"Less paperwork, more security" (Italian simplification)

With change underway in Italy following the parliamentary elections, it may be useful to take a look at the well designed and stocked site of the unit for simplification of the ministry of public administration and simplification. Though it is mainly in Italian, there are a few resources in English, for instance a presentation of the local version of a one-stop-shop for company registration ("impresa en un giorno"). An October 2012 ppt sums up recent original trends in legal simplification, implementing the 6 February 2012 decree "Simplify Italy". The document stresses that the programme works under the principle "less paperwork, more security" and does not jeopardize any regulatory guarantees (such as safety at work), but only reduces reporting obligations. The policy also seeks to help companies comply with legislation, by improving their information. The site insists on the protection of regulatory benefits: "simplified official forms and procedures can only adopted with the agreeement of the Standing Advisory Committee on Health and Safety at Work, which brings together ministries, regions, employers' organizations, trade unions and the Regions-State Conference. These measures are expected to generate savings of about €3.7bn." The presentation ends with practical examples of simplifications under way, which concern both business and citizens.

Doing Business: become a contributor !

The World Bank Group is seeking specialists to participate in its pro bono global research project. The Doing Business Report is a publication of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation that benchmarks business regulation in 185 countries worldwide. To volunteer for research work, visit "become a contributor" page.

Abu Dhabi slashes red tape

According to a leading newspaper in the Emirate, "red tape and delays in starting a business are to be slashed and the cost cut almost in half in a raft of reforms to boost the private sector. Awarding at least 10 per cent of government contracts to private companies, cutting the time required to obtain a construction permit and overhauling laws on the private sector were among 29 initiatives announced yesterday by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
The moves come as the Government seeks to accelerate the role of private enterprise in driving diversification and raise the contribution of the non-oil sector from the 2005 level of 40 per cent of the Abu Dhabi economy to 64 per cent by 2030. The initiatives are part of the department's 2013-2016 strategy but it aims to meet the targets this year. They include a database of private-sector companies, a consumer protection and market surveillance centre, an export promotion agency and a federal level credit rating agency for small and medium-sized businesses.
The cost of starting a business will be cut from from 10 per cent of gross national income per capita to 6 per cent. UAE gross national income per capita was valued at Dh150,000 in 2011, indicating a cut of more than Dh5,500.
The department will also launch a commercial business centre to cut the paperwork and time taken to register a business. A specialised unit to support partnership between the public and private sectors and a draft public-private partnership law were also announced. " For more, read the official press release dated 20 Feb.

North Carolina to review 22,500 regulations every 10 years

This blog cannot possibly keep track of all the regulatory reform initiatives taken by each of the states composing the USA, but the recent move by the North Carolina (NC) House of Representatives is worth mentioning for its ambitious technical content, bearing in mind the political balance in this state (see Economist, 15 Feb. 2013 "a state turns solidly Republican"). The new Regulatory Reform Committee discussed "a bill that would mandate an official review of every state rule with an eye toward eliminating redundant or burdensome regulations.The bill would require a review of the state's more than 22,500 administrative rules over the next four years with a periodic review every 10 years. The Department of Health and Human Services review, if the bill is passed, would be finished by 2016, followed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2017. All of the rules would be reviewed by 2019."

French PM mainstreams oversight of regulatory quality

On 19 February, the Prime Minister's private office signed a new circular (standing instruction) to ministries to present an updated policy for simplifying the regulatory environment, tackling both the stock and the flow of regulation, and more effective consultation of stakeholders, in keeping with the interministerial action plan defined in December. Steering and coordinating are to be handled inside the Secrétariat Général du Gouvernement by Ms C. Vérot, deputy to the head of the general secretariat, "in charge of simplification." Ms Vérot replaces Mr R. Bouchez, the Simplification Commissioner since November 2010 (see his last annual report reported on this blog) with an extended mandate including implementing regulatory simplification measures decided by the interministerial committee (CIMAP). The circular also states that she will be liaising with two other simplification efforts, directed at local authorities (MPs Lambert and Boulard) and business (MP Mandon) and reminds the ministries of the different simplification agendas they must prepare by the end of June 2013.

Russia to cut red tape to boost investment

Under the title "Medvedev Cuts Red Tape to Boost Investment in Regions", the Moscow Times dated 18 Feb. reports that Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered the government to find ways by 14 March to "reduce bureaucratic obstacles to regional investment amid a drive to boost regional economies." A key measure requires the Economic Development Ministry to draft proposals to abolish the superfluous powers of the regional branches of federal agencies that create obstacles to investment. The key obstacles to investing in Russia are workers' poor knowledge of English, red tape and corruption, according to a survey of 195 foreign top managers by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The research was carried out in May on behalf of aluminum giant RusAl.

Evaluation of fishing reform in Peru

An example of particularly well researched ex-post evaluation of a regulatory reform, from Peru: the study of the impact of regulation No. 1084 of 2008 which brought about the largest reorganization of the fishing sector in the last 35 years in Peru by introducing individual fishing quotas for vessels in the anchovy business (based on their fishing record and their storage capacity). This is quite a contentious issue internationally.
This publication provides a study of the balance of benefits and costs, as well as the opportunities and threats generated by the system of property rights in anchovy fisheries, three years after it was introduced in Peru. It also analyzes the appropriateness of extending the application of this type of fisheries management to the other major fisheries exploited in Peru today (eg, squid, mackerel), based on an analysis of the experience of the hake fishery earlier reform.
As expected, the allocation of property rights produced a number of benefits on the size and profitability of the fishing industry, and on the envirnoment (slowing the "race to fish") (reported by Manuel Palmi.)