The study analyse how digital tools can support the EU legislative process in terms of transparency, consistency and efficiency.

To this end, the use of digital tools in EU institutions, in the Member States and in selected third countries is examined across the three identified phases (ideation, development, evaluation) of the policy cycle.

The results show that AI-supported tools could increasingly help to identify regulatory needs and gaps at an early stage in the initial phases of the policy cycle, to systematically structure texts and to process drafts more efficiently.

For the evaluation phase, however, a significant need to catch up is evident, as high-quality data and a common methodological framework are often lacking. The study also assesses specific tools in terms of their potential to streamline and improve parliamentary work.

At the same time, risks associated with the use of e-tools are highlighted: fragmented system landscapes, inconsistent data quality, cybersecurity requirements, and issues of transparency, accountability and democratic independence. To address these challenges, the study recommends robust governance structures, common data standards such as Akoma Ntoso (AKN) – an open XML standard for legal and parliamentary documents – comprehensive training programmes and the development of interoperable IT architectures.