Introducing Regulatory Impact Analysis into Turkish Legal Framework Improving the Transparency, Consultation and Communication Aspects of RIA’s March 2009 Session 10 RIA and Communication

Why communication? “Communication”, is one of the main tools to be used in all phases and at the end of RIA. Because: RIA’s success is directly related to understanding and adoption of the process and results by all related parties. It is important to prepare a “communication strategy” which will be implemented in the planning phase of RIA, during process and at the end of the process.

What kind of a communication strategy? A two-phase strategy 1)-Communication during preparation of RIA Objective: - Raising general awareness about RIA, - Giving information about RIA prepared. - Increasing the efficiency of consultation process by promoting information/data exchange oriented to stakeholders and participation. -Overcoming hardships within process, preventing delays. 2)-Communication during the process in which results of RIA are shared Objective: - Ensuring the adoption of RIA Results (+arrangement proposal)

What should strategy cover? Seperately for each case: -Identifying target groups, - “general” and “specific” messages oriented to target groups, -who, when, how often will receive the messages, -the communication channels and methods to be used, -Evaluating the effectiveness of communication strategy during process.

Target Groups During Process: RIA team and in-house units Stakeholders (internal and external) In-house senior executives At the end of Process: Political decision-makers Stakeholders Media (both target group and a tool) Public opinion

Messages 1) During process: oriented to Awareness raising, giving information, increasing participation: General awareness raising: A new system for Turkey For all groups: What will RIA change in the system? What is its importance in EU process? For target groups: -Internal stakeholders (public): Increase in efficiency, flexibility, analytical-systematic approach, participation, multidirectional evaluation of the impacts, increase in quality and reliability, reducing risks, etc. -External stakeholders (private sector, NGO’s, etc.) : Effective participation in the process, reflection of opinions and demands, access to information in time, possibility to build up a strategy regarding the opportunity and threats, EU harmonisation process-UP, etc.

Messages RIA-specific information: Changeable regarding the target groups and phases of RIA. Why RIA is carried out-What is the problem? What is aimed? What kind of contribution is expected from stakeholders? What is the progress made? Which options are envisaged-why? Etc. Increasing participation, overcoming hardships: Overcoming biased, suspicious and pessimistic approaches, preventing high expectations and misunderstandings, sharing successful examples, supporting consensus between stakeholders, etc.

Timing and tools During RIA process: -RIA team and in-house units: regularly, frequently. Briefings, meetings, , etc. -Stakeholders: According to their effectiveness during consultation process, changeably, regularly and/or in necessary phases. Briefings, meetings, correspondance, , e-newsletter, on-line participation via web-page, etc. -Evaluating the effectiveness of communication strategy according to the feedbacks and recommendations, revising if necessary.

Main principles in RIA Communication -Transparency (increasing reliability) -Transfer of correct (clear) information at right time -Continuity in information flow (increasing interest and motivation -Simplicity, easily understandable(too much detail=complexity) -Simple language -Being open to questioning and criticism -Taking feedbacks into account

Messages 2) To inform and convince at the end of the process: Changeable regarding the target groups -Why RIA carried out? -What is aimed? -What kind of method followed?(not deskjob-participatory) -Who are the stakeholders? What are the contributions during consultation? -Which options developped? What are the results of analysis (+ -)? -What are assumptions, acceptions, models(if available) and their justifications? -What is the option recommended? What is the reason for recommendation? -What are the possible impacts on different parties?

What should be taken into account in communication? Messages should be clear, easily understandable; language should be simple. Technical details should be avoided. Core of the issue should be preserved. Methods, acceptions, assumptions, models, samplings may always cause a discussion. The justifications should be clearly expressed. It should be open to questioning. We should’t create such an expectation that future projections will exactly correspond to the realities. The option recommended should be well justified. The difference of it from the other options should be put forward with striking data.

Communication Tools Effective combination of direct and indirect communication Briefings, meetings Printed and electronical communication channels Web-page: EU example Existing arrangement (if available), proposal of arrangement, RIA executive summary, RIA, “Citizen summary”, contributions collected in consultation process, similar good practice examples, “SSS” document about the subject, background information and orientation to archives, related links, etc. Communication channels of stakeholder institutions (newsletter, periodical, etc.) National and Local Media (printed, visual, audio)