Regulatory policy


Creating a Culture of Independence

Practical Guidance against Undue Influence

Regulators are the “referees” of markets that provide essential services to citizens; they guarantee that all actors respect the rules and work to achieve the best outcomes. This means that their behaviour must be objective, impartial, consistent and free from conflict of interest – in other words, independent. Yet, regulators need to engage with a number of stakeholders, who may also seek to apply pressure and exert undue influence on regulatory outcomes. The independence of regulators is thus constantly under stress. This report provides practical advice on how to address stress points and protect economic regulators from undue influence, drawing on the experience of over 80 regulators that participate in the OECD Network of Economic Regulators (NER). It presents a practical checklist to support behavioural and organisational change, and helps other stakeholders better understand and appreciate the role of regulators and how to interact with them.

Published on April 26, 2017Also available in: Spanish, French

In series:The Governance of Regulatorsview more titles


Foreword and acknowledgements
Executive summary
Users' guide
Rationale: When and why is independence necessary and why is this guidance needed
Guidance on creating a culture of independence
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