This short course gives participants a quick but targeted introduction to the world of better regulation with emphasis on the EU, but also several international comparisons. The main learning objectives are to familiarise participants with the way in which the European Commission prepares legislation, and with the way co-legislators and Member States participate in the policy cycle, from agenda-setting all the way to implementation of legislation, as well as the management of the regulatory stock. From the early days of impact assessments to the current wave of simplification and digitalisation, the instructor will guide participants towards critically appraising the way in which economic and other social and data science tools are being applied in the design and implementation of existing rules and standards.