Observatory on Italian Independent Regulators’
Impact Assessment (RIA)
(Osservatorio Air)
CALL FOR PAPERS 2012
1. Overview
The Observatory on Italian Independent Regulators’ Impact Assessment (Osservatorio AIR), was founded in 2009 following an agreement drawn up between the Department of Legal Sciences of the University of Tuscia (Viterbo) and the Faculty of Law of the “Parthenope” University of Naples. The Observatory is funded by the Institute for Research on Public Administration (IRPA). The Observatory is working on research projects all aiming to monitor the evolution of Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) in eight Italian Independent Regulators: Antitrust Authority (Agcm), Communications Regulatory Authority (Agcom), Regulatory Authority for Electricity and Gas (Aeeg), Authority for the Supervision of Public Contracts for works, services and supplies (Avcp), Bank of Italy, Insurance Regulatory Authority (Isvap), Data Protection Authority, Companies and Stock Exchange Commission (Consob), Supervisory Commission on Pension Funds (Covip). The research is particularly aimed to analyse analogies and differences concerning RIA’s implementation. The Observatory produces analyses, papers, case studies, synthetic reports and thematic studies dealing with the current activities relating to impact assessment carried out by Italian and foreign Independent Regulators. The aim is to examine in detail the characteristics of the most significant experiences; to analyse the specific problems faced by Regulators in the implementation of RIA; to study the development of a particular methodological aspect; to highlight best practices; to provide a comparative examination of the experiences realized by each Independent Regulator relating to RIA, through synthesis indicators or cross analysis of the most relevant aspects.
2. Issues
Several themes may usefully be explored in order to deepen our understanding of regulatory impact assessment. These themes include the following:
- The use of economic evaluation in Regulatory Impact Assessment.
- Analytical methods in RIA: a comparison among different independent regulatory authorities.
- The consultation of stakeholders.
- The role of public consultations in the decision-making process of independent authorities and in the relation with regulated parties.
- Public consultations carried out by independent authorities: a comparison of European best practices.
- Stakeholders’ involvement in the decision-making process of Italian and foreign independent regulatory authorities.
- European regulatory networks: implications of the Europeanisation of regulatory powers for the RIA carried out at national level.
- Regulatory impact analysis and its implications on the relationship between politic parties and independent authorities.
- The organizational aspects related to RIA implementation and their reflections on the relationship between RIA’s offices and stakeholders.
- The relationship between the expansion of regulatory powers and the diffusion of RIA: a comparison of national and foreign experiences.
3. Call for papers
Submissions from both junior scholars (including PhD students and advanced law students, as well as practitioners and new faculty) and senior scholars are invited on the themes outlined above. Abstracts should be at least 150 words, but longer and more fully-developed abstracts up to 500 words are welcome and encouraged where possible.
Abstracts should be sent (in .doc or .docx format) to info@osservatorioair.it by 31 January 2013. Abstracts must include a statement of the issue covered by the paper, as well as an indication of the major arguments, a proposed title, and postal, email and telephone contacts of the author. A selection panel will consider all abstracts received by the submission deadline, and will notify applicants of paper acceptance by 20 February 2013. The submission date for full papers accepted for presentation is 15 June 2013. The final version of the paper must be no longer than 8,000 words (footnotes included) and must be sent (in .doc or .docx format) to info@osservatorioair.it.
The selected papers will be published on the Observatory website getting an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) number for the “I papers dell’Osservatorio” series. For any further information please contact info@osservatorioair.it.
Rome, 10 December 2012