Norway improved its standard procedure for developing regulations by updating the Instructions for Official Studies and Reports in 2016. Now under the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance, these Instructions establish whole-of-government procedures regarding the requirements and guidance on preparing regulatory proposals, RIA, stakeholder engagement and ex post evaluations. The Instructions establish new thresholds for determining when a simplified versus full analysis is required, as well as requiring the quantification of costs/benefits when the regulation is expected to have a large impact on many people. Transparency could be enhanced by publishing all RIAs online as well as the reasoning behind conducting a simplified analysis, when applicable.
Public consultation is conducted for all draft laws. While the 2016 Instructions calls for more early-stage consultations, data shows that this provision has yet to be fully implemented. The Instructions also encourage better coordination between national and sub-national governments for all laws, and the use of inclusive mechanisms such as videoconferences or social media to ensure inputs from all parties affected. Ex post evaluations are not mandatory, but have been carried out for certain regulations in response to requests from parliament, external groups, audit office, or due to legal requirement. Principle-based reviews on competition and administrative burdens have also been conducted in recent years to improve productivity growth and reduce the cost on businesses.
