Driving Performance at Latvia's Public Utilities Commission
Regulators are proactive referees of the sectors they regulate, contributing to the
delivery of essential public utilities for citizens. To fulfill this function, they
need to be constantly alert, checking sectoral trends as well as assessing the impact
of their decisions. However, while measuring regulators’ performance is essential,
it is also challenging, from defininig what should be measured to attributing impacts
to regulators' decisions. To address these challenges, the OECD has developed an innovative
framework that looks at the institutions, processes and practices that help regulators
assess their performance. The framework has been applied to Latvia's Public Utilities
Commission, which is responsible for regulating energy, communications, water and
waste. The review offers unique insights into the work of a multi-sector regulator,
identifying the organisational features that allow lessons and experiences to be shared
across sectors and contribute to good performance. It highlights the importance of
clarifying the role and functions of the regulator and its relationship with other
public institutions, setting long-term strategic objectives for the regulator's activities,
and having the right regulatory tools with appropriate incentives for the efficient
and effective provision of public utility services.
Published on September 20, 2016
In series:The Governance of Regulatorsview more titles