Transcript No Slide Title

Administrative Reform:
The Lisbon Strategy:
and Good Governance
Craig Robertson
Senior Lecturer, EIPA
Conference organised by the Greek Ministry of the Interior:
‘Participating in Growth’
Athens, 5-6 June 2008
© EIPA – Craig Robertson - slide 1
Speaker Background
Currently Senior Lecturer at European
Institute of Public Administration
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Main focus on Governance, Reducing
‘Red-Tape’, Better Policy-Making
Previously in Strategic Planning &
Programming/Better Regulation Units,
Secretariat General, European Commission
UK Civil Servant
Thus, wide experience in implementing and
managing processes of administrative reform
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Structure of Presentation
1. What is ‘Lisbon’ and Why Does it
Matter?
2. The wider picture: Good Governance
and Better Policy-Making
3. What does it all mean for public
administrations?
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What is ‘Lisbon’
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March 2000 European Council (Heads of State and
Government) in Lisbon
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Agreement on a strategy to ‘modernise Europe’
Famous objective to make the EU:
“the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-driven
economy by 2010”
Seek to do so by:
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Preparing transition to knowledge-based economy & society by
more research and use of information technology, structural
reforms to promote competitiveness and innovation, and
completing the internal market
Modernising the European social model, investing in people and
combating social exclusion
Sustaining the healthy economic outlook and favourable growth
prospects by applying an appropriate macro-economic policy
mix
Main issues to address in order to meet the goals:
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the necessary investment in R&D i.e. three per cent of GDP
reduction of red tape to promote entrepreneurship
achieving an employment rate of 70 per cent (60 per cent for
women)
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What is ‘Lisbon’ (cont.)
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2004 Mid-Term Review of ‘Lisbon’
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Kok Report:
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Little progress since 2000
Recommends to refocus agenda on growth and
employment
Spring 2005
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Lisbon re-launched!
Agreement to prioritise actions designed to promote jobs
and economic growth
Greater ‘ownership’ of objectives by Member States
Simpler structures for reporting progress
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Commission proposes ‘Integrated Guidelines’ for
Member State actions
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Guidelines cover employment, micro- and macroeconomic policies
These form basis of Member State ‘National Reform
Programmes’, setting out plans to meet Lisbon objectives
Member States report annually on progress to the
European Commission
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Why does it matter?
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Economic reforms to respond to challenges of
‘globalisation’
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Demographic changes
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Less young people working
More older people to support
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Enhances efficiency
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EC estimate of a 1% reduction in potential rate of
economic growth by 2040
For example, through competition
Reducing administrative costs allows business
to focus on core activities
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Estimate of 1% GDP growth boost by reducing
existing Administrative Costs by 25%
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The Wider Picture: Good Governance
A ‘Governance Crisis’?
‘Alienation from politics is not just a European
problem, it is global, national and local.’ COM(2001)428
- Declining public confidence in political and
government institutions to tackle complex
problems and challenges ...
- Corruption scandals & nepotism ...
- ‘Excessive red-tape’ ...
- Value for Money considerations ...
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Five Principles of Good Governance
Taken from 2001 White Paper on European Governance –
COM(2001)428
1.Openness
 Administrations need to work in a more open
manner
 Actively communicate what they do and why
 Use simple and accessible language
2. Participation
 Ensure wide participation throughout policydevelopment and implementation processes to
improve quality, relevance and effectiveness of
policies
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Five Principles of Good Governance - 2
3. Accountability
 Those responsible for making decisions need to be held
accountable for those decisions
 Greater clarity of respective roles in the policy-making,
legislative and executive processes
4. Effectiveness
 Effective and timely action should be taken on the basis
of identified need, consideration of what its
consequences are likely to be, and in proportion to the
problem/challenge
 So, decisions to take action need to be made in the light
of available evidence
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Five Principles of Good Governance - 3
5. Coherence
 Policies and actions need to be coherent and easily
understood
 Different policy areas need to coordinate actions and work
better together to ensure consistency
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A new approach to policy-making
‘Linear model’:
- ‘Dispensing policies from above’
To be replaced by:
- ‘A virtuous circle’
- Policy-making based on:
- feedback;
- networks;
- involvement from policy creation to
implementation at all levels;
- evidence
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What it means for public
administrations
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Target (+/- 25%) for all Member States to reduce existing Administrative
Burden (information obligations) by 2012
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Requires identification of burden and where it needs to be cut
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Greater use of Information and Communication Technologies to deliver
services and information to citizens and businesses
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Simplification of administrative procedures
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Greater use of ‘one-stop shops’
Regulatory reform to avoid/reduce unnecessary or disproportionate
regulation
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Particularly for SMEs and ‘start-ups’
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Mechanisms in place to assess relationship between public expenditure
and achievement of objectives
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Systematic involvement of stakeholders as part of policy-making
processes
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Conclusion
• ‘Lisbon’ is agreed as being necessary
– Results now believed to be visible
• Good Governance is of value in itself
• Poses challenges for public
administrations
• Challenges can be overcome with strong
political will and good communications
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Contact Address
Craig Robertson, Senior Lecturer
Fields of specialisation: Impact assessment in the EU institutions;
principles and main tools used in preparing and pursuing a Better
Regulation strategy
Tel.
+31 43 3296 237
Fax
+31 43 3296 296
E-mail: [email protected]
Consult our EIPA web site:
http://www.eipa.eu
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