Hallintokeinot

Hallintokeinot are the instruments used by public administration to influence behavior, implement policy, and achieve public objectives. They include binding decisions and administrative actions issued by authorities, as well as non-binding measures that guide conduct. They can be broadly categorized into four groups: command-and-control instruments such as prohibitions, licenses, permits, mandates, inspections, and sanctions; market-based instruments like tax incentives, subsidies, fees, and tradable permits; information-based instruments such as public guidance and awareness campaigns; and service-based instruments involving the provision of services and administrative support.

They derive from statutory authority and must comply with legal principles such as legality, proportionality, necessity, nondiscrimination, and due process. The selection and design of hallintokeinot depend on policy objectives, administrative capacity, and context. They can target individuals, businesses, or organizations and can be layered or combined.

Examples include building permits, environmental permits, zoning rules, fines for violations, social benefits conditioned on compliance, subsidies for energy efficiency, mandatory reporting, public procurement rules, and licensing regimes. Hallintokeinot aim to steer behavior efficiently while maintaining fairness and legitimacy. They are evaluated regarding effectiveness, costs, distributional impacts, and potential for burden or distortion. Oversight and transparency are important to democratic governance in applying hallintokeinot.