1. Fostering Quality of Public Administration with ESF support 2014-2020
Florian HAUSER, DG EMPL E.1
ESF Evaluation Partnership Meeting, 12 November 2013

2. Presentation Overview
Public sector = IMPORTANT!
Public Administration Reforms in the EU 2020 Strategy
ESIF funding for Public Administration Reform
Ex-ante conditionality
The future…

3. Public sector = IMPORTANT!
In EU -
public expenditure accounts for almost 50% of GDP
public sector represents about 17% of total employment

4. Pressure on Public sector… … consolidated budgets
… meet citizens expectations
… stimulate growth
Strive for excellence…

5. EU 2020: Public Administration Reform in the European Semester
Annual Growth Survey 2013
Country Specific Recommendations

6. Annual Growth Survey
Sets out what the Commission believes should be the overall budgetary, economic and social priorities for the coming year
Provides Member States with policy guidance to boost growth and employment in line with Europe 2020
Kick-starts the European Semester
Main messages form the basis for the Country-Specific Recommendations
Key Message –
"National and EU level growth strategies can only be implemented with the help of effective public administrations"

7. Country Specific Recommendations
"Building sites" in several EU Member States - further efforts and support is needed with regard to institutional capacity
For example:
9 MS = improve effectiveness and efficiency of the public administration on a horizontal basis
8 MS = improve quality and independence of the judiciary
7 MS = improve business environment
several MS - should focus on:
anti-corruption,
public procurement
employment services,
competition,
education,
health,
water, waste, transport,
poverty, and others

8. ESIF PROGRAMMING IN
Thematic Objective 11 in DRAFT CPR:
"Enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and an efficient public administration"

9. Promoting
Good Governance

10. Good Governance = Balance of Interests
It’s all about
"Is responsive to present and future needs of society"
Trust
Reliability
Satisfaction

11. Commission Services' Position Papers
For many EU Member States, recommendations for:
"improvement of administrative capacity in order to foster growth and prosperity"
Some Examples:
Employ sound financial management
Create interoperable digitalisation of public administration
Efficiency of tax collection
Develop e-procurement capacities across the single market
Full and correct transposition of EU law
Simplify regulatory framework for businesses
Achieve cross-border interoperability of online services and research centres throughout the EU
Reduce delays in payments
Administrative simplification and transparency
Improve quality, independence and efficiency of judicial systems
Promote use of alternative dispute mechanisms

12. The Institutional Capacity Building Toolbox
Three dimensions for interventions:
(1) Structures and processes
(2) Human resources
(3) Service delivery
Funding under TO11 is likely to focus around these three broad dimensions

13. (1) Structures and processes Examples
Legal, regulatory, constitutional changes (e.g. how citizens can participate in policy making)
Reorganisation of tiers of government, de- centralisation or re-structuring of individual institutions
Actions to improve the transparency and accountability, of government and public services

14. (2) Human Resources Examples
Better human resource management, e.g. - recruitment, retention, appraisal, career development, motivation, incentives for personal development
Review of the current systems and development of proposals for more effective organisation and procedures
Capacity building of training institutions and the HRM units
Development of "smart" and learning organisations (knowledge management)

15. (3) Service Delivery Examples
diversification of service delivery through e.g. co-operation with non-governmental bodies, inter-municipal cooperation
the use of one-stop shops or e-services (see "demarcation issues")
development of various systems and tools related to e- government, e-justice, etc. (if not explicitly covered under thematic objectives other than TO11, see also "demarcation issues")
quality of service benchmarking and complaints, ombudsman procedures…

16. ESF & ERDF funding for Thematic Objective 11
In summary, the above means, the focus of TO11 is:
ESF & ERDF funding for Thematic Objective 11
ERDF = option 1
Support ESF with equipment/ infrastructure
(if required)
ESF =
Broad/horizontal public administration reform and good governance initiatives
+ stakeholders
ERDF = option 2
Capacity building of public bodies related to the implementation of ERDF

17. TO 11 Overall ex-ante conditionality
“The existence of a strategic policy framework for reinforcing the Member State’s administrative efficiency including public administration reform“

18. Rationale for ex-ante conditionality
Key to ensure that all conditions for effective investment are in place which requires a combination of:
Appropriate regulatory framework
Effective policies with clear policy objectives
Sufficient administrative/institutional capacity

19. Criteria for Fulfilment
Strategic Policy Framework
is in place AND
in the process of being implemented
… with the following elements…

20. Strategic PAR approach
Six Criteria
TO11
Strategic PAR approach 1.
Analysis & planning of reform 2.
Quality Management Systems
3. Simplification & reduction of burdens 4.
Human Resource strategy & policy 5.
Skills development
6. Monitoring & evaluation

21. Some principles
Applicable ex-ante conditionalities: to be fulfilled before the start of the programming period
If not fulfilled, to be fulfilled at the latest by
 Action plan
Deadline for fulfilment: not later than

22. Ex-ante Conditionality
This is not the idea of
Ex-ante Conditionality
Not just a bureaucratic exercise…

23. Ex-Ante Conditionality Programming EU funds
National Reform Agenda as FOUNDATION
Meaningful Investments

24. Spreading Good Practice through networking
EUPAN?
Member States' Network
"Quality of Public Administration" (Community of Practice)
EC services coordination
Guidance/Recommendations
Feedback
Analytical Support
EIPA
e.g.
Parallel ESF actions in MS on basis of Network agreements
2) Peer review monitoring
3) Apply good practice
OECD

25. Bad situation/ Opportunity
Challenge
Managing Change
Leadership?
Stakeholders?
Indicators?
Milestones?
Processes?
Risks?
Ideas
Bad situation/ Opportunity
Black Box
Improved Situation
Drivers?
Incentives?
Baseline
"Where are we"?
Vision
Objective
"Where do we want to be"?
How do we get there?

26. The challenge of managing change…

27. A challenge: Entry Points?
Policy…
Agency Autonomy?
Technical Capacity?
Government ?
Public Administration ? ?
Programme/
Project level
Political Leadership?
Awareness?
Commitment? ?
… delivered?

28. Any Questions?