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The development of the precautionary principle by the EU Courts has often been interpreted by scholars as inconsistent with another trend in EU risk regulation: one that is evidence-based and relies on impact assessment. This article argues that the two trends – precaution and regulatory impact assessment – are not mutually exclusive. Together they may, in fact, act as a procedural safeguard against discretionary decisions that have an impact on fundamental rights, especially under conditions of epistemic uncertainty. The article illustrates this claim by looking at the decisions to close schools in Ireland during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is an appraisal tool to bring evidence to bear on regulatory decisions. A key property of RIA is that is corrects errors in reasoning by pushing regulators towards deliberative thinking to override intuitive judgments. However, the steps for regulatory analysis suggested by international organisations and governmental handbooks do not handle two sources of bias and barriers that are well documented in the literature on behavioural insights. First, bias enters the process via knowledge production during the analytical process of assessment. Second, bias affects knowledge utilisation when regulators "read" or utilise the results of RIA. We explore these two pathways by focusing on drivers of behaviour rather than lists of biases. The conclusions reflect on the limitations of current practice and its possible improvement, making suggestions for an RIA architecture that is fully informed by behavioural analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We aimed to analyse the efficiency scores of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in achieving sustainable development through the regulatory impact analysis. We employed the data envelopment analysis method based on an output-oriented approach to reach the aim. The main result indicated that most countries reached low efficiency scores; on the contrary, the United Kingdom was the only country with a maximum efficiency score due to the significant improvements associated with the regulatory impact analysis in supporting sustainable development since the 1990s. We also specifically compared the situations of the best- and worst-performing countries. Therefore, we improved some policy recommendations for how the worst-performed countries could increase their efficiency levels. The study's originality is that it is a scarce empirical study focusing on the achievements of OECD countries through efficiency scores by concerning the RIA implementations in supporting SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) is an inflammatory skin disease that causes significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The Hand Eczema Impact Scale (HEIS) is a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure designed to assess the impact of CHE on key domains of HRQoL. This study aimed to develop and evaluate content and psychometric validity of the HEIS. Methods: The HEIS was initially developed on the basis of a literature review and concept elicitation interviews. Qualitative cognitive debriefing interviews (n = 20) were conducted with patients with CHE to assess relevance and understanding of items, response options, and recall period. Psychometric properties (item performance, dimensionality, reliability, validity, responsiveness, and estimation of meaningful change thresholds) were then assessed using data (n = 258) from a phase 2b trial (NCT03683719). Results: Cognitive debriefing confirmed all items were understood and relevant to patients. Inter-item correlations (all > 0.50) and confirmatory factor analysis (factor loadings ≥ 0.80) supported unidimensionality of the HEIS score, and mostly provided support for the HEIS Proximal Daily Activity Limitations (PDAL) score, with only one item loading below the prespecified threshold. Item properties and previous qualitative work supported retaining this item in the total score but removed from the HEIS PDAL domain. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.89) and test–retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient ≥ 0.79) results were very strong. Strong correlations with concurrent measures (0.66–0.87) and significant differences between severity groups (p < 0.001) supported construct validity. Large effect sizes for mean change scores in participants that improved and significant differences between groups indicated ability to detect change. Anchor-based analyses supported within-individual responder definitions of ≥ 1.3 points for improvements in both HEIS score and HEIS PDAL score (covering three items) and of ≥ 1.5 points for HEIS embarrassment with the appearance of hands (Emb) score (covering two items). Conclusions: The 9-item HEIS is the first CHE-specific PRO measure developed and validated according to regulatory guidance for assessment of the impact of CHE on key domains of HRQoL. This article provides evidence of strong content and psychometric validity and shows improvements of ≥ 1.3 points in HEIS score and HEIS PDAL score, and improvements of ≥ 1.5 points in HEIS Emb score represent clinically meaningful, important changes. Trial Registration: NCT03683719. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to analyze and develop the standards for the Domestic Content Level (DCL) specifically for 5G Base Transceiver Station (BTS) infrastructure in Indonesia using the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) method. The Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) method is employed as the primary approach in this research to evaluate various policy options and potential DCL standards for implementation. This approach allows for understanding the policy implications on various stakeholders, including regulators, vendors, and operators. A cost-benefit analysis assessment was conducted using in-depth interview methods, and the results indicate that the status quo alternative, which is 40% DCL standards for goods and services components, remains relevant for implementation in Indonesia. On the other hand, regulators are evaluating and reviewing this regulation to increase the DCL value and foster the BTS industry in Indonesia. The challenges currently faced by local producers also require stronger government supervision and support for future technological self-sufficiency in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Industrial estates are designated areas of land allocated for industrial factories to operate together in proportion, resulting in significant energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Thailand. Presently, there are 61 operational industrial estates, dispersed across 17 provinces. These estates accommodate over 1,295 designated factories, which extensively utilize energy resources and emit considerable quantities of GHG annually. Cap-and-trade is one of the carbon pricing mechanisms widely employed across numerous countries. It stands as an effective policy instrument aimed at reducing GHG emissions through legislative mandates that enforce major emitters to decrease their GHG emissions. This study evaluated GHG emissions from energy consumption in designated factories within industrial estates. It assessed the potential applicability of cap-andtrade mechanisms based on the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) thresholds and other assumptions for different scenarios. Additionally, it estimated the factory's administrative burdens resulting from legislative mandates, employing the Standard Cost Model (SCM). The study identified the number of designated factories emitting GHG beyond the set threshold between 45 and 200. Their combined emissions amounted to 9.20-43.34 MtCO2e/y. Moreover, the study revealed that factories incurred a time-related compliance cost of 4,365-19,400 h/y and a financial compliance cost of 8-36 million Baht per year. Findings can be utilized for subsequent regulatory impact assessment (RIA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental innovation is an important force driving the development of a green and low‐carbon economy, and close supervision can assist the government in guiding firms' environmental innovation behavior. Based on institutional theory, we construct a model of the relationship between regulatory distance, environmental information disclosure, social trust, and firms' environmental innovation. We analyze a sample of 577 private A‐share listed manufacturing companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2012 to 2022 using multiple regression analysis to test the impact of regulatory distance on firms' environmental innovation. We also consider the mediating effect of environmental information disclosure and the moderating effect of social trust. The results show that an increase in regulatory distance has a negative impact on environmental innovation. Environmental information disclosure plays a partial mediating role between regulatory distance and environmental innovation, and social trust can weaken the negative impact of regulatory distance on environmental innovation. We propose various suggestions based on our findings to promote active environmental innovation by firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of statistical life (VSL) reflects the trade-off between money and the risk of death. It is a key indicator for conducting regulatory impact assessments. The main purpose of this study was to estimate the VSL in the field of food safety. At the same time, it investigates respondents' willingness to pay (WTP) for reducing the risk of death from foodborne illnesses and explores the impact of factors such as the average household monthly income, health status, and education level on WTP. We conducted a survey using an open-ended contingent valuation method among 1307 respondents aged 18 and above to determine their WTP. Based on the WTP survey results, we calculated the VSL in the food safety sector. We used binary logit and Tobit models to analyze the influencing factors. The results of the study show that the median WTP for reducing the risk of foodborne illness is CNY 100 (USD 16), and the estimated VSL is approximately CNY 9.09 million (USD 141 million). Indicators such as the average household monthly income, health status, and education level are important factors affecting WTP. This study will help practitioners, researchers, and policymakers understand the current population's attitudes towards food safety regulations and determine the priorities for regulatory implementation. Future research can explore the effects of different elicitation methods, cultural differences, and regional variations on WTP and VSL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social impact assessment is a field of applied social research that is now over 50 years old. With its ongoing evolution in practice and thinking, social impact assessment is a valued part of project development and will continue to be so. Over time, there has been a shift in understanding, from social impact assessment being a regulatory tool to now being the process of managing social issues throughout the life of a project. The range of issues considered has become much wider, now also including human rights. More than a tool or approach, social impact assessment is a discourse, a body of scholars and practitioners, a paradigm, and a philosophy about development and the rights of affected communities. The proper consideration of social impacts is now expected by all project stakeholders and is a requirement of international standards and project financing. There is now recognition of the need for projects to gain and maintain social acceptance, or a social license to operate and grow. Key current issues include: human rights; doing good rather than just doing no harm; benefit-sharing arrangements; Indigenous-led social impact assessment and community-based social impact assessment; and gender, LGBTQI+, two-spirit people, and intersectionality. Social impact assessment is increasingly being used to assist communities in negotiating Impact and Benefit Agreements (or Community Development Agreements). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternatives assessment is a methodology used to identify, evaluate, and compare potential chemical and nonchemical solutions with a substance of concern. It is required in several chemicals management regulatory frameworks, with the objective of supporting the transition to safer chemistry and avoiding regrettable substitutions. Using expert input from symposium presentations and a discussion group hosted by the Association for the Advancement of Alternatives Assessment, four case examples of the use of alternatives assessment in regulatory frameworks were evaluated and compared: (1) the US Environmental Protection Agency Significant New Alternatives Policy (USEPA SNAP), (2) authorization provisions in the EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation, (3) the California (CA) Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program, and (4) the Safer Products for Washington (WA) Program. Factors such as the purpose of the alternatives assessment, the timeline of actions, who completes the assessment, the role of stakeholder engagement, and the regulatory response options for each policy are outlined. Through these presentations and expert discussions, four lessons learned about the use of alternatives assessments in regulatory policy emerged: (1) the goal and purpose of the regulatory framework significantly affects its ability to result in safer substitution, (2) existing frameworks struggle with data access and insufficient stakeholder engagement, (3) some frameworks lack clear decision rules regarding what is a safer and feasible alternative, and (4) regulatory response options provide limited authority for enforcement and do not adequately address options where alternatives are unavailable or limited. Five recommendations address these lessons as well as how the application of alternatives assessment in regulatory settings could have greater impact in the future. This synthesis is not meant to be a comprehensive policy analysis, but rather an assessment based on the perspectives from experts in the field, which should be supplemented by formal policy analysis as policies are implemented over time. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1035–1045. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Key Points: A discussion group composed of subject matter experts was convened to gather perspectives on chemical alternatives assessment in response to government regulations.Four regulatory frameworks were discussed, and lesson learned were developed about the use of chemical alternatives assessment in regulatory policy.Five recommendations for regulatory alternatives assessment were developed: establish clear decision rules, enforce or incentivize adoption alternatives, ensure adequate funding, engage stakeholders throughout the process, and create a third‐party, standard‐setting organization.A more formal policy analysis is needed to better understand the impact of regulatory alternatives assessment, particularly newer frameworks, as they're enacted over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting benefit analyses used to be a controversial endeavor. In the absence of a consistent normative framework, indicators had to be determined on a case‐by‐case basis, requiring time‐consuming stakeholder workshops. The 2030 Agenda provided the missing normative basis to enable the inclusion of benefit aspects in life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). However, given the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their 169 targets, it has remained unclear which of these targets relate to products and services and should therefore be used as indicators in benefit analyses. Against this background, this paper presents a consistent and well‐defined indicator framework for product‐related benefit analyses, developed through a detailed alignment with the 2030 Agenda and comprising a set of 30 indicators. It also describes how benefit analysis can be integrated into the LCSA methodology to provide a sound, evidence‐based framework for research and policy making: First, it outlines a sustainability self‐assessment tool for corporate researchers and designers, embedded in a Stage‐Gate process as a "voice‐of‐society" perspective. Second, it discusses approaches to improve regulatory impact assessment for policy making, particularly in the area of chemicals management. An illustrative case study shows how the developed benefit indicators can address current shortcomings in socio‐economic analysis methodology, such as an unbalanced focus on the economic impacts and insufficient information on human and environmental impacts. Despite its limitations, such as the inherent focus on societal benefits and existing "blind spots" in the 2030 Agenda, the indicator set has the potential to enrich LCSA studies with previously neglected aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The placing of plant protection products (PPPs) on the market in the European Union is governed by numerous regulations. These regulations are among the most stringent in the world, however they have been the subject of criticisms especially because of the decline in biodiversity. The objectives of this work were to review (1) the functioning and actors involved in the PPP framework processes, (2) the construction of the environmental risk assessment focused on biodiversity, and (3) the suggested ways to respond to the identified limits. Both literature from social sciences and ecotoxicology were examined. Despite the protective nature of the European regulation on PPPs, the very imperfect consideration of biodiversity in the evaluation process was underlined. The main limits are the multiplicity of applicable rules, the routinization of the evaluation procedures, the lack of consideration of social data, and the lack of independence of the evaluation. Strengths of the regulation are the decision to integrate a systemic approach in the evaluation of PPPs, the development of modeling tools, and the phytopharmacovigilance systems. The avenues for improvement concern the realism of the risk assessment (species used, cocktail effects...), a greater transparency and independence in the conduct of evaluations, and the opening of the evaluation and decision-making processes to actors such as beekeepers or NGOs. Truly interdisciplinary reflections crossing the functioning of the living world, its alteration by PPPs, and how these elements question the users of PPPs would allow to specify social actions, public policies, and their regulation to better protect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since 2017-2022, the achievement of the PTSL program have been less than optimal due to internal and external factors. From the target of issuing land certificates for 126 million plots in 2025, there is still a shortfall of 50.8 million plots that must be completed within 2 years. In order to accelerate the achievement of the PTSL target, the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency issued the Regulation Number 6 of 2018 on the Complete Systematic Land Registration (PTSL). Purpose: This research aims to analyze the optimization of the complete systematic land registration implementation through the Ministerial Regulation of ATR/BPN Number 6/2018. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted qualitatively using Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). Findings/Result: The research results indicated that the regulation had increased the optimization of accelerating the achievement of PTSL target. However, the regulation required managerial regulation reinforcement at the operational level to better optimize the acceleration and sustainability of the PTSL target achievement. Conclusion: First, the Ministerial Regulation of ATR/BPN Number 6/2018 has been effective to optimize the complete systematic land registration performance. Second, by revoking Ministerial Regulation of ATR/BPN Number 6/2018, the policy option"continuing Ministerial Regulation of ATR/BPN No 6/2018" is considered the best. However, this policy option requires strengthening of technical regulations underneath it in the form of technical guidelines (Juknis) to update the strategy for implementing outreach activities (socialization), developing coordination mechanisms among stakeholders, managing human resources, and monitoring and evaluating PTSL target achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista do Serviço Público (Civil Service Review) is the property of Revista do Servico Publico and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Agencies involved in generating regulatory policies promote evidence‐based regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) to improve the predictability of regulation and develop informed policy. Here, we analyze the epistemic foundations of RIAs. We frame RIA as reasoning that connects various types of knowledge to inferences about the future. Drawing on Stephen Toulmin's model of argumentation, we situate deductive and inductive reasoning steps within a schema we call the impact argument. This approach helps us identify inherent uncertainties in RIAs, and their location in different types of reasoning. We illustrate the theoretical section with impact assessments of two recent legislative proposals produced by the European Commission. We argue that the concept of "evidence‐based regulatory impact assessment" is misleading and should be based on the notion of "regulatory impact assessment as evidential reasoning," which better recognizes its processual and argumentative nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Jurídica (0103-3506) is the property of Revista Juridica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The United States has an Economic Constitution, governing federal regulation, and explaining how to conduct regulatory impact analysis, with reference to quantification and monetization of the costs and benefits of proposed and final regulations. Known as OMB Circular A-4, the Economic Constitution of the United States was thoroughly revised in 2023, with new directions on behavioral economics and nudging; on discount rates and effects on future generations; on distributional effects and how to account for them; and on benefits and costs that are hard or impossible to quantify. The revised document leaves numerous open questions, involving (for example) the valuation of human life, the valuation of morbidity effects, and the value of the lives of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper article scrutinizes the initiatives for Better Regulation implemented in Greece, set against the backdrop of a globalized world that is persistently grappling with sporadic, and occasionally dramatic and chaotic, challenges. A significant proportion of these initiatives are designed to mitigate the enduring adverse effects on Greece economy, environment, and society, which are the consequences of a flawed legislative process. This process has been criticized in numerous studies and reports for its bureaucratic red tape, inefficiency, fragmentation, and lack of a culture promoting better regulation. The handbooks and methodologies examined in this article originate from the law on the Executive State and were executed under the auspices of the European Commission (DG REFORM) Technical Support Action, which was implemented by Expertise France and is titled: "Support Public Administration Reform and its Digital Transformation." Most of these initiatives have been successfully completed and implemented, while the completion of others is imminent. In conclusion, the author suggests several additional measures for implementation, which are intended to enhance the reforms that are already in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major aim of the article is to identify the framework of regulatory policy in which Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is an effective tool supporting the process of making good law and used to reduce risks associated with drafting regulations, that, with relatively small benefits, cause a disproportionately large burden on public finances, often leading to a breach of budgetary constraint. Secondly, this article attempts to identify both strengths and weaknesses of the Polish regulatory system and includes recommendations toward the appropriate framework of regulatory policy. The methodology assumed in the article is based on the well-correlated reports of OECD and European Commission. The Polish Regulatory Policy System fails to meet the main OECD recommendations. It requires stronger legal mandate for the RIA and stronger central oversight unit tasked with quality control, upstream support and guidance but first of all it has to change the status quo in which the units responsible for analysing the impact of regulations are often practically identical to those that draft these regulations. It is suggested by OECD that governments should improve how they assess, communicate, and manage risks -- including by more systematically reviewing regulations to ensure they correspond to the latest evidence and science. These implications remain extremely justified in relation to the Polish system of regulatory policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our main contribution is to identify the risks implied by the existence of prolonged regulatory lags. We hypothesize that a likely first response is to reduce OPEX, increasing efficiency. If the lag persists for enough time, a vicious circle of inefficiency, disinvestment, and reduced performance can follow. We use a regulatory episode affecting natural gas distributors in Argentina as a natural experiment, controlling with other Latin American countries' utilities not exposed to the same regulatory stimuli. We evaluate the relative efficiency of fourteen firms for five countries, in seven years, using Stochastic Frontiers Analysis (SFA). Thus, we perform a regulatory impact analysis (RIA) to assess the consequences on the performance of two idiosyncratic regulatory policy instruments applied in the distribution gas industry in Argentina in the 1998–2021 period (the 2002 Public Emergency Law and the 2016 Integral Tariff Review). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores how the incorporation of distributional weighting into the social cost of carbon (SCC) calculation significantly increases its value, highlighting an eightfold rise due to this adjustment. Topics discussed include the impact of the new 2 percent discount rate, the ethical implications of income weighting, and the international implications of applying distributional weights.

Background: Nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) may be considered as part of national pandemic preparedness as a first line defense against influenza pandemics. Preemptive school closures (PSCs) are an NPI reserved for severe pandemics and are highly effective in slowing influenza spread but have unintended consequences. Methods: We used results of simulated PSC impacts for a 1957-like pandemic (i.e., an influenza pandemic with a high case fatality rate) to estimate population health impacts and quantify PSC costs at the national level using three geographical scales, four closure durations, and three dismissal decision criteria (i.e., the number of cases detected to trigger closures). At the Chicago regional level, we also used results from simulated 1957-like, 1968-like, and 2009-like pandemics. Our net estimated economic impacts resulted from educational productivity costs plus loss of income associated with providing childcare during closures after netting out productivity gains from averted influenza illness based on the number of cases and deaths for each mitigation strategy. Results: For the 1957-like, national-level model, estimated net PSC costs and averted cases ranged from $7.5 billion (2016 USD) averting 14.5 million cases for two-week, community-level closures to $97 billion averting 47 million cases for 12-week, county-level closures. We found that 2-week school-by-school PSCs had the lowest cost per discounted life-year gained compared to county-wide or school district–wide closures for both the national and Chicago regional-level analyses of all pandemics. The feasibility of spatiotemporally precise triggering is questionable for most locales. Theoretically, this would be an attractive early option to allow more time to assess transmissibility and severity of a novel influenza virus. However, we also found that county-wide PSCs of longer durations (8 to 12 weeks) could avert the most cases (31–47 million) and deaths (105,000–156,000); however, the net cost would be considerably greater ($88-$103 billion net of averted illness costs) for the national-level, 1957-like analysis. Conclusions: We found that the net costs per death averted ($180,000-$4.2 million) for the national-level, 1957-like scenarios were generally less than the range of values recommended for regulatory impact analyses ($4.6 to 15.0 million). This suggests that the economic benefits of national-level PSC strategies could exceed the costs of these interventions during future pandemics with highly transmissible strains with high case fatality rates. In contrast, the PSC outcomes for regional models of the 1968-like and 2009-like pandemics were less likely to be cost effective; more targeted and shorter duration closures would be recommended for these pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health problem largely due to the overuse of antimicrobials. In recognition of this, the World Health Assembly in 2015 agreed on a global action plan to tackle AMR. Following the global emergence of the mcr‐1‐associated colistin resistance gene in the livestock industry in 2016, several countries including South Africa restricted the veterinary use of colistin as the gene threatens the clinical utility of the drug. This study is a follow‐up to the restriction in place in order to evaluate the impact of such policy adoption. Objective: To assess the prevalence of antibacterial resistance (ABR), and the mcr‐1 colistin resistance gene in broiler chicken over a 2‐year period, as a follow‐up to the veterinary ban on colistin use in South Africa. Methods: A total of 520 swab samples were obtained during 2019 (March–April) and 2020 (February–March), from healthy broiler chicken carcasses (n = 20) and chicken droppings in transport crates (n = 20) at various poultry abattoirs (N = 7) in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Escherichia coli organisms were isolated and subjected to a panel of 24 antibacterials using the MicroScan machine. Screening for mcr‐1 colistin resistance gene was undertaken using PCR. Result: Four hundred and thirty‐eight (438) E. coli strains were recovered and none demonstrated phenotypic resistance towards colistin, amikacin, carbapenems, tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactam. The mcr‐1 gene was not detected in any of the isolates tested. Resistances to the aminoglycosides (0%–9.8%) and fluoroquinolones (0%–18.9%) were generally low. Resistances to ampicillin (32%–39.3%) and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (30.6%–3.6%) were fairly high. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in cephalosporins and cephamycin resistance was noted in the year 2020 (February–March) when compared with the year 2019 (March–April). Conclusion: The absence of mcr‐1 gene and colistin resistance suggests that mitigation strategies adopted were effective and clearly demonstrated the significance of regulatory interventions in reducing resistance to critical drugs. Despite the drawback in regulatory framework such as free farmers access to antimicrobials OTC and a dual registration system in place, there is a general decline in the prevalence of ABR when the present data are compared with the last national veterinary surveillance on AMR (SANVAD 2007). To further drive resistance down, mitigation strategies should focus on strengthening regulatory framework, the withdrawal of OTC dispensing of antimicrobials, capping volumes of antimicrobials, banning growth promoters and investing on routine surveillance/monitoring of AMR and antimicrobial consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US regulatory agencies have been encouraged to consider the equity and distributional impacts of regulations for decades. This paper examines the extent to which such analysis is done and provides recommendations for improving it. We analyze 189 regulatory impact analyses (RIAs) that monetize at least some benefits and costs prepared by a variety of agencies from October 2003 to January 2021. We find that only two RIAs calculated the net benefits of a policy for a specific demographic group. Furthermore, only 21% of RIAs calculate some benefits by group (typically for demographic groups) and only 20% calculate some costs by group (typically for industry groups such as small entities). Overall, the differences between presidential administrations are relatively small compared to the differences between agencies in their performance using our measures of distributional analysis. We then evaluate a sample of 23 analyses related to environmental justice (EJ) prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) between January 2010 and January 2022. The EJ analyses frequently identify disproportionate exposures to pollutants for a variety of groups and discuss the effects of proposed regulations on these exposures, but they rarely consider the distribution of costs and less than half consider any alternatives. To date, virtually no agency prepares a distributional analysis that could help regulators evaluate whether a proposed regulation, on net, advantages or disadvantages a particular group and whether an alternative could generate a preferred distributional outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is a pivotal tool for shaping and enhancing the quality and effectiveness of laws (Davidson et al., 2021). This research focuses on comparing RIA mechanisms in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries and Thailand. It involves analyzing RIA criteria, methodologies, impact assessment report preparation, and quality assurance for legislation. Employing qualitative research methods, the study employs document analysis, in-depth interviews with key informants from legislative, administrative, and legal sectors, individuals impacted by laws, and experts in various fields. Content analysis was employed. The study emphasizes the crucial roles of the government and Parliament in RIA development. Delegating RIA responsibilities to independent organizations aims to reduce legislation volume and improve its quality, contributing to a "good parliament" and an "effective government" following democratic principles and the Thai Constitution of 2017. The research underscores Parliament's crucial role in standardizing law impact assessment. This promises better legislation quality, transparency, and accountability, aligning with global standards and encouraging public participation for improved governance and societal well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal debt is a device increasing one's agency but embedded within moral and legal frameworks that constructs people as individualised financial subjects. This article aims to enrich research on the state role in (subject) financialisation through a focus on personal debt governance modes as constructed in policymaker discourse on the state role in personal debt regulation. Our argument is contextualised in the Czech Republic, where, in 2021, 10 per cent of the adult population faced legal debt enforcement, significantly disrupting their economic situation. Through an analysis of 84 parliamentary debate transcripts and 32 regulatory impact assessment documents related to consumer credit and debt relief laws, we illustrate the ambivalence and complexity of debt governance and state roles. Although two main state roles were enacted – punitive and protective – the policymaker discourse forms a continuum of sorts, blending various moral logics, ascribing multiple responsibilities (individual, state and private actors) and intensively negotiating the category of debtor deservingness. We argue that by accenting financial education as a tool to solve perceived market failures (predatory lending), the financialised logic and structures are reaffirmed, albeit leaving certain discursive spaces for renegotiation and potential resistance against such state functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the development and impact of Business Intelligence (BI) between 2018 and 2022. It focuses on examining research articles published in five reputable journals specified in the field of Business Information Systems. The study examines the development and impact of BI. How has the field of BI evolved over these years and what insights can be gained from its impact on decision making? This research delves into the nature of the growth of BI and its implications for modern businesses and offers valuable insights for practitioners and researchers alike. By categorizing the articles into key topics, methodologies, and areas, we reveal the dynamic landscape of BI research. The results highlight significant trends including the dominance of Business Intelligence, the shift towards digital articles, and the dominance of Business Processes and Analytics as the primary focus. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the trajectory of BI, guiding future research and strategic decisions in an ever-changing business environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legislative drafting process has recently undergone dramatic changes in Saudi Arabia. This development was motivated by the country's desire to create a more transparent, efficient, and effective legal system. Despite the advancements achieved in legislative drafting, there remain significant challenges that impede the quality of proposed legislation in the country. This article aims to contribute to the evolution of the regulatory framework governing the legislative drafting and law-making process. It embarks on a comprehensive examination of the existing legislative drafting mechanisms, highlighting the need for further improvement in the regulatory framework of legislative drafting to improve the efficiency and clarity of legislation. Furthermore, the article elucidates the complexities and challenges associated with drafting effective laws within the legal system and clarifies the pivotal function of manual drafting and regulatory impact assessments in augmenting the effectiveness and quality of enacted laws. This article concludes with various recommendations such as the need to launch a drafting manual and systematic approach to regulatory impact assessment which can strengthen the evidence base for the development and review of proposed and existing legislation. This article is expected to serve as a cornerstone for similar studies in other jurisdictions within the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panicle architecture is a key determinant of rice grain yield and is mainly determined at the 1-2 mm young panicle stage. Here, we investigated the transcriptome of the 1-2 mm young panicles from 275 rice varieties and identified thousands of genes whose expression levels were associated with panicle traits. Multimodel association studies suggested that many small-effect genetic loci determine spikelet per panicle (SPP) by regulating the expression of genes associated with panicle traits. We found that alleles at cis-expression quantitative trait loci of SPP-associated genes underwent positive selection, with a strong preference for alleles increasing SPP. We further developed a method that integrates the associations of cis- and trans-expression components of genes with traits to identify causal genes at even small-effect loci and construct regulatory networks. We identified 36 putative causal genes of SPP, including SDT (MIR156j) and OsMADS17, and inferred that OsMADS17 regulates SDT expression, which was experimentally validated. Our study reveals the impact of regulatory variants on rice panicle architecture and provides new insights into the gene regulatory networks of panicle traits. Panicle architecture significantly determines rice grain yield. Here, the authors investigate the transcriptome of young panicles from 275 rice varieties and propose a method to identify causal genes for panicle traits and construct regulatory networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]