This Policy Brief summarises the results of The OECD Report on Regulatory Reform, published in 1997. Social regulations protect public interests such as health, safety, the environment, as well as interests of consumers and vulnerable social groups. R egulatory reform means both better regulation and deregulation. In many cases, governments must continue to regulate in order to protect public interests in areas such as environmental quality, safety, and health. Here there is a need to develop instruments that are less costly, more effective, and which use and shape market forces to achieve public policy goals.
Deregulation refers to the complete or partial elimination of regulations in a sector.
The challenge is to find the right mix of market forces and government intervention to achieve policy objectives efficiently in changing economic and social conditions. R egulatory reform activity has significantly increased in OECD countries in recent years. Yet the pace and depth of reform vary considerably. Within this framework, OECD will assist member governments through analysis and comparison of experience. Beginning this year, the Organisation will review regulatory reform efforts in Member countries, based in part on self-assessment.