Photo: Andrew Stewart

Regulatory impact assessment 

Regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) are important for political and legal decision-making. COWI conducts impact assessments in the environmental field for customers in and outside Denmark.

Political planning process

Regulatory impact assessments are increasingly part of the political planning process and now an integral part of the decision-making process in the EU. RIAs provide decision-makers with a good background for making qualified decisions, because they analyse and present the environmental, social and economic implications of pursuing various political objectives.

Clients

RIAs are relevant when considering initiatives in a certain field and as an instrument for assessing the performance and effects of initiatives already implemented. We have assisted clients in Denmark and abroad in both areas, and have carried out several RIAs for the European Commission.

Multi-disciplinary approach

When carrying out RIAs, COWI takes a multi-disciplinary approach in order to ensure that all relevant technical, economic, environmental and legal aspects are properly taken into account.

Methods

We apply a variety of tools for producing RIAs. Among others are cost-efficiency analyses, cost benefit assessments, EIAs, multi-criteria analyses, benchmarking methods and specialised computer models. We ensure that the results of the analyses are well presented in an attractive and easily comprehensible way.