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Policy design, impact assessment and evaluation
Regulatory Impact Assessments
This course provides an introduction to Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs), covering their uses, methods, and functioning. It offers an overview of the current state of the art in RIA theory and practice, drawing on the approach followed by the European Commission.
The online course provides an introduction to Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs), covering their uses, methods, and functioning. It offers an overview of the current state of the art in RIA theory and practice, drawing on the approach followed by the European Commission.
The course enhances participants’ ability to design, manage and communicate the results of ex ante Impact Assessments (IAs). It provides answers to the following questions:
- How can an impact assessment (IA) system be developed
- How can an IA system be optimised?
- How can you assess the effectiveness and efficiency of policy proposals?
- How can you ensure high-quality ex ante impact assessments?
- How can you use an impact assessment as a supporting tool for decision-making?
The course discusses the concept of a high-quality ex ante IA, emphasizing its needs and uses. It focuses on building participants’ knowledge and skills in the main methods employed in IAs, such as cost–benefit analysis. Valuable insights into good practices are provided through lessons learned from the implementation of the European Commission Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox, as well as other actors like the OECD and individual countries. Additionally, the course explains how IAs can influence the EU lawmaking process. These concepts are explored through theory, examples, and practical exercises, fostering an interactive learning experience.
What will you learn
- How to manage an ex ante Impact Assessment of a legal act from concept to submission, and how to consult and engage with stakeholders for the purpose of the IA;
- The analytical steps of an IA (defining the problem, setting objectives, developing policy options, measuring impacts, selecting a preferred policy option, monitoring and evaluation);
- The state-of-the-art methodologies and tools to assess the impacts;
- How to adjust your expectations and choose the right shortcuts when selecting the best possible methodological approach (e.g. qualitative vs quantitative);
- How the European Commission system ensures transparency and quality of the IA work (stakeholder consultation, Regulatory Scrutiny Board);
- Why IA has become a key tool for the development of EU policy and how it is applied in practice
- The enablers and barriers for setting up an IA system: how an effective IA system can be developed in national administrations; best practices to learn from; pitfalls to avoid.
Course methodology/highlights
The two-half-day course will be led by an expert who has decades of research and practical experience in IA in the EU context and beyond.
The course delivery will combine interactive presentations showcasing practical examples and group exercises.
After course support
You will be given the slides as well as additional learning material and online resources to help you apply your new knowledge and skills to your work.
Read our recent blog on Campaigns and Consultations: Campaigns in the European Commission’s public consultation written by our experts Nikolaos Sarris and Miranda Lovell-Prescod.
At the end of the course you will be able to:
- Evaluate the pros and cons of different IA methodologies and tools, and select the ones most relevant to your case.
- Build a methodological checklist to help the development of an IA from concept till submission to decision makers.
- Commission and manage meaningful IAs and ensure the proper dissemination of results.
- Better integrate IA into the policy and programming cycle so it is used in practice.
- Recognise and identify what makes a good quality IA.
This course on Regulatory Impact Assessments is one of 5 courses we are currently offering in the context of the Better Regulation agenda.
Are you interested in taking a different course, please click below:
Introduction to the Better Regulation Agenda | Regulatory ex post Evaluations | Stakeholder Consultation in the Context of Better Regulation | Strategic Foresight – From Anticipating Surprise to Robust Strategy
Public officials, civil servants, policy consultants and policy analysts who work in government or parliamentary institutions, in EU Member States or other countries that seek to embed evidence in the decision-making process, such as the following:
- better regulation committees / programmes;
- centres for research and analysis;
- bureaucracy reduction agencies;
- budget offices;
- consultancy firms involved in better regulation
- councils for regulatory impact assessments.
Online Course
For this online course we make use of Zoom
Programme Organiser
Ms Eveline Hermens
Tel: +31 43 3296259
e.hermens@eipa.eu
Discounts
EIPA member fee
EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency
Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden.
For all other participants, the regular fee applies
Early bird discount
The early bird discount is not cumulative with other discounts or promo codes, except for the EIPA member fee.
Loyalty coupon
As a token of appreciation we offer all our participants a loyalty coupon for one of our future courses. The offer can be shared with colleagues and relevant networks. The coupon will expire one year after its release. This discount is not cumulative with other discounts, except for the EIPA member fee.
Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed online registration form.
Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation.
Cancellation policy
For administrative reasons you will be charged € 50 for cancellations received within 7 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants.
EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 1 week before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed.
A few days before the start of the course you will receive the log-in details for accessing the course materials. You can log in here.
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Our experts
Programme
| 08.45 | Registration of participants |
| 09.00 | Welcome and introduction to the course Presentation of lecturer and seminar objectives Wim Marneffe, Impact Assessment Expert, Associate Professor at Hasselt University (BE) |
| Regulatory ex ante impact assessment (part I) | |
| 09.15 | Why do we need ex ante impact assessments? An overview In this session, we set the groundwork for the rest of the course. We explore what has proven effective and identify the challenges that still remain. As a starting point, we delve into the importance of impact assessments. We trace the evolution from environmental and social impact assessments to integrated ones and, currently, regulatory impact assessments. Additionally, we examine the shortcomings that impact assessments aim to address by discussing market and regulatory failures. |
| 10.00 | Coffee break |
| 10:15 | Ex ante impact assessments in the European Union During this session, we engage in a discussion about why impact assessments have become a crucial tool for EU policy development and how to actively participate in the process. We closely examine the steps followed by the European Commission in developing impact assessments, referring to the Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox. This includes covering the essential analytical steps of an impact assessment, such as defining the problem, establishing policy objectives, formulating policy options, and evaluating their impacts.Furthermore, we explore how the European Commission system ensures transparency through stakeholder consultations. We delve into expert perceptions of impact assessments and explore citizen engagement in the process. We examine the lessons learned from public feedback on specific impact assessments and the overall impact assessment procedure. Additionally, we present how the European Commission has applied and interpreted the Guidelines over the past seven years. |
| 12.00 | Coffee break |
| 12:15 | Group exercise The exercise is followed by a debriefing that establishes the framework for the following sessions |
| 13.00 | End of the first day |
| 08.45 | Opening of on-line platform |
| Regulatory ex ante impact assessment (part II) | |
| 09.00 | Methods used in impact assessment In this session we introduce the various methods used in the analysis of impacts. We cover several market methods (cost–benefit analysis (CBA), cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), multi-criteria analysis (MCA), standard cost model (SCM)). We also explore non-market methods such as stated and revealed preference, as well as counterfactual analysis. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of sensitivity analysis and discuss data collection methods for IAs |
| 10:00 | Group exercise |
| 11.00 | Coffee break |
| 11:15 | Quality control – role and practice in and outside the EU In this session we discuss the mechanisms for quality control of IAs. Here we will discuss the role of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, the use of stocktaking exercises, the findings of audits conducted by the Court of Auditors and lessons that can be learned by Member States from the EU. We also look at best practices outside the EU. |
| 12:00 | Break |
| 12:05 | Monitoring and implementation In this final session we discuss the steps after the IA is published: implementation, enforcement, monitoring and ex post evaluations. We highlight noteworthy examples of good practices from Member States and future steps for improvement – lessons from the OECD. |
| 12.45 | Wrap-up and evaluation |
| 13.00 | End of the online course |