Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) is a systemic approach to critically assessing the positive and negative effects of proposed and existing regulations and non-regulatory alternatives. As employed in OECD countries it encompasses a range of methods. It is an important element of an evidence-based approach to policy making.
OECD analysis shows that conducting RIA within an appropriate systematic framework can underpin the capacity of governments to ensure that regulations are efficient and effective in a changing and complex world. Some form of RIA has now been adopted by nearly all OECD members, but they have all nevertheless found the successful implementation of RIA administratively and technically challenging.
This page provides links to the considerable research undertaken by the OECD on methodological issues and country experiences with the implementation of RIA and includes guidance material to improve the performance of RIA, its early integration with policy making and the promotion of more coherent regulatory policy across government.
Trend in RIA adoption across OECD jurisdictions

Source: OECD (2012).
Publications
Workshops and Seminars
- Capacity Building Seminar on Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), Mexico City, 15 – 18 October 2012
- Re-Boosting Growth: Overcoming Challenges to Measuring and Reducing Compliance Costs, Berlin, 11-12 June 2012
- Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) in the Czech Republic and Other OECD Countries, Workshop in Prague, 1 June 2012
- The Role of Impact Assessments in Policy Making, Paris, 2 November 2011
- Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) in Russia, Moscow, 1 March 2011
- Workshop on Implementing Regulatory Impact Assessment in Russia: Expectations and Practical Steps, December 2008
- Seminar on the Use of Regulatory Impact Analysis to Foster Economic Efficiency and Policy Coherence January 2003
For further information, please contact Gregory Bounds.
Related Documents
Regulatory Management Systems Country Notes
Country Reports
Alternatives to Regulation
Guiding Principles for Regulatory Quality and Performance
Indicators of Regulatory Management
Follow us
E-mail Alerts Blogs