Expertise for better law-making

EPRS supports Parliament's committees in their better law-making and scrutiny functions throughout the EU policy cycle, from policy design to evaluating how EU laws work in practice.

The committees of the European Parliament may request expertise support from EPRS in their areas of activity.

Our expertise support covers:

Impact assessments

• Are the European Commission’s new legislative proposals based on proper assessment of their economic, social and environmental impacts? Are the Commission's impact assessments well done, or is there something unclear or unexplored that needs to be complemented?

Evaluation assessments

• Are EU laws or spending programmes correctly implemented and do they achieve their objectives? Does evidence show that they need to be revised?

Added value assessments

• Do policy initiatives advocated by the European Parliament come with added value for European citizens and businesses? What are the costs of non-action?

Oversight of European policy commitments

• Do the Commission, the Council and the European Council follow-up on the commitments they have made to Parliament? Are their commitments reflected in legislative or other policy proposals?

Technological options assessments

• Are the possibilities and consequences of major technological developments carefully assessed? Do such developments require new legislation, or impact existing legislation?
  For more information, have a look at theScience and and Technology Options Assessment highlights

We also host the European Science-Media Hub (ESMH), a platform to promote knowledge sharing between the EP, the scientific community and the media.

Further information

• Inter-institutional agreement on better law-making
• European Parliament work in the fields of impact assessment and evaluation: activity report for 2025
• Reforming the better regulation agenda: 'A simpler, clearer and better enforced EU rulebook'