Businesses are struggling to keep abreast of the hundreds of new laws published last year by the European Union.

Legal information provider Sweet & Maxwell says 806 new laws impacting the UK were created in 2010.

The majority of those were made even stricter by the UK government when decisions were made on how to implement them, a process known as ‘goldplating’.

The surge of new legislation has left businesses spending valuable time grappling with law changes and seeking out lawyers for clarification.

Neville Hunnings, editor of the Encyclopedia of European Union Law, a Sweet & Maxwell title, said directions from Brussels are having a major effect on the UK.

‘European laws impact on all areas of business, from protecting the use of the name of Melton Mowbray pork pies to bank capital requirements,’ he said.

‘UK businesses will be concerned that new European laws are growing more intrusive, putting upward pressure on their compliance costs.’

He added: ‘Too many European laws are goldplated when they are implemented in the UK by the government.

'That can harm the competitiveness of UK businesses which have to compete with European counterparts operating under national laws that have implemented the rules less tightly.’

The large number of EU law changes has been attributed to the credit crunch, with legislation introduced to set up bodies such as the European Banking Authority and European Systematic Risk Board.

UK businesses also have to adapt in the face of regular changes from the European Court of Justice, which are binding on national courts.