CSES

Mike Coyne and Mark Whittle -both CSES partners - made a presentation at a lunchtime seminar for Commission officials organised by DG ENTR to discuss methodological innovation.

In a range of policy areas at a national level, Public Value analysis is being used to determine relative priorities and to check on 'fitness for purpose'. This includes areas where regulatory instruments are used. As the term suggests, the analysis essentially seeks to assess how much the public values particular public services and consequently how much of a service should be provided. As such, it is an important mechanism for strengthening legitimacy and trust between public organisations, public services and citizens.

 

The presentation outlined the role of public value (PV) in policy assessment, the concept of PV, the role PV in the development of regulation, the recent applications in the UK and the implications for policy appraisal at an EU level. The possible integration of PV principles into existing evaluation and impact assessment processes within the Commission was also raised. The role of PV analysis even when regulation is contested was also discussed.