Guideline 2

An Act should take into account both the needs of the addressees, with a view to enabling them to identify their rights and obligations unambiguously, and the needs of the persons responsible for putting the Act into effect.

2.1.	There are different categories of audiences and addressees of legislation, ranging from the population at large to specialists in particular fields. Each category is entitled to expect that the legislative provisions addressing them use language they can understand.
2.2.	Legislation entails intervention by implementing agencies at different levels (for example civil servants, scientists, lawyers and courts). The language of legislation should take account of that. In particular, when legislation includes technical requirements, these should be understandable by the agencies and officials who will implement such requirements.
2.3.	An Act should use language that has a settled meaning in everyday use. Trendy words should be avoided because their meanings may not be adequately settled. Archaic words should be avoided because they are not in everyday use.
2.4.	An Act should use characters and symbols consistently, in a way that ensures that the text is accessible to people with visual impairments.

Guideline 1 Guideline 3

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