A two-day Training of Trainers for members of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) Network was successfully delivered through the cooperation of the Ministry of Finance and OECD/SIGMA, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Montenegro. The training was organized as part of the project “Strengthening Public Financial Management in Montenegro”, funded by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.
The Ministry of Finance plays a key role in promoting policies and procedures for implementing Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) and is currently working on introducing standards for comprehensive regulatory impact analysis.
The training was organized as part of the transition to the next phase of implementing Full RIA and in response to the need to prepare members of the RIA Network for its application. The current RIA framework assesses the impact of regulations on businesses, citizens, and the state budget, while the Ministry of Finance is taking the necessary steps to enable the implementation of Full RIA. In addition to assessing impacts on businesses, citizens, and the budget, Full RIA also examines the expected social and environmental impacts of proposed regulatory solutions before decisions on their implementation are made.
As an initial step in introducing Full RIA, it is essential to train members of the RIA Network. The RIA Network has been established at both the central and local government levels and consists of officials appointed by each ministry and municipality. Its purpose is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experience, and good practices, thereby improving the quality of RIAs and enabling a more comprehensive assessment of the implications of regulatory proposals for public administration.
During the training, participants were presented with the key findings of the Public Administration Principles Assessment Report, published by SIGMA in January 2025, in which Montenegro was ranked as the best-performing country in the Western Balkans in the implementation of Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA).
The training provided participants with an in-depth understanding of the key elements of Regulatory Impact Assessment, with particular emphasis on the new sections introduced in the Full RIA template. It also included a practical component, during which participants analysed draft regulations that ministries plan to adopt in 2025. The interactive format encouraged active participation and discussion, enabling attendees to gain practical knowledge and insights that will support the effective application of regulatory impact analysis in future legislative processes.
Building on the knowledge and skills acquired during the intensive training, participants prepared draft RIA reports, which represent a mandatory requirement for obtaining certification upon successful completion of the RIA training programme.
In the coming period, additional trainers in this field will be identified. In cooperation with the Human Resources Administration, they will deliver future training programmes on the implementation of Full RIA.
The two-day training was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Public Administration, the Ministry of European Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Media, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Transport, and the Human Resources Administration.