Economic Knowledge in Regulation

In this enlightening work, Lorna Schrefler explores an often neglected aspect of regulatory governance: the way independent regulatory agencies use expertise, and in particular economic analysis, to formulate their decisions. Rooted in the literature on knowledge utilisation, this work concludes that agencies increasingly use knowledge in an instrumental way. Schrefler’s research also contributes to a more complete understanding of the conditions under which regulatory agencies perform their role within the public policy landscape. A must-read for all scholars and experts in the public governance field. -- Andrea Renda, Centre for European Policy Studies

In this exciting book, Lorna Schrefler fills a critical gap in the literature on regulation and governance by providing an original framework to conceptualise and assess the uses of economic knowledge in the regulatory process. Her in-depth study of decision-making in Ofcom also makes a major empirical contribution to the field, which is of great interest to those engaged in regulatory studies, public policy and public administration. -- Martino Maggetti, University of Zürich

Lorna S Schrefler is Research Fellow and Head of Regulatory Policy at the Brussels-based Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). She also collaborates with the Department of Politics at the University of Exeter and is a visiting researcher at the Institut d'Etudes Européennes of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Lorna co-authored several impact assessments and policy evaluations on European legal and economic issues for the European Parliament and the European Commission. She is among the external experts of the Single Market Observatory of the European Economic and Social Committee. Lorna holds a PhD in Politics from the Centre for European Governance, University of Exeter. Her research interests include better/smart regulation, (regulatory) impact assessment, the use of expertise in policy-making, independent regulatory agencies, the regulation of electronic communications in the EU, the EU Internal Market. She has published in Governance, and in Regulation and Governance.