As the number and diversity of regulatory agencies has grown, the Commission decided that a common framework would help to clarify and standardise their functions and working methods.
The Commission considers that the time has come to re-launch a debate on the role of agencies and their place in the governance of the EU. A consistent political handling of the approach to agencies would promote the transparency and effectiveness of an important part of the EU's institutional machinery.
The Commission believes that agencies can bring real added value to the Union's governance structures. At present, however, this potential is being held back by the lack of a common vision about the role and functions of regulatory agencies.
The Commission therefore invites the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers to join it in a dialogue on the place of agencies in European governance. An inter-institutional working group would allow the key issues facing agencies to be set out as ground rules to apply to all. The effective delivery of services by agencies can make a real contribution to the implementation of EU policy. [extract]