Resources: Working Group on Public Service Delivery, PPPs and Regulatory Reform

Regulatory Reform

OECD Documentation:

Overcoming Barriers to Administrative Simplifcation Strategies (English)

Governments face the challenge of rationalising and minimising administrative burdens imposed by bureaucratic requirements. At the same time, they need to use administrative procedures as a source of information and a tool for implementing public policies. Administrative simplification strategies are designed to streamline procedures, reduce complexity, paperwork and uncertainty. This helps to make public sector delivery more accountable and efficient, and to foster a regulatory environment that enables economic and social activity.
This guide draws on the experience of, and policy dialogue between, member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Middle East and North African countries (MENA). It reviews common barriers to designing and implementing a strategy for administrative simplification and offers 22 approaches to overcome them, providing a synthesis of good practices among policy makers and practitioners working on cutting red tape.

Background Document on Regulatory Reform in OECD Countries (English,  Français,  عربي) 
This background document gives an overview of developments of regulatory reform in OECD countries. In an internationally competitive environment of rapid change in economic, social and technological conditions, the role of regulations is crucial. Key elements of regulatory reform, such as capacity-building, consultation and constituency development aim at enhancing regulatory quality by building a predictable legal framework within which businesses and citizens can act, plan and invest.

OECD Guiding Principles for Regulatory Quality and Performance (English, Français, عربي)    
Drawing on a cross-disciplinary stocktaking of lessons learned from 20 country reviews, these Guiding Principles were endorsed by OECD countries in 2005 with the aim of promoting a dynamic, ongoing, whole-of-government approach.

Draft Regional Framework for Regulatory Quality (English, French)

The establishment of a Regional Framework for Regulatory Quality for the Middle East and North Africa Region has been highlighted by participating Arab countries as a key priority during past activities in the framework of the Good Governance for Development in Arab Countries Initiative. A Regional Framework for Regulatory Quality can provide useful information for those countries in the region interested in integrating principles of good quality regulation into the policy-making process and in moving closer to good international practices

Glossary of Terms for Regulatory Reform (English, Français, عربي)                           
This Glossary lists and defines regulatory reform terminology in the three languages English, French and Arabic.

Background Document on Oversight Bodies for Regulatory Reform (English)                     
This background document analyses the characteristics of the existing oversight bodies in selected OECD countries and general good practices. Oversight bodies can contribute to establishing a long-term concept for Regulatory Reform by co-ordinating, supervising, advising, supporting and encouraging good practices to all parties involved in the reform process.

OECD Policy Brief on Cutting Red Tape (English, French) and Cutting Red Tape: National Strategies for Administrative Simplification  (English)
This OECD Publications look at the achievements in cutting red tape and what more governments can do to make their administrative systems simplier and more efficient.

Background Document on Public Consultation (English)                                                    
This background document explores different mechanisms of public consultation and good practices in selected OECD countries. Public consultation gives citizens and businesses the opportunity to give active input in regulatory decisions. It can improve the credibility and legitimacy of government action and increase acceptance by those affected. This regulatory institution can promote high quality regulations, identification of more effective alternatives, lower costs to business and administration, better compliance, and faster regulatory responses to changing conditions.

Background Document on Online Registers for Laws, Regulations and Business Formalities (English)
This background document presents different ICT tools used by OECD countries to simplify administrative procedures and improve dissemination of legal information to business actors and citizens. Through well-built online registries for Laws, Regulations and Business Formalities, regulation users can easily identify the administrative processes required of them. Online registers can contribute to reinforcing the transmission of information between government and citizens, opening communication channels and making the regulatory system more reliable.

Regulatory Impact Analysis in OECD Countries: Challenges for Developing Countries (English, French, عربي)    
This paper analyses the use of Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) in OECD member states and identifies challenges faced by developing countries when formulating and implementing impact analysis. RIA examines and measures the likely benefits, costs and effects of new or changed regulations. It provides decision-makers with valuable empirical data and a comprehensive framework, which they can use to assess different options and consequences of their decisions to ensure justified and appropriate actions.

Building an Institutional Framework for Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA): Guidance for Policy Makers
Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) is a fundamental tool to help governments to assess the likely benefits, costs and effects of new or existing regulation. By improving the quality of regulatory design, RIA assists governments to make their policies more efficient. This is all the more important as governments cope with budgetary constraints, and the consequences of competing policy demands.
This guide for policy makers with little knowledge about RIA is intended to cover the main elements that constitute the RIA process, with a focus on basic institutional preconditions for successful implementation. It draws on the extensive work of the OECD on the RIA practices of OECD members. The OECD framework highlights the benefits of RIA, to help practitioners better understand the elements needed to introduce and consolidate a RIA system.

Policy Brief on Tools to Initiate Regulatory Impact Assessments (English)

The Policy Brief on Tools to Initiate RIA is intended as a guiding instrument to design a Regulatory Impact
Analysis (RIA) process, based on experience from OECD countries and pilot projects undertaken in developing countries. It is intended to help government officials to consider how to include RIA into the regulatory and policy-making process. The main goal of this paper is to provide a baseline for self-assessments of the viability, capacities and concrete steps to be taken towards the implementation
of an adapted and thus country-specific RIA model.

Questionnaire on Elements to Build Capacities for Regulatory Impact Assessment (English, French )

Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) Pilot Projects (English)
Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) has been identified by participating Arab countries as a priority issue in the course of the Good Governance for Development (GfD) in Arab Countries Initiative. As a response, the Focus Group on Regulatory Reform of the Working Group IV of the GfD Initiative is proposing to carry out country-based Pilot Projects in countries of the MENA region in close co-operation with OECD country officials.

Other sources:

Decentralisation and Partnership with the Public sector: Reform Strategy in the Civil Service Sector in Bahrain (English)

Administrative Simplification for Opening Business and Issuing Business Licenses (English)

Background Document on the Role of Legal Revisers at the European Commission (English)

Evaluation of EU impact assessments. Tom Ferris (English)

Free access to Legislation: Reducing Complexity through IT and Law (Mahmoud Dodeen) (English ; Arabic)
The Role of Legislative Drafting Institutions in the Legal Reform Process (Mahmoud Alawneh) (English; Arabic)
The Role of Manuals in Enhancing the Legislative Drafting Process "The Palestinian Experience" (Fayez Bikerat) (English)
 سيبسة انحكىمة في تطىير انتشريعبت Government policy in regulatory governance (Abu Diak) (Arabic)
تكبمم دور انسهطة انتشزيعية وانتىفيذية في إعداد وإصدار انتشزيعبت Coplementarity role of the authorities in regulatory governance (Abu Diak) (Arabic)
تحسين الصياغة القانونية والأساليب الفنية للصياغة (Abdel Ghaffar Fraihat) (Arabic)

H.E. Mr. Mohammed Al Alawneh, Chairman, Legislation and Opinion Bureau, Jordan.

H.E. Mr. Hisham Tal, Member of Parliament, Upper House of Parliament, Jordan.
H.E. Mr. Mohammed Al Alawneh, Chairman, Legislation and Opinion Bureau, Jordan.

To know more about the OECD's work on regulatory reform, please refer to the OECD Regulatory Reform and Management webpage.

For background information on Public Service Delivery and PPPs please refer to the webpage of the project partner UNDP (responsible for the work on Public Service Delivery and PPPs, GfD Working Group IV).