ria: communication – building credibility

RIA: Communication – building credibility

Aleš PeckaDepartment of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality

Ministry of Interior, Czech Republic

Aleš Pecka

Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic

Introduction to Regulatory Reform (RR)

Introduction brought by the OECD Regulatory review in 2001 Benefit of the outside international „pressure“

Report 2001 discussed by the Government

Recommendation: Elaborate guidelines and implement the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) into the decision-making process

Aleš Pecka


Implementation of RIA

Pilot phase (2005-2006): Application of the Draft Guidelines for

conducting the impact assessment on selected legislative proposals

Draft guidelines updated with the involvement of the representatives of businesses (Council for Development of Business Environment)

On the basis of the gained experience: Guidelines reviewed and completed by the end of December 2006

Aleš Pecka


Implementation of RIA

Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Assessment adopted by Government in August 2007

Full impact assessment obligatory to all drafts of primary and secondary laws from November 2007 elaborated on the level of Government

Aleš Pecka


What is RIA about?

Implementation of RIA is not only about rules and institutions (nevertheless important) – it is (also) a change of culture within the public administration

keep explaining and get everybody on the board….

Identify particular groups – key players …choose the right communication

strategy towards each group

Aleš Pecka


Challenge: How to explain RIA?

RIA – a tool for transparency Impact assessment study represents a clear guide

and provides executive summary for everybody (not only politicians or public servants) as regards reasoning of the chosen option and nature of a proposal

the benefits outweigh the costs (avoiding “wrong”, costly decisions…)

The change can only be gradual, the „snowball effect“ helps...

Demonstrate the foreign examples, bring the experts from abroad to seminars and let them present and discuss the concrete issues…

Aleš Pecka


To whom shall we communicate?

PoliticiansPublic servantsLegislatorsSocial partners and NGOsMedia

Aleš Pecka


Politicians

Politicians are important and indispensable target group to be involved

RIA does not replace political decision-making, it provides only well-founded information for decision-makers…

Therefore: demonstrate the real benefits – examples of successful impact assessments from the pilot phase

Hold seminars with foreign partners

Aleš Pecka


Public servants

Anticipate natural resistance„We will have to do much more work

within the same given time…, deadlines remain…“ „RIA is the concept imported from abroad and

not fitted to our domestic conditions…; „We have been doing well already in our

way…“Moreover:

Traditional legal approach Primary focus on the quality of legal texts

Aleš Pecka


Public servants

At first sight, new and more demanding work for public servants, but in a number of cases public servants actually do already make partial impact assessment – RIA only provides for the structure and the systematic approach

RIA is therefore for their use, to help them!Provide training (to learn the methodology) –

useful input from academics (tutors) Simulation of real cases, discussion and

exchange of views within internal seminars

Aleš Pecka


Legislators

Most difficult onesHowever, proper RIA can help them in

decision making: choice of the most suitable options

Assure contacts with foreign legislatorsAgain, good example policy works:

Presentation of good RIAs with draft laws

Positive example to follow: Government evaluates, so can do the legislators

Aleš Pecka


Social partners and NGOs

Evident beneficiaries: RIA is the tool to involve them in the decision-making process from its very beginning

They are to fulfill a very important role Must be ready for collaboration and data provision to

the legislators = provision of necessary background information and input from practice

Make them aware of the this roleInvite them to the seminars with politicians =

creation of joint pressureInvolve them in horizontal bodies

Aleš Pecka


Media

RIA – a difficult topic to coverUsually perceived as another bureaucratic

tool and procedureUseful to target information campaign

mostly towards economic journals (most familiar with the concept of impact assessment)

Present RIA as a tool, which would help, if used, to avoid bad, e.g. costly decisions from the recent history in your country

Aleš Pecka


RIA: Consultation

Important element in the RIA processHow to approach the stakeholders? Do we

know them?Create a supportive tool!: Database of

consulted organisations in the Czech Rep.Accessible on the special websiteContacts to the stakeholder’ organisations

structured according to the particular topics, areas and economic sectors

Voluntary registration

Aleš Pecka


How to learn Public Administration to consult?

Methodology of Public Consultation (2007)Government launched the testing phase

lasting till the end of 2008Involvement of public on selected

legislative and non-legislative proposalsLessons learned – input into the review of

the Methodology by the end 2008 and its planned final approval

Aleš Peckae-mail : [email protected]

ria: communication – building credibility

Documents

regulatory impact assessment

regulatory impact analysis

partial impact assessment

proper ria

impact assessment obligatory

elaborate guidelines

oecd regulatory review

foreign examples