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Economic Committee-OECD Policy Roundtable and the APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist
At this first meeting of the Economic Committee in 2008, OECD (Josef Konvitz, GOV and Evdokia Moise, TAD) participated in a two-hour policy dialogue on regulatory reform. This roundtable began with a presentation by Erika Quevada of COFEMER, Mexico, who discussed simplification, sectoral reform, and business-start up initiatives, and reported on the OECD-Mexico co-operative effort on regulatory reform. Her presentation highlighted the impact of political support, the role of an oversight body, the importance of multilevel co-operation, the use of regulatory tools and their application beyond economic analysis, and the benefits of a complementary e-government policy. The OECD presentations focused on the reasons why countries introduce regulatory reform initiatives and the methods used to sustain them, and on the benefits of integrating a trade perspective. Australia (Steve French, Treasury) led a discussion on tools and processes for improving the regulatory stock and flow. Discussion was led by New Zealand, Peru, and Australia, with other countries participating. Questions drew attention to the need to raise awareness of the benefits of regulatory reform (Japan), the role of institutions and how they can be compared (New Zealand), the need to tackle the regulatory stock and to integrate a risk management approach (Singapore), support from advisory bodies and the benefits of early involvement of stakeholders (Hong Kong China). Australia asked for examples of policy differences before and after the introduction of regulatory reform. Discussion in this and in other parts of the meeting also included the question whether it matters when a country starts its regulatory reform programme. The roundtable helped establish and validate a common analytical framework, and allowed economies to share experiences, leading to a sense that many countries are engaged in regulatory reform.
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Upcoming Events
The APEC-OECD Co-Operative Initiative on Regulatory Reform, which dates from 1999, is supported within APEC by the Economic Committee, which now takes overall responsibility within APEC on structural reform issues. The Economic Committee, chaired in 2007-09 by Prof. Bob Buckle (New Zealand Treasury), consults with OECD on the agenda for policy dialogue. With support from Australia, this Committee has taken the initiative to host the first-ever APEC Ministerial Meeting on Structural Reform which is scheduled on 3-5 August in Melbourne, Australia, and will be chaired by Wayne Swan, the Treasurer. The OECD Secretary-General has agreed to attend and participate. The first core session will be devoted to structural reform and the political economy of reform; the second will focus on regulatory reform. A session for consultation with business stakeholders will be scheduled in between the core sessions. The final session will consider future work, with a mandate for the Economic Committee to consolidate and drive forward work in APEC on these issues, and anticipating the end of a five-year process on structural reform in 2010, when Japan hosts APEC.
The Second Economic Committee meeting in 2008, to be held later in August in Peru, will give delegates an opportunity to reflect on the Ministerial and future work. Chinese Taipei will lead the development of a practical list of incentives to help public officials take up the regulatory reform agenda. The 2009 annual report of the Economic Committee will focus on regulatory reform, capturing the discussion at the Ministerial and making full value of the issues paper.
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