Title: OECD Reviews of Regulatory Reform
Description: This review presents a general picture of the overall regulatory reform frameworks in Italy, examining quality regulation, competition policy and professional services. It also offers a special focus on multi-level governance, where key issues include local public services, commercial distribution, local transport and energy. The review finds that Italy made significant progress using regulatory reform since 2001. Administrative simplification and the increasing role of competition policy, combined with devolution of state powers to regions, helped. But the key challenges for regulatory policy and its implementation include: enforcement, capacity in the civil service, impact analysis for evidence-based decision-making, and building a culture of consultation. The global economic crisis could present an opportunity for Italy to further clarify how the state intervenes in the economy, to improve multi-level co-ordination, and to expand competition in specific sectors.--Publisher's description.
Subjects: Trade regulation, Industrial policy, Economic policy, Economic conditions