Democratization Workshop on Policy Development, Impact Assessment, Mechanics of Legislation, 14-15 May 2008, Ashgabat. explain them to legislators and other relevant parties and, if necessary, to facilitate their incorporation into legislation. This follow-up can come in the form of consultations with the relevant authorities or roundtable discussions on draft legislation. For example, in April, experts from ODIHR took part in expert consultations in Yerevan, Armenia, on amendments to legislation regulating assemblies and rallies that were passed shortly after clashes between protestors and the police on 1 and 2 March. The aim of these consultations was to discuss how to revise the amended law to address concerns expressed in a joint opinion from ODIHR and the Venice Commission. As a result, a Memorandum of Understanding was prepared with the Armenian authorities, on the basis of which new amendments were drafted. While noting that not all of their concerns had been addressed, the ODIHR and Venice Commission assessment of the amendments was largely positive. Improving legislative efficiency and transparency Drafting good legislation is only half the work. The most effective and efficient laws are the result of a structured legislative process 28 Annual Report 2008 including a number of key stages: policy analysis, regulatory impact assessment, evaluation of draft legislation and, when appropriate, public consultations. While reviewing individual laws, ODIHR has found that some, or even all, of these stages are often missing or not regulated properly. This results in inefficient legislative processes that lack transparency. These same omissions tend to be repeated, which suggests a need to address underlying causes. The Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on “Democratic Lawmaking”, which was held on 6 and 7 November in Vienna, drew attention to the marked interest of OSCE participating States in addressing these issues. Concerns about the quality and impact of legislation are universal, and the way in which legislation is prepared and enacted is increasingly the object of scrutiny throughout the OSCE region. Since 2005, ODIHR has supported homegrown initiatives aimed at identifying legal and practical measures for strengthening the capacity of legislative systems. In May, at the request of the Turkmen authorities, the “Policy Development, Impact Assessment, Mechanics of Legislation” workshop enabled lawmakers and