Impact Assessments
Financial impacts of proposals for EU legislative acts are an important aspect when the Danish position to the proposal in question is determined. The assessment concerns both national consequences as well as EU budgetary consequences.
In order to secure that the economic consequences are properly taken into account before the Danish position is determined, the responsible ministry within the government prepares an impact assessment of the proposal in question. The national financial impact assessments appear in the government’s summary memorandum to the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament in line with assessments of the public and private economic consequences and assessments of the impacts on environmental standards, food security etc. An example of a case with significant financial consequences is the multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020.
The aim of the financial impact assessments is to secure that a true and fair assessment of the economic consequences of a proposal are always available prior to a decision regarding the Danish position and that responsible ministries within the government are involved in this assessments. In that way proposals for EU legislative acts are equalled with national proposals, which are also subject for impact assessments.
The Engagement of the Ministry of Finance
The responsible ministries within the government take care of the impact assessments, likewise national financial consequences are defrayed within the existing allocations of the responsible ministry. To the extent that the national financial consequences are not defrayed within the existing allocation of the responsible ministries or involve significant reallocations within the budget of the ministry, the Ministry of Finance enters into a consideration about the handling of the proposal in question. Likewise, the ministry of Finance engages in the reading of EU proposals, which is expected to cause further expenditures or significant reallocations in the EU budget.
In cases with significant economic consequences it is possible to present the proposal for the Cabinet’s Economic Committee as a part of the government’s internal decision-making procedure.
Additional information is available on the following website:
The government’s summary memorandum which contains impact assessments is available on the Danish Parliaments EU-Information Centre website
