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Consultation

Effective consultation with stakeholders and all interested parties is a vital ingredient of good policy making. When those who are affected by legislation have a say in how it is shaped, they contribute to the quality of the policy and are more likely to comply with it when it comes into force.

Consultation in the EU

The Commission has committed itself to minimum standards of consultation in its communication of December 2002,  as a follow-up to its Action Plan for simplifying and improving the regulatory environment.   All new Commission proposals should follow the consultation criteria:
1. Clear content of the consultation process.
2. Relevant parties engaged via consultation target groups.
3. Adequate awareness-raising publicity and publication.
4. Minimum 8 week period of consultation.
5. Acknowledgement of contributions and feedback.

Consultation is an integral part of the Regulatory Impact  Assessment (RIA) process. The full impact of any proposed legislation can only be effectively assessed with the help of those who will be affected by the legislation. A comprehensive RIA with in-depth consultation is a valuable tool for informing Ministers or influencing negotiations at EU level.

Consultation in the UK

The Cabinet Office issues the Code of Practice on Consultation,  supplemented with web-based guidance, for consultations in the UK. 

Relevant links

The Regulatory Impact Assessment process  
European Commission Communication on minimum standards of consultation (PDF 101KB)
European Commission Action plan "Simplifying and improving the regulatory environment" (PDF 95KB)
The Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation
Web based Guidance on the Code of Practice on Consultation.