After the introduction of the Better Regulation Agenda (BRA) in 2015, the Commission also published the Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox. The Guidelines and Toolbox were first published in 2015 and updated in the summer of 2017. The content of the Toolbox and the Guidelines provide a detailed overview of what the Better Regulations Agenda means for Commission officials and how they should integrate the Better Regulation principles in their legislative and drafting activities.

The Better Regulation Guidelines
The Better Regulation Guidelines contain an overview of the mandatory steps and activities that take place in the EU policymaking cycle and the EU legislative process, in light of the Better Regulation Agenda. However, the aim of the better guidelines is not to strictly follow a strict procedural framework. Rather, the Commission, advises to Commission officials to apply the guidelines using common sense and in a proportionate matter. The guidelines provide guidance on:

• planning policy initiatives;
• impact assessments;
• preparing proposals, implementation and transposition;
• monitoring;
• evaluations and fitness checks;
• stakeholder consultations.

the Better Regulation Guidelines can provide useful insights into the EU policymaking process from the perspective of Commission officials.

The Better Regulation “Toolbox”
The Better Regulation Toolbox is a more detailed elaboration and operationalisation of the Better Regulation guidelines. The Toolbox is quite extensive and contains practical tools, best practices and tips that Commission officials can use selectively. Unlike the Guidelines, the Toolbox provides additional guidance and support, and its methods are therefore not binding unless explicitly stated so.