Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is a core tool for regulatory quality. It is a systemic approach to structurally define policy issues and critically assess the likely positive and negative effects of the regulatory and non-regulatory alternatives proposed to address them.

Georgia has formally institutionalized Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) in 2020, with the amendment to the Law on Normative Acts, which is a substantial step towards evidence-based, participatory policy decision-making in the country. RIA institutionalization process started several years ago, with the support of several international donors. Over the last few years, the capacity of public servants, civil society, and academia representatives has been built through training cycles, coached hands-on pilots, and donor-funded grants to conduct RIAs of selected reform initiatives. Despite this, at this early stage of RIA institutionalization, the public sector’s capacity in undertaking RIA is still limited, hampering the evidence-based policymaking process.

ISET and ISET Policy Institute’s expertise and institutional setup: ISET Policy Institute (ISET-PI) has accumulated substantial expertise in conducting RIA as well as in building the capacity of key stakeholders. ISET is a prominent center of excellence in economics education and research in the South Caucasus represents a solid basis for ISET Policy Institute’s mission for public education, professional training, and in translating economic research and analysis into policy advice and informing policymaking. Lead Economists and researchers of ISET Policy Institute not only hold expertise in conducting RIA but also are highly qualified trainers (Ph.D. and MA holders) teaching courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs of ISET, who have been through intensive pedagogical training by the Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute (CERGE-EI), Prague. Since 2014 ISET-PI has gained the reputation of the key partner for RIA among Government officials and donor/international institutions.

ISET-PI accomplished the following:

• Conducted 18 RIAs;

• Provided technical assistance to the Government of Georgia in drafting the National Regulatory Impact Assessment Methodology;

• Provided guidance and technical assistance to 6 RIAs conducted by gov, including Parliament;

• Conducted 12 RIA training programs to the staff of the Parliament, Ministries and local gov;

• Provided TA to the staff of the Parliament and Ministries in Gender Impact Assessment (GIA);

• Currently ISET-PI is developing the GIA methodology for Georgia.

ISET, with its best-suited expertise and institutional set up as an educational institution and economic policy think-tank, establishes RIAcademy to further support mainstreaming RIA in policymaking through 5 key products:

1. Professional development & training courses to become RIA analysts/experts/trainers.
2. RIA coaching.
3. Production of technical background papers for standard and in-depth RIAs.
4. RIA peer review and quality control.
5. RIA forum, data/information/documentation repository, and research center.