Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Comparative and Critical Analysis of The Ex-ante Evaluation of Laws in The Legal Systems of Germany, France and Iran

Articles in Press

Document Type : scientific research paper

Authors
Mohammad Ghasem Tangestani 1
Mahdi Moradi Berelian 2
1 Department of International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of public and international Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
10.22034/law.2025.2067060.1676
Abstract
Ex-ante evaluation of laws, as one of the new tools of rule-based governance, is an attempt to move from the traditional “pass and then implement” approach to evidence-based and forward-looking legislative rationality. This mechanism estimates the economic, social, legal, and institutional consequences of a legal text before it is enacted, thereby enabling the amendment or redesign of plans and bills. The present comparative study shows that in recent decades, the German and French legal systems, by utilizing institutions such as the Legislative Oversight Council and the State Council, have been able to create a binding mechanism for assessing the effects of laws before they are enacted; a mechanism that has not only contributed to the transparency and accountability of the legislative process, but has also enhanced executive efficiency and public trust in the law. In contrast, the Iranian legal system, despite the stipulations in the “General Policies of Legislation” (2019) and some articles of the Internal Regulations of the Parliament, still lacks enforcement guarantees and a specialized institution to conduct ex ante evaluation. The result is the approval of laws that enter the legislative cycle without a detailed analysis of the consequences and in practice are faced with legislative inflation, institutional conflict, and inefficiency. The transition from the current situation in Iran requires institutional design, a legal requirement to prepare multidimensional analytical annexes, and the definition of a periodic review process in the internal regulations of the Majlis. Thus, ex ante evaluation will not be merely a technical mechanism, but a tool for strengthening the democratic legitimacy and efficiency of the legislative system. The path to reform does not lie through costly constitutional changes, but rather through a minimal and effective package: first, transforming existing formal requirements into a precise and measurable content standard for the impact statement. Second, establishing an independent methodological control unit in the parliament. Third, the development of bills and plans subject to the provision of legislative effects from "financial burden" to "executive burdens and distributional effects".
Keywords
Ex-ante Evaluation of Laws
Legislative Consequence Analysis
French Council of State
German Legislative Oversight Council
Iranian Legislative System

Subjects

Ansari, B.; Badaghi, F. and Masoud F. (2011). Legal Mechanisms For Evaluating The Effects of Regulation in The Iranian Legal System, Tehran: Deputy for Compilation, Revision and Publication of Presidential Laws and Regulations, First Edition. (In Persian)
Assemblée Nationale (2017). Étude d’impact des projets de loi: Guide méthodologique. Paris: Secrétariat général du gouvernement.
Chevallier, J. (2014). L’État post-moderne (4e éd.). Paris: LGDJ.
Conseil d’État (2006). Rapport public 2006: Sécurité juridique et complexité du droit. Paris: La Documentation Française.
Constitution française du 4 octobre 1958 (modifiée par la loi constitutionnelle n° 2008-724 du 23 juillet 2008).
Dumont, H. (2010). L’étude d’impact en droit français : entre rationalisation et ritualisation. Revue française d’administration publique, 136(4), 765–782. https://doi.org/10.3917/rfap.136.0765
Emami Maybodi, R. and Azadani, M. (2020). Suggestions for Incorporating Evaluation of Policies, Acts and Regulations into the Decision-Making Process. Iranian Journal of Public Policy, 6(1), 325-349. doi: 10.22059/jppolicy.2020.76996. (In Persian)
Halaj, S. (2015). Suggesting a Method for Laws and Regulations Assessment Case Study: Regulation of Tender Holding (in Public Sector). Majlis and Rahbord, 22(81), 127-169. https://nashr.majles.ir/article_94.html?lang=fa. (In Persian)
Jalili Kenari, M. (2024). Evaluation of Laws, Bills and Projects Related to The Issue of Transparency, Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Report number 19884. (In Persian)
Kirkpatrick, C., & Parker, D. (2007). Regulatory impact assessment: Towards better regulation? Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
Kloepfer, R. (2011). Umweltrecht (4th ed.). München: C.H. Beck.
Majone, G. (1996). Regulating Europe. London: Routledge.
March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (2006). Elaborating the “new institutionalism”. In R. A. W. Rhodes, S. A. Binder, & B. A. Rockman (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Political Institutions (pp. 3–20). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199548460.003.0001
markazmalmir A. (2021). Considerations for Performance of Ex Ante Regulatory Impact Assessment in Iran. qjal; 8 (26) :195-217. http://qjal.smtc.ac.ir/article-1-817-fa.html. (In Persian)
mashhadi, A. , daraee, A. and Amraei, M. (2024). An Attempt to Comprehend the Positions Taken by the Experts of the 1358 Constitution Regarding the Economic System: A Comparative Study of Islamic State Controlled and Free Market Economic Systems. Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law, 7(23), 155-186. doi: 10.22034/law.2024.2024585.1299. (In Persian)
Midari, A. (2006). A Brief Commentary on the Evaluation of Laws and Regulations: Necessities and Suggestions, Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Issue No. 7753. (In Persian)
Nationaler Normenkontrollrat (NKR). (2014). Annual Report 2014: Better regulation through transparency. Berlin: Bundesregierung.
OECD. (2009). Regulatory impact analysis: A tool for policy coherence. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264067110-en
OECD. (2018). OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2018. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264303072-en
Popelier, P. (2016). A legal perspective on regulatory impact assessments. In Regulatory Impact Assessment Conference Proceedings (pp. 1–14). Luxembourg: European Court of Auditors.
Radaelli, C. M., & De Francesco, F. (2010). Regulatory impact assessment. In R. Baldwin, M. Cave, & M. Lodge (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Regulation (pp. 279–301). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Renda, A. (2011). Law and economics in the RIA world. Cambridge: Intersentia.
Saberi, A. , Ghamami, S. M. M. and Makarem, R. (2024). The Institutional Capacity of Iran's Legal System in Assessment the Economic Impacts of Laws. Encyclopedia of Economic Law Journal, 31(25), 37-56. doi: 10.22067/economlaw.2024.87775.1364. (In Persian)
Sadeghi, M. (2025). A Comparative Analysis of the Role of Political Ideologies in the Conceptual Evolution of the Principle of Nulla Poena Sine Lege; With a Glance at the Iranian Legal System. Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law, 8(26), 134-166. doi: 10.22034/law.2024.2037338.1431. (In Persian)
Schulze-Fielitz, H. (2013). Der Grundsatz der Verhältnismäßigkeit. In J. Isensee & P. Kirchhof (Eds.), Handbuch des Staatsrechts der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Vol. VII, pp. 23–70). Heidelberg: C.F. Müller.
Secrétariat général du Gouvernement (SGG). (2017). Guide méthodologique pour renseigner l’étude d’impact d’un projet de loi. (3e éd.). Paris: Documentation française. Retrieved from https://www.documentation-administrative.gouv.fr/adm-01858920
Sunstein, C. R. (2000). Cost-benefit default principles. University of Chicago Law Review, 99(4), 1053–1102.
Torriti, J. (2007). Impact assessment in the EU: A tool for better regulation, less regulation or less bad regulation? Journal of Risk Research, 10(2), 239–276 https://doi.org/10.1080/13669870701217847
Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 September 2025