"In Spain, since 2009, the regulatory impact analysis report must accompany preliminary draft laws and draft regulations. Law 26/2015 also introduced the obligation to carry out an analysis of their impact on families. However, this is not being carried out adequately. The main reason for this is the absence of a methodological guide with clear guidelines on the sources, techniques and procedures to be used. There is a need for assessment of procedures and instruments that ensure the validity and reliability of the analyses.
This article studies the introduction and development in Spain of impact analysis as an ex ante assessment tool. It presents the current situation regarding its application at the level of the General State Administration and in several Autonomous Communities, reflecting the disparity of criteria and the confusion when carrying out this type of assessment. And, finally, it proposes guidelines for carrying it out properly."