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Two workshops were organised in South Africa in 2009 to discuss the issue of regulatory governance. The first workshop on regulatory impact assessment (RIA) took place in Pretoria on 26-27 May 2009. South Africa is in the early stages of designing and implementing an RIA system. Workshop participants included senior officials responsible for managing the implementation of RIA and overseeing its operation, both within central agencies and in line departments. They focused on the challenges of implementing RIA, improving its quality and its contribution to delivering better regulatory outcomes.

The second workshop on the regulatory frameworks of crucial economic sectors such as energy, telecommunications and water management was held in Pretoria on 17-18 November 2009. The issue of infrastructure regulation in these core economic sectors was highlighted as being particularly challenging for South Africa's future growth. Workshop participants discussed strategic issues of regulatory design and oversight for specific sectors. These include the need for sectoral regulation, co-ordination with competition and antitrust bodies and other government agencies, as well as the need to implement good regulatory governance principles. These principles include setting terms for transparency, consultation and access to information. Participants in this workshop included senior officials responsible for regulatory oversight in core economic ministries, including the Treasury, Department of Trade and Industry, and competition authorities.

The workshops were held in conjunction with the National Treasury of South Africa and were part of the OECD Enhanced Engagement programme.

• Agenda 
• Alternatives to Traditional Regulation, Gregory Bounds, OECD 
• Efficient scope of RIA and its implementation, Daniel Trnka, OECD 
• Institutional Supports and Resources for RIA: The Irish Experience, Lisa Henessy, Better Regulation Unit, Department of the Taoiseach, Ireland 
• Regulatory Impact Analysis in OECD Countries: A Policy Tool to Manage the Flow of Regulation, Gregory Bounds, OECD 
• Scope of RIA, Douglas Irvine, Business Environment Specialists, South Africa 
• US Experience with Regulatory Impact Analysis, John F. Morrall, Office of Management and Budget, USA 
• Ordinance on obtaining opinions, Swedish Better Regulation Council
• Ordinance on Impact Analysis of Regulation, Sweden

• Agenda
• Defining the Interface between Sectoral Regulation & Competition Enforcement in Regulated Sectors: The South African Experience, Keith Weeks, Competition Authority, South Africa 
• Designing Independent and Accountable Regulatory Authorities: A Comparative Overview across OECD Countries, Stephane Jacobzone, OECD 
• Independent Regulators in the Czech Republic: Regulatory Capture, Daniel Trnka, OECD 
• National Regulator of South Africa, Rod Crompton, National Energy Regulator, South Africa 
• Regulation in the South African Water Sector, Helgard Muller, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa 
• Regulator Design in South Africa, James Hodge, Competition and Regulatory Economics Practice, South Africa 
• Incentive regulation for transport and distribution of electricity: French, Dutch and English examples, Stephane Jacobzone, OECD 
• Sectoral Regulators and Competition Authorities, Can We Be friends? Declan Purcell, Irish Competition Authority, Ireland
• Communications, Broadcasting and Postal Services, Paris Mashile, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa 
• Ways for Regulators to Racilitate Private Sector Investment, Alastair Campbell, Standard Bank, South Africa

For further information, please contact Gregory Bounds: gregory.bounds@oecd.org or Daniel Trnka: daniel.trnka@oecd.org