Jack Straw has backed moves to end the "gold plating" of regulations from Brussels when they are implemented in the UK.

The foreign secretary's comments came as he published a report on how European Union directives are implemented in Britain.

Commissioned by the government, the Bellis report argued that "EU directive project teams" should be employed within Whitehall, similar to those created for UK bills.

And an independent body of lawyers should be established to examine European legislation before it is ratified into British law, the study concluded.

The Foreign Office said the recommendations would provide "useful input" to the debates surrounding implementation of EU legislation, including the issue of "gold plating" which arises when EU rules are interpreted by member states more strictly than the minimum requirement.

The Bellis inquiry found that departmental drafting expertise need strengthening, while ambiguous EU legislation should be "copied out" rather than elaborated with various clarifications.

The publication of the report on Monday launched a government consultation on the issue, inviting views from affected government departments and business leaders.

"The correct transposition and implementation of EU legislation is easily overlooked by those outside the legal profession," said Straw.

"Yet it has a major impact on our businesses and our global competitiveness. If we interpret EU directives in a more stringent way than our EU partners, we can put our businesses and economy at a disadvantage.

"Conversely, lax transposition can leave the UK open to actions in the European Court of Justice. Both outcomes are clearly detrimental to the UK's interests.

"This report brings a fresh perspective on our present system by comparing our methods with those in France, Spain and Sweden. I am sure it will be a valuable source of ideas to all of those who are striving to better their implementation of EU legislation."