The number of new EU laws has increased by 13 per cent in the last year, rising to 1,497 in 2013 up from 1,327 in 2012. Recent changes in EU laws that businesses will have to deal with include: restrictions on the power of electrical equipment, the bankers’ bonus cap, increased consumer protection for online purchases, new packaging regulations and the new EU Public Procurement Directives.

Welcome step

'Supporters of the EU would argue that much of the legislation is reforming and is a welcome step forward in consumer and environmental protection,' comments Laurence Gormley, Professor of European Law at the University of Groningen. 'Consumer focused regulation is an important focus area for the EU, especially regulating the growing e-commerce space where consumers can be quite vulnerable to confusing sales techniques and misleading advertising,' he added. The research was conducted by Thompson Reuters.