Economic legislation

Selected references

The implementation of economic policies most often requires the revision of the laws and regulations governing economic life, to bring the national legislation into line with the acquis communautaire (for EU candidate countries), to harmonise it with EU legislation (for countries having entered into an EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement), or with a view WTO membership.

Promulgating laws and decrees is not enough in itself. Their creation must be preceded by an economic impact analysis, while their effective establishment requires substantial training action and/or administrative reorganisation.

Gniger SOFRECO's assignments in these fields focus on the following main areas:

Drafting or revision of laws and regulations in the economic field

• Analysis of the economic legislation in force;
• Analysis of conformity with the acquis communautaire, WTO regulations;
• Analysis of the expected and potential economic impact of a new piece of legislation;
• Support for the drafting of codes: public procurement, tax, customs, VAT;
• Harmonisation of legislation governing trade, taxation, customs, VAT, competitiveness, public aid and subsidies;
• Analysis of the economic impact of the suppression of non-tariff trade barriers, and of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA);
• Strengthening of the legal framework of intellectual and industrial property (TRIPS plus), and of consumer protection;
• Support for harmonisation with EU legislation in the fields concerned by the establishment of Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (PCA) with the EU;
• Support for the development of technical standards and regulations;
• Preparation of glossaries to facilitate the translation and international comparison of laws.

 Establishment of economic legislation and regulations

• Support for the organisation of the law making channels (Technical Ministry, Ministry of Justice, Prime Minister, Presidency, Parliament); drafting of procedures manuals for the preparation of laws;
• Preparation and monitoring of reform programmes and of the related legislation;
• Support for the establishment of secondary legislation for the effective enforcement of the legislation;
• Preparation of standard procedures and documents for the implementation of the public procurement code; preparation of public procurement tenderer guides;
• Support to develop the institutional capacity of organisations in charge of procurement, intellectual and industrial property management, etc.;
• Support to modernise the working procedures and methods of customs administrations;
• Development of directives for the tax services;
• Modernisation of VAT collection procedures.

 Training, awareness raising and communication

• Dissemination of the acquis communautaire;
• Training of public administration staff on the new procedures;
• Organisation of study trips to the administrations of EU or other countries;
• Awareness raising of administrations and political staff on the need for reforms;
• Awareness raising of civil society and communication on the new legislation.