1. Simplification of administrative procedures: the Greek experience 9th Meeting of the EUPAN Learning Team Administrative Burdens on Citizens Utrecht, The Netherlands
Nikos Archontas
Head of Section for Methods of Work & for Productivity
Directorate for Simplification of Administrative Procedures & for Productivity
General Secretariat for Public Administration & E- government
Ministry of the Interior, Decentralisation & E-government

2. What is an administrative procedure?
The processing of an application, along with its supporting documents, carried out by the competent public service, in order for an administrative product to be delivered to the citizen/business.
i.e. license, life/death certificates, certificate on the criminal record of a citizen etc

3. Simplification of administrative procedures
The main prerequisite for the reduction of administrative burdens
Systematic and continuous review of the legal acts and regulations as well as the restructuring of administrative practices in order to achieve improvements in critical -very important- performance indicators such as transaction costs, quality of administrative end-products, speediness & responsiveness etc
Administrative Complexity and “red tape” equal to
Obstacle for a higher growth and employment
Discouraging innovation and investment
Afflicting citizens

4. Simplification of administrative procedures
Reasons for administrative complexity
Post-Second World War State eager to ensure protection of general economic interest
Inability to cross check civic & financial status of the applicant
Inherent tendency not to trust the citizen
Rigorous examination of the prerequisites before a license is issued (ex ante control) coupled with lack of any ex post control on the fulfillment of the requirements by the applicant.

5. Simplification of administrative procedures
The leading organisation for the taking simplification initiatives horizontally and vertically is the Ministry of the Interior, Decentralisation & E-government
Setting the agenda, the priorities, the tools of simplification, co-signing Joint Ministerial Acts, supervising implementation
Nonetheless, each Ministry can simplify vertically the procedures of its competence

6. Reduction of Administrative burdens on citizens
At present, there is not a systematic and fully fledged policy for the reduction of the AB on citizens.
We make no use of a specific methodology to measure the AB on citizens but rely mainly on empirical data (Quangos’ reports, citizens’ complaints etc)
However, the AB on business are measured with the SCM (Labour issues, Health and safety of workers, Cohesion policy). To be measured 5 sectors more (Food Safety, Agricultural Subsidies, Public Procurement, Company law and Tourism) by the end of 2011.

7. Tools for cutting down on “red tape”
The abolition of a procedure altogether.
The cutting down or abolition of joint competences among Ministries.
The abolition or drastic reduction of the required documents for the processing of an application, when it is viewed these are useless, unnecessary or particularly burdensome.
Teleconference for decision-making bodies.

8. Tools for cutting down on “red tape”
The replacement of a number of required documents with an official written statement of the citizen, according to the Law 1599/86.
Shortening of time for the administrative product delivery.
The tacit approval of the application if the competent authority does not raise objection within a predetermined time period (Lex Silencio Positivo-LSP)
The fully on line processing of a number of administrative procedures via the Citizens Service Centres or the ERMIS portal.
The sharing of documents/certificates between public services. At the moment, 211 certificates are internally shared (mainly via fax).

9. Citizens Service Centres (CSCs): a major breakthrough in front-office restructuring
Through a nationwide network of the CSCs, different administrative applications can be submitted by the applicant and then forwarded to the competent state authorities.
Each of the above procedures does have its own digitised application form which is retrieved from the E-kep data base.
In 2008, over 3,5 mil. applications submitted via CSCs
Other channels for the round-the-clock ordering of 94 certificates are the “1500” call centre and the CSCs site. These certificates are collected in person from the CSCs.

10. E-government initiatives
ERMIS (HERMES) A governmental portal whose content is organised on the basis of
life/business events (Having a baby, Travelling abroad, Studying, Getting married etc)
User groups (Citizens-parents, country side residents, students, consumers, disabled etc Organisations/enterprises-Chambers, companies, freelancers, SME etc)
Thematic categories (City planning & Land Registry, Civilisation & Free Time, Insurance & Pension etc)
Via ERMIS, the authenticated citizen can apply for 12 certificates and receive them on line, digitally signed, in his/her mailbox
“Transparency” programme: Obligatory posting of all laws, regulations, acts and circulars issued by the government, all state authorities and the local government in a specific government site. Not valid if not posted.
Opengov.gr: electronic public consultation for new draft laws and government acts as well as calls for the staffing of various higher government posts

11. Lessons learned Strong and committed leadership
Communication, Communication, Communication…of the new measures
for citizens-leaflets, spots, posters
for civil servants- meetings, seminars etc
No publicity, no return, a well informed citizen is an ally for the change.
Civil servants reluctant to “swallow” new simplification measures which basically transfer the burden of the proof to the civil service
Non compliance with the simplification measures became a disciplinary offence according to the Civil Servants’ Code
Disciplinary measures in association with a well organised network of processing of citizens’ complaints on non compliance with the simplification matters
“Front office” reorganisation, if not coupled with “Back office” reorganisation, may reproduce outdated bureaucratic working methods and processes.

12. Challenges ahead
The full implementation of the so called Service Directive (2006/123/EC)
Major simplification task of nearly 400 administrative procedures
New concept of administrative cooperation among EU Member States on a case by case basis
CSCs to become Single Points of Contacts (SPCs), for the purpose of the Directive
The transformation of the CSCs to Centres of Integrated Administrative Procedures (One-stop shops) being able to process complex transactions and to deliver products immediately
The successful implementation and broad use of the electronic signatures and electronic authentication
More procedures to be processed and more administrative products to be delivered fully on line-further strengthening of the ERMIS portal