ReSPA achieves its strategic objectives through the organization of high-level political dialogues, conferences, networking events, working groups meetings, working visits, mobility schemes, the delivery of capacity-building activities (workshops, seminars, training, seasonal schools), production of analytical papers, studies, and research, followed by policy recommendations based on the best regional, European and international practice, and other innovative methodologies. Through this kind of activity, ReSPA transfers new knowledge and skills and facilitates the exchange of experiences and best-practice examples within the Region and between the Western Balkan administrations and the EU Member States.

Since the beginning of the implementation of the current EC grant previous Working Group on Better Regulation was integrated in the newly established Policy Development and Coordination regional thematic group, which serves as the main framework through which the activities related to policy development and the alignment of policy-making and legal drafting with the EU Better Regulation agenda are realized.

The growing awareness in the administrations in the Region that the efficiency and quality of regulations affect economic performance has led to their more strategic approach to regulatory reform. In that regard, in 2018 ReSPA developed a Regional Study on Better Regulation and has formalized the Ministerial Document entitled “Western Balkans Recommendations on Public Participation” endorsed by Ministers in charge of public administration. Also, in 2021 ReSPA, published the so-called “Practical RIA package”, which serves the regional public administrations to improve their competences and capacities in the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) domain. The package is composed of the following:

• Standardized, updated, and all-inclusive RIA Template, including brief explanations (practical tips) on how to fill it;
• Standardized, updated, and all-inclusive Standard Cost Model (SCM) template, including brief explanations (practical tips) on how to fill it;
• Standardized, updated, and all-inclusive templates for cost-benefit analysis (CBA); cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and multi-criteria analysis (MCA), including brief explanations (practical tips) on how to fill them;

At the end of 2022, an inclusive regional Executive learning programme on Better Regulation tools and methods was also implemented.

The specific topics of the Better Regulation area were included and involved in almost all ReSPA activities devoted to broader area Policy Development and Coordination. Nevertheless, particular aspects of checking the quality of RIA implementation, like concrete experiences with the utilization of Practical RIA Package in ReSPA Members, challenges within the administrations regarding the public consultations processes etc., were not discussed separately. Therefore, ReSPA is organizing a consultative workshop with the heads of RIA control units in ReSPA members (one per administration) to jointly define future activities in Better Regulation.