Methodology for Regulatory Impact Assessment: A Proposal for Quantifying Administrative Burdens on Citizens
Submitted: 2025-05-12
|Accepted: 2025-08-22
|Published: 2025-11-04
Copyright (c) 2025 Sergio Mosteiro Molina
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Keywords:
quantification, regulatory quality, regulatory impact assessment, administrative burdens, Standard Cost Model
Supporting agencies:
Abstract:
The quantification of compliance costs for regulations affecting citizens remains an underexplored area within Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). This document presents a methodological proposal to quantify the administrative burdens borne by citizens through the monetization of the time spent on fulfilling regulatory requirements, framed within the Standard Cost Model. The methodology outlined is cost-effective and proportionate in terms of effort versus benefit, sustainable over time, transferable to other analytical contexts, and ensures both transparency and traceability of the calculations.
After evaluating several scenarios, the most accurate approach for the population aged 16 and over is found to be a weighted model that includes three variables: average gross annual salary, average contributory pension, and the minimum interprofessional wage. Based on a standard annual workload of 1,826 hours, it is estimated that in 2022—the latest year with harmonized data for all variables—the average hourly cost was €14.42 in Spain, including overheads. Values were also calculated for each of the autonomous communities and actualized to 2024 via IPC.
A comparison with other international contexts where the value of citizens' time has been estimated suggests that the proposed methodology is both valid and consistent, pending empirical application.
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