10 Characteristics of Regulation, its Laws, Functions, Types and Classification

We explain what a regulation is, how it is classified and the functions it fulfills. Also, what are its characteristics and what are the laws.

What is a regulation?

A regulation is called a document issued by some type of authority, in which a regulation is expressed . It can be legal, social, political or of any other nature, and the members of a community must submit to it.

The regulations arise from the institutions of a community and govern social peace within it, that is, they prevent and provide possible resolutions to conflicts that arise between the members that compose it.

Many regulations have national legal status and express laws whose contempt can lead to exemplary punishments such as jail. Others, on the other hand, have more defined and local areas of action, such as a club, a park or a board game , and apply only to those areas.

In all cases, these are express rules and explained in writing . In this way, anyone can have access to them and also their existence that does not depend on someone to memorize (or alter) them.

Content of a regulation

Regulations contain, in essence, rules .

These are guidelines, commandments, restrictions and, eventually, sanctions applicable to those who do not comply with these mandates.

These are normative texts, which impose on a human group a code of conduct or performance , which, being common to all, allows peaceful social interaction.

Regulation types

Broadly speaking, we can think of two types of regulations:

• General. Those that propose a broad framework of norms and behaviors to be followed. They do not emphasize details or particularities, but rather lay down rules of the game applicable to a specific area. For example, a general regulation of public order.
• Internal Internal regulations are the property of a company , organization or club of any kind. They are only applicable (and disclosed) to those who make life in said organization, since their scope of action is limited and local. For example, an internal regulation of debates of a National Assembly.

What is the function of a regulation?

Regulations, as said, are custodians of order . They offer a human grouping a set of rules by which to govern themselves.

They minimize the chances that chaos will arise , that the strongest impose their will or that everyone does things in a different way. These situations would lead to friction and, eventually, violence.

Regulations are part of the social consensus , of the set of regulations with which we build our societies .

It can help you: Social norms

Regulations classification

Regulations can be broadly classified, depending on their specific area of action, as follows:

• Legal regulation. State legal documents in which a legal norm is expressed, usually in connection with the National Constitution . They are sanctioned by the legislative power , approved by the executive power , and constitute one of the sources of law .
• University regulation. Those regulations that set standards for the community of a university. It includes various topics, from the common use of its areas, to participation in scholarships or other plans organized by the Institution.
• Business regulation. Created by a company that wishes to regulate certain functions of its body of work, or that sees the need to articulate different departments under a common code that takes into account the needs of the organization.
• Sports regulations. The one that regulates the exercise of a sports discipline, within the framework of a sports association or union.
• Technical regulation. A type of document that regulates the way in which certain products or services are produced, so that they are carried out in a unique way, according to precise standards (such as ISO).
• Promotional regulation. Those that concern commercial promotions, issued by an institution or store.

Structure of a regulation

A regulation usually contains some or all of the following parts:

• Header. Include the title, sometimes subtitles or explanations of it. Here it must be anticipated what is the purpose of the regulation.
• Preamble. Where an explanation is offered of the subject that the regulation will address, or its need, or what you need to know in advance to read the regulation.
• Chapters or segments. The parts into which the body of the regulation is divided, usually ordered to go from the simplest to the most complex, or from the most general to the most particular. For example, you can start with certain common definitions to ensure that everyone understands what the terms that will later be used to set standards refer to.
• Articles or sections. Smaller parts within the chapters or sections, in which it refers to very specific events, that is, where it goes orderly to the point on what is forbidden and what is allowed and the ways of doing things.
• Sanctions The punishments that will be exercised on those who do not comply with the rules, or failing that, the site to which they should go to consult the sanctions.
• Firm. The seal, signature or any sign that confirms the authority that issues the regulation and on which rests the authority from which the rules come.

Properties of a regulation

To serve properly, a regulation must be:

• Specific. He gets to the point on his points and does not stray into information that is irrelevant or that has already been clarified (or will be clarified) elsewhere.
• Organized. The parts of the regulation should go according to a logical reading order , which allows a user to search for specific information if he wishes, but also to obtain an overview of the rules, from the beginning.
• Impartial. When dealing with rules or laws , they must be objective and precise, without favoring any a priori trend.
• Clear. A regulation must be perfectly written, so that it can be read and understood without the need for other documents, translators or secret codes.
• Common. To operate, all individuals affected by the regulation must know it equally, since they cannot abide by rules that are still ignored.
• Explicit. The rules of a regulation must be clear and frontal, they cannot be implied or implied.

Regulations validity

Regulations always have a specific validity . It is not contained within, but is determined by the authorities that issued it in the first place and by the appearance of a new regulation in its place.

For example, if a board game company decides to change the rules of one of its products, it will issue a new regulation that will make the other obsolete when it goes into effect.

The consent

Whether or not to abide by a regulation is a voluntary act , in which individuals put the common good and the organization of the community before the satisfaction of their personal desires.

Therefore, a regulation works when the people it concerns know and accept it, following it voluntarily. If a whole community decides to ignore the regulation, then it will be a “dead” letter and a new one must be drawn up.

Difference between law and regulation

The difference between law and regulation is a matter of hierarchy: laws operate as inflexible rules of much greater weight than regulations. Laws are endorsed by the authority of one or more institutions. On the contrary, the only thing that endorses the regulations is the administration , that is, the administrative acts.

Examples of regulations

Some examples of regulations are:

• Regulations for the Provision of Teaching Services of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso.
• Regulation of Official Championships 2018 of the Coastal Field Hockey Association.
• Regulation 2/2005 of Honors, Treatments and Protocol in the Judicial Acts of the Judicial Power of Spain.
• Regulation of the Use of Rooms of the College of Notaries of the Province of Córdoba.

Kalum Talbot

MA student of the TransAtlantic Masters program at UNC-Chapel Hill. Political Science with a focus on European Studies. Expressed ideas are open to revision. He not only covers Technical articles but also has skills in the fields of SEO, graphics, web development and coding. .