Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): Studia Humanitatis Journal
Articles: monographic section

Regulatory simplification as public policy at the regional government level

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  • María Ángeles Abellán López ,
  • Natalia María Simón Medina ,
  • María José Vicente Vicente ,
  • Gonzalo Pardo Beneyto
María Ángeles Abellán López
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6553-0227 (unauthenticated) Universitat de València, España

Bio
Natalia María Simón Medina
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2917-4069 (unauthenticated) Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, España

Bio
María José Vicente Vicente
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7962-0362 (unauthenticated)

Bio
Gonzalo Pardo Beneyto
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7142-1740 (unauthenticated)

Bio
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33732/shj.v6i2.179

Published 2026-08-24

Keywords

  • Modernization,
  • Regulatory Quality,
  • European Union,
  • Better Regulation,
  • Public Administrations,
  • Autonomous Communities
    • ...More
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Abstract

This paper explores the evolution of public administration reforms and their relationship with contemporary administrative simplification policies within the broader framework of Better Regulation. It begins by examining the main paradigms that have shaped administrative modernization and analyzes how their principles have influenced the transformation of the European regulatory state. The study highlights the consolidation of regulatory quality as a central component of public governance in the European Union, focusing on instruments such as impact assessments, stakeholder consultations, and ex post evaluation mechanisms. At the national level, the paper offers a comparative analysis of recent Spanish regional laws on administrative simplification, identifying different reform models: comprehensive regulatory restructuring, strategic institutional planning, operational and sector-specific adjustments, systemic improvement of law-making processes, and digital transformation as a tool for streamlining procedures. The paper argues that administrative simplification should not be understood merely as a technical exercise aimed at increasing efficiency. Rather, it constitutes a structural policy instrument that strengthens democratic quality and supports the welfare state by improving access to rights, enhancing legal certainty, and reinforcing institutional trust in increasingly complex governance environments.
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