Ensuring effective compliance with the rules and regulation is an important factor in creating a well-functioning society and trust in the government.

State regulatory system is the key element in safeguarding health and safety, securing stable state revenue and protecting the rights and legal interest of the public.

However, very often improper business inspections may have serious consequences for the protection of the legal interests of business entities, as well as health and safety of the citizens.

International best practice shows that a lot of countries optimize their inspection system by reducing the number of inspectors and inspection bodies, and at the same time increasing the effectiveness of inspections, mostly focusing on the important and high-risky entities.

From this perspective, the Government of the Republic of Armenia has initiated inspection system reforms, approving government decree № 1135 on the inspection reform program from September 17, 2009.

The reforms are coordinated by the Inspection reform secretariat under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia headed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. The main goal of the inspection reforms in Armenia is transaction to a risk-based inspection system to perform business inspection, regulation of the existing gaps in the inspection system, creation of transparent inspection system, reduction of inspection process overlaps, prevention of corruption in the inspection sphere.

The Inspection reforms’ aim is more effective risk-based inspection system, securing the interests of all stakeholders:

1.Safety for Consumers;

2.Foreseeable business environment for Business entities, free from unnecessary bureaucracy and pressure;

3.The most efficient use of resources, ensuring the highest level of security for the Government.

The Inspection reforms’ main directions are:

1. Implementation of risk-based inspection system;

2. Development of checklists for business inspections by sectors;

3. Involvement of high qualified professionals;

4. Development and implementation of an integrated information management system;

5. Optimization of inspection bodies;

6. Implementation of a new management system in the inspection bodies;

7. Introduction of new anticorruption mechanisms;

8. Design of draft laws and legislative amendments

Inspection reform activities are carried out by the secretariat of the inspection reforms coordination council of the Ministry of Economy of the RA. Tel: (+374 11) 59-71-26, too. E-mail : inspectionreform@mineconomy.am: