What are the implications of social trends such as ongoing internationalisation, changing relationships between market, state and society and the growing politicisation and mediatisation for government supervision of compliance with legislation and regulations and the quality of public services? What functions and roles can government supervision (continue to) play in the future and what conditions will have to be met? What expectations can justifiably be placed on government supervision?
Recommendations
The aim of this study is to garner insights and recommendations that can contribute to the judgments and choices that need to be made in relation to government supervision. The study focuses primarily on supervision exercised by or on behalf of central government of compliance with legislation and regulations, the quality of public services and the functioning of markets. In the Netherlands, this supervision is currently carried out principally by government Inspectorates, such as the Dutch Inspectorate of Education, and market regulators, such as the Authority for Consumers & Markets. These organisations are therefore an important focus of our research.
Publications
The study was published in a report to the government entitled Toekomst van toezicht (‘Future of Supervision’), which was presented to the Minister for Housing and the Civil Service on 9 September 2013.
Greater attention is needed for the importance of supervision to protecting public interests. In its report the WRR therefore makes recommendations for making government supervision as exercised by the various inspectorates and market authorities more valuable for society.
Speech at the International Seminar Executive discretion and regulatory decision making - Issues and challenges in making regulation more effective by prof.dr. André Knottnerus, 5 December 2014.
