In Costa Rica, regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is systematically employed in the development of technical regulations. However, for other subordinate regulations, it is only required if the proposal creates new administrative procedures. The depth of the assessment depends on whether the regulatory proposal generates administrative burdens for citizens and businesses.
Costa Rica continues to foster stakeholder engagement through digital tools. The portal Trámites Costa Rica centralises RIAs, public consultations, and Better Regulation Plans and allows for comments by the public. Draft regulations are available for consultation for at least 10 working days.
Ex post evaluation is in its initial stages. The assessment of existing regulations focuses on reducing administrative burdens for citizens and businesses. Entities from the executive branch prepare and submit annual Better Regulation Plans for public consultation. These documents specify the administrative procedures that will be simplified in the upcoming year. Additionally, the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Trade is leading the strategy We Allow You to Work. The initiative focuses on streamlining the most salient bottlenecks identified by stakeholders with the objective of improving the business environment and reducing excessive administrative burdens for citizens and businesses.
Two bodies within the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade have regulatory oversight functions. The Better Regulation Unit (BRU) is responsible for RIA quality control of technical regulations and administrative formalities, as well as of co-ordinating and promoting regulatory policy through the provision of training and advice including across various levels of government. The opinion of the BRU on RIAs is binding for entities of the central administration and is valid for 18 months. If the regulation is not issued within this time, a new RIA is required. The Quality Unit oversees the development of technical regulations, including verification of compliance with RIA requirements. The unit performs stakeholder consultation and analysis of the technical regulation stock to identify reform needs.
Indicators on RIA and stakeholder engagement only cover processes carried out by the executive, which initiates approx. 21% of primary laws in Costa Rica. There is no mandatory requirement for consultation with the general public nor for conducting RIAs for primary laws initiated by parliament.
All primary laws/ ▲ Yes ■ Required ● Yes, there is a regulation and a policy
Major primary laws/ ● Yes, there is a regulation
Some primary laws/ ■ Not required but allowed ● Yes, there is a policy
Never/ ▲ No ■ Not allowed