According to the one-in, one-out principle, new legislative "burdens" are only allowed to be introduced to the extent to which previous "burdens" are removed. That focus on stabilising or lowering the cost for businesses overlooks the fundamental justification for all legislation in democratic communities, namely maximisation of the net benefit for society as a whole. The policy brief analyses the development and experiences on the EU and national level with the one-in, one-out principle.