The design of a regulatory agency's decisionmaking structure encompasses issues relating to the number of decisionmakers, the basis for selecting them, the role played by stakeholders, and the regulatory and appeals processes. The selection of the regulator is critical--especially in countries...

Some governments are reluctant to surrender political control over regulatory decisions, and some who agree on the general desirability of independent agencies may question whether they are feasible in all country settings. The author argues that regulatory independence is worth the effort even...

There are three main issues in defining a utility regulator's role: the scope of its coverage, its role in relation to ministers, and its role in relation to other regulatory entities such as the competition agency or agencies dealing with environment or health and safety. The author makes a...