The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has criticised the European Commission's claim to be reducing the impact of unnecessary regulation on businesses.

Following the publication of the commission's press release, the FPB has argued that a number of the regulations under scrutiny or being withdrawn are relevant to Britain's small business community.

The press release was issued as part of the EU's Better Regulation programme.

"Many of the regulations that are being withdrawn or simplified have little or no impact on smaller businesses in the UK," said Martin Smith, European spokesman for the FPB.

"They are often out of date or irrelevant," he added.

However, the FPB is concerned that many new regulations are damaging the UK small business sector.

The aim of the Better Regulation programme is to simplify the regulatory regime for the EU's businesses and citizens.