Adequacy of the legislative and institutional framework for policy planning and reporting

The status of the key central government planning documents is established in the regulatory framework

Provisions defining the status, hierarchy, planning processes and delegation of relevant functions pertaining to the policy and financial planning documents are identified.

The hierarchy of the key central government planning documents is established in the regulatory framework

Provisions defining the status, hierarchy, planning processes and delegation of relevant functions pertaining to the policy and financial planning documents are identified.

The regulatory framework stipulates that planning documents are prepared considering political agenda priorities

Review of regulations to assess if requirements and/or mechanisms to align public policy planning documents (such as government work plan, sector strategies, medium-term budgetary framework [MTBF]) with or to operationalise the implementation of the political priorities and agenda as articulated in the government programme or other similar political statements are defined.

The government-level policy planning function is delegated to a centre-of-government (CoG) body

Review of regulations to assess if the centre of government institution(s) has been assigned the function to set/propose the standards for policy planning, to provide support to institutions on policy planning, to develop or co-ordinate the development of central government planning documents, such as the government work plan, legislative plan (if separate from the government work plan), government priority document or other horizontal policy documents.

The procedures for development of sector strategies are established in the regulatory framework

Review of regulations and methodological documents to assess if the steps for planning, development, consultation, approval, publication and monitoring and reporting of sector strategy or sector planning documents are defined. If several documents define such steps, all documents are assessed.

The regulatory framework stipulates regular reporting on sector strategies and publication of report

Review of regulations and methodological documents to assess if at least annual reporting is required for sector strategies and the government work plan and/or legislative plan and if reports are required to be published on government websites. Points are allocated if the requirements for reporting and publishing are stipulated. If there are two separate government work plans (for non-legislative and legislative commitments), points are allocated if both plans meet the requirements of the criterion.

The regulatory framework stipulates regular reporting on government work plan and publication of report

Review of regulations and methodological documents to assess if at least annual reporting is required for sector strategies and the government work plan and/or legislative plan and if reports are required to be published on government websites. Points are allocated if the requirements for reporting and publishing are stipulated. If there are two separate government work plans (for non-legislative and legislative commitments), points are allocated if both plans meet the requirements of the criterion.

CoG institution(s) are authorised to provide quality control for development of sector strategies

Review of regulations to assess if a centre-of-government institution(s) is assigned to review the quality of sector strategies and provide feedback to the sponsoring institution before their adoption by the government.