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Shall the law set them free? The formal and actual independence of regulatory agencies

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  • Chris Hanretty
  • Christel Koop

Abstract

Regulation by independent agencies, rather than ministries, is believed to result in better policy outcomes. Yet this belief requires one to accept a complex causal chain leading from formal independence to actual independence from politics, to policy decisions, and, ultimately, to policy outcomes. In this study, we analyze the link between the formal and actual independence of regulatory agencies in Western Europe. New data on the appointment of chief executives of these agencies is used to create a proxy for the actual independence of agencies from politics. The analysis demonstrates that formal independence is an important determinant of actual independence, but the rule of law and the number of veto players matter as well.

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  • Chris Hanretty & Christel Koop, 2013. "Shall the law set them free? The formal and actual independence of regulatory agencies," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 7(2), pages 195-214, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:reggov:v:7:y:2013:i:2:p:195-214
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5991.2012.01156.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Jacek LEWKOWICZ & Katarzyna METELSKA-SZANIAWSKA, 2021. "De Jure and De Facto Institutions: Implications for Law and for Economics," Ekonomista, Polskie Towarzystwo Ekonomiczne, issue 6, pages 758-776.
    2. Cyril Benoît, 2021. "Politicians, regulators, and regulatory governance: The neglected sides of the story," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(S1), pages 8-22, November.
    3. Matthias Thiemann & Bart Stellinga, 2023. "Between technocracy and politics: How financial stability committees shape precautionary interventions in real estate markets," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 531-548, April.

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