Assessing Regulatory Changes in the Transport Sector

The specific characteristics of transport services and markets, including their importance in socioeconomic
terms, are such that Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) is particularly likely to yield major
benefits when applied to transport policy. However RIA in transport is not as widespread as in other
sectors given the presence of some major barriers.

This paper explains the aspects of a good practice RIA system for transport regulations. It describes
the rationale and the benefits of RIA frameworks and provides advice on dealing with the practical
realities of implementing RIA in the transport sector. It concludes with recommendations for
governments seeking to implement RIA within their jurisdictions.

An upated version of this Discussion Paper was published in November 2019 under Roundatable Report 180 as: "Assessing Regulatory Changes in the Transport Sector: Summary and Conclusions"