This section contains all masterclasses and dialogue groups that have taken place in relation to the GOBAREG project.
Masterclass 1 - for all actor groups
Masterclass 1 took place on 15 March 2024.
The first masterclass was organised as a kick-off meeting for the three actor groups, focused on legislators, regulators, interest groups, and courts, at which we presented and discussed the following with the participants:
- existing relevant research and instruments to build upon (presentation by Wim Marneffe),
- legal insights regarding targeted regulation (presentation by Patricia Popelier),
- and relevant experiences with targeted regulation from the Dutch Ministry of the Environment, presented by Mr. Krijt,
- in addition to discussing the core elements of GOBAREG.
Download report on Masterclass 1.
Masterclass 2 - for rulemakers
Masterclass 2 took place on 1 December 2025.
In the dialogue group for rulemakers, the legal team presented the sub-theme ‘rule design’ within the broader GOBAREG project to the rulemakers, with particular attention to the legal techniques for integrating discretion into regulatory frameworks. A taxonomy of 19 legislative techniques was proposed, subdivided into primary and secondary techniques, each with a different impact on discretion. In addition, a measurement tool was presented to systematically determine discretion levels based on four steps: delineation, primary coding, secondary coding, and counting.
Furthermore, the coordinator provided additional insights into when goal-based regulation is a suitable choice as a complement to the law-economic instrument as developed by Prof. Marneffe. This appears to be particularly the case when the policy objective is clear, when innovation or lower regulatory burden is desired, when the social or economic environment is diverse or changeable, when the problem is complex or evolving rapidly, and when the government has confidence in organizations and citizens.
Thirdly, the coordinator presented interim insights relevant to regulators regarding rule design, stakeholder engagement, and supervision and enforcement. In rule design, a careful balance between legal certainty and flexibility is crucial. A mix of goal-based and means-based regulation may be appropriate, potentially evolving over time as the capacity of actors grows. The involvement of interest groups must be transparent and of high quality, and supervision and enforcement require an appropriate style, whereby informative and guiding forms can offer a valuable alternative to purely strict control.
Download report on Masterclass 2.
Masterclass 3 - for inspectorates, supervisory agencies, and enforcers
Masterclass 3 took place on op 17 December 2025.
The masterclass on supervision and enforcement with the dialogue group of inspectors and enforcers was organised as part of the GOBAREG project to discuss the implications of goal-based regulation, open standards, and principles-based regulation for inspection and enforcement practices. The event was intended to bring together researchers, policymakers, inspectors, and practitioners to exchange experiences and reflect on the challenges these regulatory approaches pose for legal certainty, enforceability, and equity. Presentations and discussions focused on how regulators can conduct selective supervision when regulations offer greater discretion and flexibility, and how this impacts inspection frameworks, enforcement strategies, and interactions with regulated sectors and stakeholders. Particular attention was paid to sectoral differences, the balance between control and guidance, and the skills and tools inspectors need when working with open standards. The dialogue group thus served to discuss relevant experiences and research from abroad, to discuss initial insights from the GOBAREG research, and to discuss practical perspectives from stakeholders. With the group of inspection services and enforcement officers – approximately 30 participants from various sectors – we discussed the following in a hybrid format:
- Two presentations and discussions on Dutch research into the effects and conditions of open norms by both Prof. Dr. Marieke van Genugten (Radboud University Nijmegen) and Prof. Dr. Judith van Erp (Utrecht University), and
- Experiences of the Dutch inspectorates, presented by Dr. Pieter Welp (Dutch Inspectorate Council),
- Bringed into dialogue with interim insights from the GOBAREG project, presented by Prof. Dr. Koen Verhoest.