UNDP | Virtual Resource Centre - Ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment

Ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment in the Czech Republic

Legal background

The Government of the Czech Republic adopted an Action Plan of Reducing Administrative Burden on Businesses in April 2005, as well as the Government resolution 421/2005, 'Methodology of Measurement of Administrative Burden', based on the Dutch Standard Cost Model.

There is a 'two stage' legislative drafting process in the country, and separate concepts for minor and major RIAs which differ in the scope of detail of the analysis. Minor RIA is mostly qualitative analysis with possible estimate of financial impacts, whereas a major RIA is a detailed cost-benefit analysis with respect to a single or a few solution options.

Institutional background

The Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality was set up in the Ministry of Interior in November 2006. It is responsible for coordinating regulatory reform across the state administration, simplification of the regulatory environment and the preparation of strategies and concepts in the public administration area. The work of the Department is conducted by its three special units: Impact Assessment Unit, Quality of Regulation Unit and Strategies and Concepts Unit.

Regulatory Impact Assessment in the Czech Republic is based on the framework of the European analytical methods providing for systematic evaluation of negative and positive impacts of the drafts or existing regulations, taking into account economic, social and environmental impacts at once. Moreover, impacts on particular economic or social groups are taken into account. The Regulatory Impact Assessment results in the final report which accompanies each legislative draft. Background data and studies elaborated during the process of Regulatory Impact Assessment are used as a basis for the policy decision-making process in which either the proposed draft or amendment to the existing regulation are approved or not.

In order to ensure efficient Regulatory Impact Assessment, the Unit co-operates with all central state administration authorities which prepare legislative drafts from the beginning of the regulation-making process and provides them with the methodological assistance in assessing impacts of proposed pieces of legislation. The main goals are to achieve the most cost-effective legislation, to provide for a transparency in the legislative process and to have a higher quality of regulation. RIA is furthermore to be used for ex-post assessment of existing regulations.

Carrying out the impact assessment of a legislative proposal is the responsibility of the body elaborating the proposal. The control of the quality and methodological assistance, however, is the role of a specialized unit, the Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration in the Ministry of Interior. It is recommended, however not compulsory for the ministries to set up specialized RIA units in their structure.

Relevant areas of IA

Gender impact assessment
Impacts on business
Impacts on the environment

Related activities

Starting in 2006, there are trainings on regulatory impact assessment for civil servants organized by the Ministry of Interior on a regular basis.

Existing guidelines

Impact Assessment Guidelines have been adopted by the Government in the annex to the Government Resolution 877/2007.

Documents, links

http://www.ria.mvcr.cz - Ministry of Interior, Czech Republic, Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality

http://www.mvcr.cz/sprava/moderniz/dokumenty/obecne_zasady.pdf - General Principles on Regulatory Impact Assessment (Czech version only)

Latest News in the Regional Project on Ex-ante Impact Assessment

Guide for Practitioners: Ex-ante policy impact assessment vis-a-vis vulnerable groups in South Eastern Europe

July 2009

Workspace - network of regional professionals launched

September 2008

PIA Mapping available in Serbian

July 2008 Download (2mb)

First regional training on PIA
June 2008 More

Introductory PIA training course in Serbia
5 June 2008 Read

PIA Mapping available in Russian
April 2008 Read

Mapping of Ex-ante PIA Tools and Experiences in Europe published
March 2008 More

Steering Committee meeting in Budapest
29 February 2008 Read

Mapping of ex-ante Impact Assessment Experiences and Tools in Europe
October 2007 Read

Introduction to Impact Assessment training for policy units in Moldova
June 2007, Chisinau Read

Menu Home Library PIA Process and Best Practices UNDP regional project on Ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment Country Overviews Contacts Partners Local Government and public Service Reform Initiative (LGI) Links World Bank OECD European Union Oslo Governance Centre UNDP Europe & CIS Democratic Governance practice SIGMA - Support for Improvement in Governance and Management Impact Assessment Board Center for Policy Studies Network of IA practitioners Members - login Would like to join the network? - please send an email describing your interest in PIA.	Ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment in the Czech Republic Legal background The Government of the Czech Republic adopted an Action Plan of Reducing Administrative Burden on Businesses in April 2005, as well as the Government resolution 421/2005, 'Methodology of Measurement of Administrative Burden', based on the Dutch Standard Cost Model. There is a 'two stage' legislative drafting process in the country, and separate concepts for minor and major RIAs which differ in the scope of detail of the analysis. Minor RIA is mostly qualitative analysis with possible estimate of financial impacts, whereas a major RIA is a detailed cost-benefit analysis with respect to a single or a few solution options. Institutional background The Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality was set up in the Ministry of Interior in November 2006. It is responsible for coordinating regulatory reform across the state administration, simplification of the regulatory environment and the preparation of strategies and concepts in the public administration area. The work of the Department is conducted by its three special units: Impact Assessment Unit, Quality of Regulation Unit and Strategies and Concepts Unit. Regulatory Impact Assessment in the Czech Republic is based on the framework of the European analytical methods providing for systematic evaluation of negative and positive impacts of the drafts or existing regulations, taking into account economic, social and environmental impacts at once. Moreover, impacts on particular economic or social groups are taken into account. The Regulatory Impact Assessment results in the final report which accompanies each legislative draft. Background data and studies elaborated during the process of Regulatory Impact Assessment are used as a basis for the policy decision-making process in which either the proposed draft or amendment to the existing regulation are approved or not. In order to ensure efficient Regulatory Impact Assessment, the Unit co-operates with all central state administration authorities which prepare legislative drafts from the beginning of the regulation-making process and provides them with the methodological assistance in assessing impacts of proposed pieces of legislation. The main goals are to achieve the most cost-effective legislation, to provide for a transparency in the legislative process and to have a higher quality of regulation. RIA is furthermore to be used for ex-post assessment of existing regulations. Carrying out the impact assessment of a legislative proposal is the responsibility of the body elaborating the proposal. The control of the quality and methodological assistance, however, is the role of a specialized unit, the Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration in the Ministry of Interior. It is recommended, however not compulsory for the ministries to set up specialized RIA units in their structure. Relevant areas of IA Gender impact assessment Impacts on business Impacts on the environment Related activities Starting in 2006, there are trainings on regulatory impact assessment for civil servants organized by the Ministry of Interior on a regular basis. Existing guidelines Impact Assessment Guidelines have been adopted by the Government in the annex to the Government Resolution 877/2007. Documents, links http://www.ria.mvcr.cz - Ministry of Interior, Czech Republic, Department of Regulatory Reform and Public Administration Quality http://www.mvcr.cz/sprava/moderniz/dokumenty/obecne_zasady.pdf - General Principles on Regulatory Impact Assessment (Czech version only)	Latest News in the Regional Project on Ex-ante Impact Assessment Guide for Practitioners: Ex-ante policy impact assessment vis-a-vis vulnerable groups in South Eastern Europe July 2009 Workspace - network of regional professionals launched September 2008 PIA Mapping available in Serbian July 2008 Download (2mb) First regional training on PIA June 2008 More The first regional training on Cross-cutting ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment issues, with special focus on poverty reduction and ensuring equal opportunities for vulnerable and marginalized groups, will take place on 23-27 June 2008 in Budapest. Introductory PIA training course in Serbia 5 June 2008 Read Introductory training on Ex-ante Impact Assessment has been organized for civil servants, civil society representatives and UNDP staff in Serbia. The training was delivered by Ms. Katarina Staronova, international expert on policy impact assessment; consultant in the regional PIA project. Participants were satisfied with the contents of the training, however, they expressed a wish of having more hours (days) of training on impact assessment and related issues (e.g. instruments). Training was organized in 3 main thematic blocks: introduction to IA framework and concepts within the policy development model analysis of a real case study on impact assessments conducted in UK, where key elements of IA were analysed in relation to recommendation from the European Union (Mendelkern Report) and conditions of Serbia procedural issues on conducting impact assessment The training provided a unique opportunity for the start up of a network among UNDP Serbia employees, civil servants responsible for IA introduction in the country and this network should be further developed and followed up. PIA Mapping available in Russian April 2008 Read Данное руководство содержит описание методики и практического опыта проведения предварительной оценки влияния (ОВ) с обращением особого внимания на уменьшение бедности и обеспечение равных возможностей для уязвимых и изолированных групп. Руководство основывется на региональном опыте, накопленном в результате оценки систем ОВ и оценки нужд в обучении, проведённых в четырёх странах (Сербия, Хорватия, Босния и Герцеговина, Молдова), а также на уроках, извлечённых из реального осуществления проектов ОВ в разных странах. Публикация ставит своей целью обеспечить практиков доступными методами и передовым опытом проведения предварительной оценки влияния в Европе и СНГ и, таким образом, посредством улучшенного процесса принятия решений повлиять на уменьшение уровня бедности. Целью руководства также является поддержка развития местного потенциала в области стандартов ЕС. Click for document Mapping of Ex-ante PIA Tools and Experiences in Europe published March 2008 More Designing and Delivering UNDP’s 1st Regional Training on Cross-Cutting Issues of Ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment. Information International Consultant - Quality assurance of the 1st Regional Training on Ex-ante Impact Assessment. Information Steering Committee meeting in Budapest 29 February 2008 Read After discussing the results of the project’s first year and reporting on the status of national projects the Steering Committee accepted the work-plan of the project for 2008. Regarding substantive activities, the following targets have been set: 1. 1st Regional training on cross-cutting issues of IA - June 2008 (estimated time) 2. 2nd regional training – late Autumn (tentative) 3. Supporting CO projects throughout the year 4. Pilot Impact Assessments – based on the needs of the participating countries 5. Build up and roll out the Virtual Resource Centre – including an interactive workspace linked to regional trainings Regarding operational matters, the following has been agreed: 1. Virtual meetings of the Steering Committee will be held throughout the year 2. Regular updates from BRC – every two months – will be sent 3. Searching for more entry points at the CO level besides the one focal project 4. Setting key deadlines Mapping of ex-ante Impact Assessment Experiences and Tools in Europe October 2007 Read A team of two international consultants with the support of national consultants have completed the mapping of ex-ante Impact Assessment experiences and tools in Europe, with special focus on the relevant practices applied in the four participating countries. A Training Needs Assessment has been also carried out in each of the countries. Planning of future regional training has been initiated and a virtual resource centre is being developed. Introduction to Impact Assessment training for policy units in Moldova June 2007, Chisinau Read Introductory training for the newly established policy units in line ministries has been organized in Moldova on June 19, 2007. The UNDP Moldova Country Office approached UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre with the request for support for this introductory training within the framework of the regional project. Ms. Katarina Staronova, an international consultant, has been sent to Chisinau to provide the training. The training was organized in 4 main thematic blocks: 1) Introduction to IA concepts and theories 2) Analysis of real case studies of impact assessments conducted in the UK, where key elements of IA were analyzed in relation to recommendation from the European Union (Mendelkern Report) and conditions of Moldova 3) IA in broader context of policy making processes and management (consultation process, quality assurance, compliance problems, monitoring, etc.) 4) Brainstorming on the mandate of the policy units (coordination horizontal and vertical, vis-à-vis Ministry of Economy, vis-à-vis substantive departments, role in the process of IA, etc.) The participants were satisfied with the contents of the training, and expressed a wish to have more hours (days) of training on impact assessment and related issues (e.g. instruments).
^ top	Copyright © 2009 United Nations Development Programme Information Disclosure Policy

United Nations Development Programme

Virtual Resource Centre - Ex-ante Policy Impact Assessment

Menu

Partners

Links

Network of IA practitioners