Policy Principles

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OECD Ministers requested in 1995 that the OECD examine the significance, direction and means of reform in regulatory regimes in member countries. The 1995 Recommendations for Improving the Quality of Government Regulation were the first-ever international statement of regulatory principles common to member countries. Building on this fundamental text, and broadening it to embrace market openness, competion policy and micro-economic principles in a multidisciplinary framework, in 1997, the OECD produced a Report to Ministers on Regulatory Reform. Its Recommendations for Regulatory Reform provided the basis for review of reform efforts in member countries carried out both in sectoral and policy areas.

To date, 20 reviews of member countries have been completed; the review of Russia, the first of a non-member country, was completed in 2005. The concept of regulatory quality which was at the core of this report has supported horizontal regulatory reform work.

The 1997 Principles, which have often been the basis for the design of national policies, and stood the test of time. But as countries make progress, their goals are set higher, and their working methods adjust to changes in the policy environment. Based on the lessons learned from this body of reviews and taking account of developments in specific sectors such as network utilities as well as in competition policy, policies for market openness, and policies and tools for regulatory quality, the OECD updated the 1997 Recommendations.

Following an intensive process conducted in policy committees and in the Special Group on Regulatory Policy, the Guiding Principles for Regulatory Quality and Performance were adopted by the OECD Council in April 2005.