Public participation is the involvement of citizens, society, and non-governmental organizations in the policy-making process. The objective of public participation is to ensure that decisions adopted by public administration institutions correspond to the needs of society and are explained in a timely and understandable manner to those affected by them. Public participation provides several benefits aimed at improving the quality of regulation – the actual problem is identified, possible alternatives are assessed, potential side effects of regulation are detected at an early stage, and the developed solutions are ensured to be effective.
Representatives of the public may express their opinions on development planning documents and draft legal acts at an early stage of their preparation – by proposing new regulation, participating in the identification of problems and the determination of alternatives – as well as at later stages, by engaging in monitoring the implementation of regulation, evaluating results, and submitting proposals for its improvement. Any member of the public whose interests are affected by or related to the issue under consideration may provide their opinion. Every representative of the public has the right to receive feedback on their proposal.
Public administration institutions implement public participation proactively, seeking the most effective ways to involve and inform society, particularly those groups that are or may be affected by the intended action.