.  

It is more than just a legislative support tool; it also contributes to the creation of a simpler, more efficient public administration that is better prepared to meet the challenges of digital transformation.