Which are the causes of the problems with compliance and enforcement of policy ? That is examined in the Compliance project (Project Naleving) by the Ministry of Traffic and Infrastructure. The project started with a broad consultation round among social key persons. From that consultation it became clear that problems with compliance have to a large extent their origins in errors and gaps in the policy process, so in the government itself. It also appeared that it is not right to associate compliance especially with enforcement. Compliance is interrelatd with the whole policy process. A thorough analysis of problems and causes resulted in a so called chain-model. For the problem of compliance, five aspects of functioning of government appeared to be relevant: policy development, issuing of rules, implementation, enforcement and organisation. These aspects are strongly interrelated like links of a chain of public action. That interrelationship implies that what goes wrong in the first link procedures more and more difficulties in each following link. When this interrelationship is not or not fully recognised it procedures more and more problems during the whole policy process and at the end it is hindering a good compliance and so the policy effectiveness. The chain-model gives insight in the problem of compliance. The model can be used for analysis of the problem and it helps also to increase the possibilities for compliance, implementation and enforcement of the policy. The model is, for practical purposes, translated into a checklist with points of attention which are of importance for the development of a policy with a higher level of compliance. The chain-model and the checklist have been tested with positive results on recognisability and usefullness in the area of the ministry of Traffic and Infrastructure.
Samenvatting