In what some may see as a surprising U-turn, the EU has promised to cut back on red tape that harms the competitiveness of business.

The attempt to cut back on excessive regulation could see a third of new laws currently going through the EU legislative system scrapped completely. This could include the directive designed to give temporary workers the same pay and conditions as permanent staff. Two-thirds of all temps in the EU are employed in the UK.

Work has begun to try to simplify the 80,000 pages of EU law already in existence. There is also a plan to prevent member states adding extra rules and regulations of their own when they turn EU directives into national law.

As any law changes are introduced, either by the EU or the UK government, our solicitors are ideally placed to advise you on the implications this could have for your business.