1. RIA: Communication – building credibility
Aleš Pecka
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality
Ministry of Interior, Czech Republic

2. Introduction to Regulatory Reform (RR)
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

3. Implementation of RIA Pilot phase (2005-2006):
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
Pilot phase ( ):
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

4. Implementation of RIA
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

5. keep explaining and get everybody on the board….
What is RIA about?
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

6. Challenge: How to explain RIA?
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

7. To whom shall we communicate?
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
Politicians
Public servants
Legislators
Social partners and NGOs
Media
Aleš Pecka

8. Hold seminars with foreign partners
Politicians
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

9. Anticipate natural resistance
Public servants
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

10. RIA is therefore for their use, to help them!
Public servants
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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

11. Assure contacts with foreign legislators
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
Most difficult ones
However, proper RIA can help them in decision making: choice of the most suitable options
Assure contacts with foreign legislators
Again, good example policy works:
Presentation of good RIAs with draft laws
Positive example to follow: Government evaluates, so can do the legislators
Aleš Pecka

12. Social partners and NGOs
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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 role
Invite them to the seminars with politicians = creation of joint pressure
Involve them in horizontal bodies
Aleš Pecka

13. RIA – a difficult topic to cover
Media
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
RIA – a difficult topic to cover
Usually perceived as another bureaucratic tool and procedure
Useful 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

14. Important element in the RIA process
RIA: Consultation
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
Important element in the RIA process
How to approach the stakeholders? Do we know them?
Create a supportive tool!: Database of consulted organisations in the Czech Rep.
Accessible on the special website
Contacts to the stakeholder’ organisations structured according to the particular topics, areas and economic sectors
Voluntary registration
Aleš Pecka

15. How to learn Public Administration to consult?
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
Methodology of Public Consultation (2007)
Government launched the testing phase lasting till the end of 2008
Involvement of public on selected legislative and non-legislative proposals
Lessons learned – input into the review of the Methodology by the end 2008 and its planned final approval
Aleš Pecka

16. Thank you for your attention!
Aleš Pecka