The public procurement Directives only apply if a body is a contracting authority (contracting entity in the Utilities sector) within the definition of the Directives. SIGMA Brief 3 gives guidance on the notion of a contracting authority/entity under the directives (especially the concept of...

This document was developed to serve as guidance for information requirements for the regulation of Invertebrates as Biological Control Agents (IBCAs) within OECD countries. It incorporates information requirements from a number of OECD countries for the regulation of IBCAs, including insects,...

Concerns about the cost of implementing and monitoring agricultural policies are mounting with the development of more decoupled and targeted policies. While these costs are inherent in the policy process, reducing them will bring benefits in terms of better use of public funds, and minimising...

Mind the Gap is an unprecedented attempt to quantify the size of one of the most pervasive barriers to energy efficiency – principal-agent problems, or in common parlance, variations on the ‘landlord-tenant’ problem. In doing so, the book provides energy analysts and economists with unique...

When analysing mergers which risk generating anti-competitive effects, competition agencies must establish whether a transaction generates sufficient anti-competitive harm to either prohibit it or impose conditions to its clearance. The point beyond which sufficient harm is established, and a...

Governments everywhere are increasingly interested in assessing the effects of their policies and the effectiveness of public institutions, and competition agencies are no exception. This Reference Guide contains an in-depth overview of all the issues linked to ex-post assessments and contains...