Transcript Peer Review: A Tool for Co

Peer Review:
A Tool for Co-operation
and Change
Analysis of an OECD Working
Method
SEVAL, Berne, 10 September 2010
Fabrizio Pagani,
Special Political Counsellor to the Secretary General, OECD, Paris
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The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
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The OECD is an international organisation created in
1960, based in Paris, with 33 (+1) member countries
The OECD works in most policy areas: economic
policies, trade, investment, agriculture, education,
health, environment, public and corporate
governance, competition, development aid, etc…
The OECD provides independent analysis and
constitutes the major forum for policy dialogue and
coordination of public policies
The OECD plays a normative role, especially in areas
which are not covered by other international
organisations
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The OECD and Peer Review
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Peer Review is a working method which is closely
associated with the OECD
The OECD has developed Peer Review since the
1960s and now employs this method across most of
its policy areas: economic policies, environment,
competition, tax, anti-bribery, development
assistance, regulatory reform
Other international organisations and bodies (such as
WTO, Council of Europe, Nepad - APRM, ASEAN,
etc..) have taken up this method and tailored it to
their needs and practices
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Definition of Peer Review
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Peer review is the systematic examination
and assessment of the performance of a
State by other States, with the goal of helping
the reviewed State improve its policy making,
adopt best practices, and comply with
established standards and principles.
The examination is typically conducted on a
non-adversarial basis, and it relies on mutual
trust, as well as the shared confidence in the
process.
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Definition of Peer Pressure
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Peer pressure consists of three elements:
– (i) a mix of formal recommendations and
informal dialogue by the peer countries;
– (ii) public scrutiny, comparisons, and, in
some cases, even ranking among
countries; and
– (iii) the impact of all the above on domestic
public opinion, national administrations and
policy makers.
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A Peer Review Model
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The structural elements of peer review are:
– An agreed set of principles, standards and
criteria against which the country
performance is to be reviewed;
– Designated actors to carry out the peer
review; and
– A set of procedures leading to the final
outcome of the process.
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Principles, Standards and Criteria
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They may include:
– Policy recommendations and
guidelines;
– Specific indicators and benchmarks;
– Legally binding principles.
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The Actors
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Peer reviews implies the interplay among
several actors:
– Reviewed country;
– Examiner countries;
– Collective body within which the peer
review is carried out;
– Secretariat.
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The Procedures
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Peer review consists of three phases:
– The preparatory phase;
– The consultation phase;
– The assessment phase.
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The Functions of Peer Review
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Peer review can serve the following
purposes:
– Policy dialogue
– Transparency;
– Capacity building;
– Compliance.
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When Can Peer Review Be Effective?
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These factors make peer review effective:
– Value sharing;
– Adequate level of commitment;
– Mutual trust;
– Credibility.
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Examples of Peer Review of Switzerland
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Economic Survey
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Environmental Performance Review
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Regulatory Reform Review
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Territorial Development Review
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Development Assistance Review
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Conclusions
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Peer review serves as a stimulus to
incremental change and improvement.
Through the accompanying effect of peer
pressure – including both persuasion by
other countries and the stimulus of
domestic public opinion – peer review can
create a catalyst for performance
enhancement which can be far-reaching
and open-ended.
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