Valentin Nikonov, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe explains how the ash cloud crisis and other recent events of this type could provide guidance to regulators on how to respond effectively to crises by means of the so-called general approach which embraces the whole regulatory system in its institutional complexity. He argues also that this approach addresses many of the challenges that regulators from all spheres face in the development of coherent risk policies and risk governance deficits. 1st HEC workshop on regulation. Emergency regulation under the thread of a catastrophe: a hard look at the volcanic ash crisis. A conference organised by Alberto Alemanno, HEC Paris. 10 & 11 november 2010. More info at http://www.albertoalemanno.eu