RIA: Communication – building
credibility
Aleš Pecka
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality
Ministry of Interior, Czech Republic
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
Implementation of RIA
Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality, Ministry of the Interior, Czech Republic
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
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
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
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
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
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 decisionmaking, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Aleš Pecka
e-mail : ales.pecka@mvcr.cz