Better regulation
It refers to regulations that have been improved in quality (see quality regulation). It also refers to policies aimed at improving regulatory quality.
Ex post evaluation
Ex post evaluation refers to the process of assessing the effectiveness of policies and regulations once they are in force. It can be the final stage when new policies or regulations have been introduced and it is intended to know the extent of which they met the goals they served for. It can also be the initial point to understand a particular situation as a result of a policy of regulation in place, providing elements to discuss shortcomings and advantages of its existence. Ex post evaluation should not be confused with monitoring, which refers to continuous assessment of implementation in relation to an agreed schedule.
International regulatory co-operation (IRC)
Any agreement or institutional arrangement, formal or informal, between countries to promote some form of coherence in the design, monitoring, enforcement, or ex post evaluation of regulation. It also includes the unilateral efforts of countries to account for the international environment in domestic rulemaking and the impacts of regulations beyond borders.
Minister
The most senior political role within a portfolio. In Westminster system governments, these are typically styled “ministers”, but the title varies.
National government
The national, central, or federal government that exercises authority over the entire economic territory of a country, as opposed to local and regional governments.
Performance-based regulation
Regulations that impose obligations stated in terms of outcomes to be achieved or avoided, giving regulated entities flexibility to determine the means to achieve the mandated or prohibited outcomes. Also referred to as outcome-based regulation.
Primary law(s)
See primary legislation.
Primary legislation
Regulations, which must be approved by the parliament or congress. Also referred to as “principal legislation” or “primary law”.
Quality regulation
Regulations that are in the public interest, that their implementation is justified in grounds of public policy; that they contribute to the overall welfare of societies; and that they are “fit for purpose”, that is, that they meet their objectives of reducing risks for citizens or the environment, promote business activity and economic growth, or social objective, amongst others.
Regulation
The diverse set of instruments by which governments set requirements on enterprises and citizens. Regulation includes all laws, formal and informal orders, subordinate rules, administrative formalities, and rules issued by non-governmental or self-regulatory bodies to whom governments have delegated regulatory powers.
Regulators
Administrators in government ministries, secretariats, departments, and other agencies responsible for making and enforcing regulation.
Regulatory agency
A regulatory agency is an institution or body that is authorised by law to exercise regulatory powers over a sector/policy area or market.
Regulatory impact assessment (RIA)
Systematic process of identification and quantification of benefits and costs likely to flow from regulatory or non-regulatory options for a policy under consideration. May be based on benefit/cost analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, business impact analysis etc.
Regulatory policy
Regulatory policy may be defined broadly as an explicit, dynamic, and consistent “whole of government” policy to pursue high quality regulation. It includes the set of rules, procedures and institutions introduced by government for the express purpose of developing, administering, and reviewing regulation. Regulatory reform and Regulatory quality and Better regulation are part of regulatory policy.
Regulatory policy tools
The range of tools that must be deployed in a consistent and mutually supporting manner to assure systematic regulatory quality. The essential tools include regulatory impact assessment (RIA), the consideration of regulatory alternatives, administrative simplification, ensuring regulatory transparency and ex post evaluation.
Regulatory quality
The act of preparing, issuing, and enforcing quality regulations.
Regulatory reform
Changes that improve regulatory quality, that is, enhance the performance, cost-effectiveness, or legal quality of regulation and formalities. “Deregulation” is a subset of regulatory reform.
Risk assessment
Risk assessment involves framing and forecasting the probability and consequences of identified hazards. Framing involves constructing a conceptual model of the risk, taking into account the variety of issues that the public may associate with the risk. Forecasting involves undertaking a scientific assessment of the likelihood of the risk and its economic, environmental and social implications.
Risk management
Risk management aims to design and implement actions and remedies to address risks through a consideration of potential risk treatments and the selection of the most appropriate.
Risk communication
Risk communication assists in identifying the nature and extent of the risks, educating and informing the public about the scale of risks when making risk trade-offs (where the reduction of one risk may give rise to another) and building trust in the proposed responses and the institutions that administer them.
Subordinate regulation
Regulations that can be approved by the head of government, by an individual minister or by the cabinet - that is, by an authority other than the parliament/congress. Please note that many subordinate regulations are subject to disallowance by the parliament/congress. Subordinate regulations are also referred to as “secondary legislation” or “subordinate legislation” or “delegated legislation”.