reglugerða

Reglugerða refers to a formal regulation issued by a government authority or minister under powers granted by law. In Icelandic law, reglugerður (plural reglugerðir) are subordinate instruments that provide detailed rules for the administration, implementation, and enforcement of statutory provisions. The term reglugerða is the inflected form used within sentences.

Etymology and purpose: The word combines elements meaning rules and making. Reglugerðir fill in procedural steps, standards, licensing requirements, forms, and timelines that laws may outline only in broad terms. They are designed to ensure consistent application of a statute and to adapt its provisions to practical administration.

Legal status and publication: A reglugerð derives its authority from a parent statute and must operate within the powers delegated by that law. It cannot alter the substantive effect of the law beyond what the act permits. Reglugerðir are binding on public authorities, businesses, and individuals as applicable, and they are typically published in the official gazette, such as Stjórnartíðindi, with specified effective dates.

Procedure and oversight: The process typically starts with a ministry drafting the regulation, followed by internal approvals and consultations. After ministerial endorsement, the regulation is issued and published, sometimes requiring ministerial or cabinet approval depending on its sensitivity or scope. Judicial review is available if a reglugerð is alleged to exceed statutory authority or violate constitutional rights.

Relation to other instruments: Reglugerðir operate under statutes and can be amended, repealed, or replaced by later reglugerðir or by new legislation. They are a central instrument of administrative law, used across public agencies to implement and administer government policy.