Assessment of the regulatory framework in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay in the automotive, life sciences, and financial/professional services sectors, and for sanitary/phytosanitary regulations

Objectives Analyse the regulatory framework in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in comparison to the UK and OECD regulatory framework in sectors to be confirmed with the successful bidder

Identify where regulations are coherent or divergent with UK and international standards and best practises.

Make evidence-based recommendations for how the three countries can improve their regulatory framework and standards in line with UK and international standards, including an assessment of the benefits and feasibility

Highlight opportunities for UK businesses arising from regulatory reform and provide evidence of the impact of reforms

Context Complexities and divergences in national regulatory environments are consistently identified by international companies as a major barrier to trade and investment. They increase bureaucracy, make processes more difficult to navigate, and therefore make it costly for domestic and international companies to do business. Current regulatory practice contributes to Argentina being ranked 117th, Paraguay being ranked 108th and Uruguay being ranked 94th in the Ease of Doing Business ranking. Importers and exporters in heavily regulated industries (such as life sciences or the automotive industries) have a particularly challenging time.

This project will compare and contrast the regulatory and standards landscape in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to OECD best practice and UK strengths, identifying where technical regulations and standards can enhance or hinder trade. Additionally, the work will analyse how easily convergence and coherence can be achieved between the three Countries (Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) and the UK, and the priorities for UK commercial interests.

Requirements The project will provide an initial analysis of Argentine, Paraguayan and Uruguayan regulatory systems, processes and procedure with a particular focus on those in areas of UK commercial strength (though the precise sectoral mix is to be determined with the successful bidder). We would welcome expertise in the life sciences, automotive, financial and professional services sectors, and sanitary/phytosanitary regulations.

The project will use a consistent methodological scale to indicate the relative coherence or divergence of regulations; and be presented in a database, organised by sector. It will determine which entities have competence or influence over how regulations are developed and implemented.

The project will - based on the analysis and database and some business consultation - contrast regulatory practices with the UK and produce a report with recommendations. The successful bidder will present the results of the project in a workshop to selected officials from the respective governments.