Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Top Management Service in Central Government: Introducing a System for the Higher Civil Service in Central and Eastern European Countries Abstract: Professional administrative leadership is regarded as crucial in all OECD countries for the quality and efficiency of the administration at large as well as for its corporate culture. This issue has been dealt with differently in different countries. Some countries, such as Germany, France or the United Kingdom have established long ago a set of traditions for the career of the entire higher civil service, with specific rules for appointments to top positions. Others have more recently created special career services for these positions, such as the Senior Executive Service in 1978 in the United States. It is common practice in most countries that individuals holding the very top positions are appointed centrally by the highest level of Government. They are managed more centrally than the totality of government agents and civil servants and sometimes according to regulations which are partly different from general civil service regulations. The notion of top managers as an elite of the civil service, or as a club to which membership is desirable or attractive, is used to some extent in western countries. By making a special effort as to the selection and management of top public managers, governments secure objectives of stabilisation, professionalism, attraction of the highest level of personnel as well as quality and cohesiveness in the decision-making. Keywords: central government, civil service, HRM, professionalisation, top management Creation-Date: 1995-01-01 Number: 1 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:1-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Constitutions of Central and Eastern European Countries and the Baltic States Abstract: In the Baltic States, the process of independence started after the elections in spring 1990 and was completed by August 1991. Fifty-one years after being forced to join the Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each regained their independence and became once again part of the western community of nations. The USSR disappeared in late 1991 and from it sprung 12 new independent states. Keywords: democracy, independence Creation-Date: 1995-01-01 Number: 2 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:2-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Training Civil Servants for Internationalisation Abstract: This publication contains those papers presented at the seminar: the Issues Paper prepared by Professor Jacques Ziller, University of Sorbonne, and five country papers prepared by national experts, presenting the situation and experience in their countries. SIGMA has published these documents because of the broad, current interest shown in central and eastern European countries. Public servants in all countries are exposed to a growing internationalisation in most of the tasks that are carried out in a national public service. Many public servants have to cope with supra-national legal frameworks and with international standards in their daily work. Many have to perform in multilateral and bilateral contexts to promote the interests of their countries. The fact of working in an international context is a continuing part of life for public servants, requiring adaptation of public service management systems. But when a state makes a radical change in its international involvement, for example when it joins an international body and accepts new obligations, there must be a heavy "up-front" preparatory investment. Keywords: EU accession, international standards, legal frameworks, public servants Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 3 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:3-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Management Control in Modern Government Administration: Some Comparative Practices Abstract: This publication focuses on the control mechanisms and procedures that need to be built into an organisation’s systems in order to provide reasonable assurance that top management’s objectives will be met, rather than on the design and application of management information systems, which, we believe, are generally well understood in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs). The studies included give examples of management controls in widely different areas of the public sector -- such as road construction, overseas aid, and social welfare -- and in countries with differing constitutional and cultural backgrounds, political and legislative structures, and public service traditions. They examine the importance of management controls to the manager and auditor and discuss the role played by different government institutions -- including the finance or budget ministry, the supreme audit institution (SAI), and other central institutions -- in developing and implementing management control systems. Keywords: control mechanisms, EU accession, government institutions, supreme audit institution, top public management Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 4 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:4-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Civil Service Legislation Contents Checklist Abstract: The political agendas in the central and eastern European countries (CEECs) imply major democratic and economic reform programmes. Macro-economic stabilisation, privatisation, European integration, reform of the welfare systems, reform of tax systems, decentralisation to self-government are typical areas of reform. The number of new laws regulating reforms and changing old systems is considerable. In this context the need for an effective civil service becomes evident. A permanent and professional administration is the instrument, not only to develop policies and draft laws, but also to implement them and to manage the systems defined in the laws. Development of the administration as an instrument to carry through political and economic reforms and to manage the systems requires long-term investment and must be protected from short-term abuse and mismanagement. Skills and experience in each of the reform areas and providing professional continuity are thus essential objectives for the establishment of civil services in the CEECs. Keywords: civil service, EU accession, European integration, Regulatory reform Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 5 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:5-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Internationalism of Policy-making Abstract: This publication is the product of the Workshop on the Internationalisation of Policy Making which SIGMA organised in July 1995 at the College of Europe Natolin, near Warsaw. The purpose of the Workshop was to provide an opportunity to senior practitioners from Central and Eastern European countries to discuss the implications of the internationalisation of policies for governmental systems, and to examine structures and processes for the integration of domestic and international aspects of policy making. Drawing on the experience of OECD Member countries, and of different "generations" of Member countries of the European Union, the Workshop enabled the participants to compare different types of coordination mechanisms, and to draw practical advice for the improvement of policy-making systems. Keywords: EU accession, policymaking Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 6 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:6-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: The Audit of Secret and Politically Sensitive Subjects: Comparative Audit Practices Abstract: This paper is the result of a comparison of the audit practices with respect to the audit of secret and politically sensitive subjects by the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI’s) of France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Not only do the practices differ but the mandate and composition of the SAI’s themselves are also different. This also influences the way the SAI’s operate. Keywords: audit, sensitive information, supreme audit institutions, transparency, trust Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 7 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:7-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Budgeting and Policy Making Abstract: The purpose of this volume is to provide a reference book and a training manual for public administrators in the transitional economies, and in particular for officials with budgeting and policy-making responsibilities. The book is a follow-up to the Multicountry Seminar in Ljubljana (1-2 April 1996). It compiles the papers that were presented at the seminar in a format suitable for use as a reference book or training manual. For example, at the beginning of each part the reader will find an explanation of terms intended to facilitate understanding and consultation, along with brief summaries and notes comparing the systems and experiences presented in the articles. Similarly, after each article the reader is directed to ready sources of further information. Keywords: budget, budgeting, EU accession, policymaking Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 8 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:8-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Effective Communications Between the Public Service and the Media Abstract: Citizens have a right to know the policies and activities of their government. In a well-functioning democracy, the government provides reliable and timely information to the public. Effective communications between the government and the public is especially important in countries in transition, where major changes in state institutions - indeed in all aspects of life - have left the citizenry uncertain about the new roles of the government and public administration, and how to convey their views to representatives of the state. This publication comprises six papers presented at the seminar by five experts in communications, three working in public administrations in Western Europe and Canada, and two journalists based in Budapest. A background issues paper which sets the stage for seminar discussions precedes these other papers. The annexes comprise sample codes of ethics for journalists and government communicators. Keywords: communication, democracy, government, transparency Creation-Date: 1996-01-01 Number: 9 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:9-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Civil Service Pension Schemes Abstract: This publication is a tool for designers of new civil service pension schemes in central and eastern Europe. It presents civil service pension schemes in five OECD Member countries and ten central and eastern European countries. In most central and eastern European countries, people employed in the public administration are covered under common national pension schemes, usually defined in a common pension law. As part of efforts to improve the professionalisation and quality of public administration, countries are defining civil service categories of personnel through civil service legislation. Some countries will introduce specific pension provisions for the public administration employees subject to this legislation. There are at least three obvious reasons for this: to secure the independence of civil servants, to make a public sector career more attractive, and to shift the costs of current remuneration into the future. In most OECD Member countries, civil servants have separate and specially designed pension schemes. These are either totally independent of the common national pension schemes or complementary to them. Conditions vary between countries and so do principles for financing. In one country there might also be several schemes for various categories of state officials and employees. “Pay-as-you-go” schemes financed by the annual state budget exist in several OECD Member countries. When they were introduced, national civil services were small and common pension schemes for the working population at large were lacking. Over the last 30 years, the rapid growth of western public services has not had any major impact on pension costs in pay-as-you-go schemes for demographic reasons and, until recently, the financing of pensions has in many countries stayed unchanged. The long-term nature of pension schemes and the strong interest that civil servants and their unions have in keeping them intact has added to the difficulty of changing them. With changing demography, pensions are becoming a heavy burden on the budget. Pensions imply both considerable running costs and heavy long-term liabilities. That is why many OECD Member countries today are trying to find new solutions to fund the financing costs. Different funding and actuarial techniques can be used to achieve this. Keywords: civil service, civil service legislation, EU accession, HRM, pension schemes Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 10 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:10-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Budgeting and Monitoring of Personnel Costs Abstract: This publication is the product of a multi-country seminar on budgeting and controlling personnel costs which SIGMA organised in March 1996 in Paris. The seminar’s purpose was to provide an opportunity for senior practitioners from central and eastern European countries to examine different approaches to budgeting and controlling personnel costs, and their viability in light of the specific needs and constraints of each country. Drawing in particular on the experience of EU Member countries, the seminar enabled participants to compare different types of budgeting and monitoring, their respective advantages and disadvantages, as well as their prerequisites regarding institutions and procedures. Keywords: budget, budget monitoring, EU accession, HRM, personnel, personnel costs Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 11 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:11-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Country Pofiles of Civil Service Training Systems Abstract: This publication is the product of a project which SIGMA started in autumn 1995. The country papers were completed in late spring 1996, and since that time some countries have reviewed their training strategies. Lithuania, for example, has adopted a regulation concerning the qualification of civil servants, which includes training. The rationale for launching this project was the recognised need for more detailed information on training systems and on the organisation of training in central and eastern European countries. This information is essential to the efforts by countries in transition, working in collaboration with the donor community, to develop demand-driven training strategies, efficient structures for civil service training, and cost-effective and sustainable training activities. Keywords: civil service, EU accession, HRM, training Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 12 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:12-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Assessing the Impacts of Proposed Laws and Regulations Abstract: Assessing the Impacts of Proposed Laws and Regulations deals with policy assessment and Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), or the ex ante assessment of how proposed legislation and regulations will affect a country’s economy, society, budget and existing laws, international agreements, etc. Through RIA governments can improve the quality of their interventions by ensuring that the impacts, both intended and unintended, of proposed legislation and regulations are assessed in advance, and form an input into decision-making. This is especially relevant for countries of Central and Eastern Europe in light of European Integration and the need for economic management. This publication is a follow-up to a seminar that was held in Riga on 2 and 3 October 1996 for public officials of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. It comprises a brief description of the highlights of the seminar discussions and the three papers that were prepared for the seminar by experts from Canada, France and the United States. Canada and the United States are leaders in RIA technology, and France is adopting new methodologies. Keywords: EU accession, legislation, policy evaluation, regulatory impact assessment Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 13 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:13-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Civil Service Legislation: Checklist on Secondary Legislation (and Other Regulatory Instruments) Abstract: This checklist is intended to supplement the Civil Service Legislation Contents Checklist, (Sigma Papers: No.5 OCDE/GD(96)21, February 1996). The previous checklist was principally concerned with matters that could usefully be considered when a civil service bill (i.e. the draft of primary legislation governing the civil service) was in preparation in a central and eastern European country. The present checklist deals with matters that can usefully be considered in connection with the secondary instruments that may be needed to implement the Civil Service Act enacted by the Parliament. It begins with a narrative section describing the types of instruments that are typically used for this purpose in OECD Member countries and factors that are widely taken into account when such instruments are being prepared and drafted. This is followed by a checklist of questions which law drafters in particular may find useful in the drafting process. These questions concern the general approach to secondary regulation rather than the substantive contents of instruments dealing with particular topics. Such contents are necessarily dictated by the contents and details of the primary legislation and are likely to vary considerably from one country to another. This checklist, as for the primary legislation checklist, is not intended as directions for approaching these matters but rather as guidance to best practice. Final choices must reflect local circumstances. Keywords: civil service, civil service legislation, EU accession, HRM Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 14 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:14-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Checklist on Law Drafting and Regulatory Management in Central and Eastern Europe Abstract: The development of a regulatory framework which meets EU standards is a major concern in central and eastern European countries, and this not only to foster economic development but also to ensure the wellbeing of the citizen. To achieve this goal, it is important to create a sound institutional structure, to dispose of staff qualified in law drafting, to set up efficient procedures for co-ordination and consultation, and to ensure that the possible impact of new legal instruments is assessed before they are adopted. SIGMA has been requested by several of its beneficiary countries to assist them in this extremely difficult task to set up efficient and effective structures and procedures for law drafting. Besides several workshops which have been carried out regarding crucial issues in law drafting, this checklist has been developed to provide countries with an additional means for self assessment. This checklist offers a means for evaluating structures, procedures and techniques for preparing and drafting legislation, and for identifying methodologies that may be helpful when changes are under consideration. Law drafting comprises two stages: policy development, and preparation of the legislative text to give effect to the policy adopted. The checklist is primarily concerned with the latter. The checklist draws upon experience gathered in OECD and central and eastern European countries. In particular, it takes into account work carried out by the Regulatory Management and Reform Group of the OECD’s Public Management Service (PUMA) and concerns of the EU Phare Programme voiced in the context of the approximation of law with regard to EU accession. Keywords: EU accession, policy development, public policy, regulatory framework, regulatory impact assessment Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 15 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:15-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Public Service Training in OECD Countries Abstract: The public service in central and eastern Europe has to adapt to an enormous number of changes in a very short time. The staff is faced with a constantly changing regulatory framework which needs implementation and enforcement, as well as new demands from the growing private sector and the citizenry at large. These challenges can only be met if the staff is highly qualified and constantly updating their qualifications. A sound system of in-service training is therefore crucial to keep the personnel within the public service on equal footing with the rapidly changing environment. This short paper is meant to point out the determining components of training systems, and advantages and disadvantages of possible solutions as they were developed in OECD countries, in order to assist countries in central and eastern Europe to set up a sound training system, while avoiding mistakes already experienced in OECD countries. Keywords: EU accession, HRM, performance management, public service, training Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 16 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:16-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Administrative Procedures and the Supervision of Administration in Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia and Albania Abstract: SIGMA is publishing this report to make more widely available comparative information on administrative law and administrative supervision in central and eastern European countries, and to highlight certain relationships with developments in these areas in Western Europe. Although each country has its own history and traditions in approaching these matters, there is at the same time emerging a common and widely accepted model of how they should be managed in democratic states. This report should be of particular interest to civil servants, government officials, parliamentarians and others with an interest in the development of administrative procedures and oversight institutions. Keywords: administrative law, administrative supervision, EU accession Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 17 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:17-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Law Drafting and Regulatory Management in Central and Eastern Europe Abstract: This SIGMA publication is made up of a general report, six country reports and several appendices, such as relevant regulations and the OECD checklist for regulatory decision–making. The general report on law drafting and regulatory management is designed as a hands-on tool for policymakers and law drafting personnel. It points out crucial issues for improving law drafting through creating and enforcing an adequate institutional framework, improving policy development, setting and maintaining law drafting standards, making fuller use of consultation, and improving access to legislation. This report also explains how procedures and standards should be applied to parliamentary initiatives and secondary legislation, as well as discussing the training of law drafters. The country reports offer a full account of law drafting regulations and drafting practice in Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia. While reforming regulatory programmes in any democracy is a major endeavour replete with potential pitfalls, central and eastern European countries confront even greater challenges in this area. They must build up regulatory frameworks for economic and political conditions radically different than those which existed just a few years before. In particular, these countries must align their regulatory practices with those of the European Union. This implies the creation of new institutions, and control and monitoring systems. Keywords: EU accession, institutional framework, law drafting, policymaking Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 18 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:18-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Effects of European Union Accession: Part I Budgeting and Financial Control Abstract: Compliance with the European Union’s budgetary, financial control and audit requirements is one of the basic obligations of EU membership. SIGMA examines this in two publications that chronicle the experiences of seven EU Member States, including its three newest adherents, in integrating EU budgetary, financial control and audit procedures and requirements with national ones. The publications also describe central regulations and procedures used by the European Commission and the European Court of Audit. The present publication complements SIGMA Paper No. 20 Effects of European Union Accession—Part 2, External Audit, on the impact of accession on external audit. The purpose of these publications is to assist central and eastern European countries that have applied for membership of the European Union in discerning the ideas at stake, to give comparative information on the various approaches and solutions used by Member States and to sum up the experiences gained and lessons learned. The approach is to provide an overview of the topic and analyse key issues for reflection and debate. The focus is on practical experiences gained and conclusions drawn by those who have been involved in the daily work of adaptation and development of the government administration in the seven countries. The two publications also provide insight into the implementation policies adopted and an overview of the regulations and procedures used. Appendices include lists of abbreviations and useful terms and a selection of EU Keywords: budgeting, EU accession, financial control Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 19 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:19-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Effects of European Union Accession: Part II External Audit Abstract: Over the past decade, the European Commission, as the institution responsible for implementing the Community Budget, has taken an increasingly active interest in the effectiveness of the control measures applied by Member States to Community funds. Indeed, it is in the common interest of the Member States to exercise proper supervision of Community funds. The responses of EU Member States’ Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) to the Commission’s external audit procedures and requirements are divergent for various reasons, including legislative ones. This issue overview paper draws on the separate country papers which describe in more detail the different experiences of selected national SAIs in their co-operation with the Commission’s services and the European Court of Auditors (ECA). The present publication complements SIGMA Paper No. 19 Effects of European Union Accession — Part 1, Budgeting and Financial Control on the impact of accession on budgeting and financial control. In both cases, the approach adopted has been analysis of selected issues for reflection and debate. Keywords: audit, budgeting, EU accession, financial control Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 20 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:20-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Promoting Performance and Professionalism in the Public Service Abstract: This is a report on human resources management practices in the public administrations of four central and eastern European countries: Albania, Estonia, Hungary and Poland. The report is based on information from 1996. Since then significant changes have occurred in at least two of the countries. In Poland a new Civil Service Act came into force in January 1997 (certain provisions came into force 30 days after the Act’s promulgation); and in Albania the current situation in the administration is difficult to assess due to recent political upheaval. When this report was prepared in 1996, Albania, Estonia and Hungary all had civil service laws in force, while in Poland the1982 Act on Civil Servants still regulated employment in the state administration. The report’s purpose is to determine to what extent the implementation of a specific law for employment in the administration would lead to significant changes in personnel management or in the preconditions for management, selection and promotion of staff. This report is therefore about public personnel management systems, management procedures and management practices and how they either support or hinder professionalism and appropriate conduct. To a certain extent it is also about the legislation and institutions as well as the training necessary to promote suitable civil service behaviour. The study was based on a common guideline document developed together with experts from the four countries. These experts are Odeta Dibra, Lawyer, Albania (now with UNESCO); Professor Georg Sootla, Tallinn Pedagogical University, Estonia; Istvan Borbiro, Lawyer, Jutasi & Partners, Hungary; and Wojciech Marchlewski, Co-operation and Partnership, Poland. The four experts used the guideline document as a reference tool for conducting interviews in the administrations of their countries and for reporting their findings. Keywords: civil service, civil service laws, EU accession, HRM, performance management Creation-Date: 1997-01-01 Number: 21 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:21-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Management Challenges at the Centre of Government: Coalition Situations and Government Transitions Abstract: Nine central and eastern European countries — Albania, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic — were represented in Warsaw at the meeting of senior officials from centres of government, organised by the SIGMA Programme and held on 27 and 28 February 1997. Three European Union centres of government — Belgium, Germany, Greece — also took part in the work, as did experts from Canada, Denmark, France and Sweden. As their French counterparts had done in Paris the previous year, the host country officials described the broad lines of their organisation and informed participants about the major changes that had been made recently. In Poland, these come under the more general heading of the reform of state economic administration and result, at centre of government level, in the strengthening of the position of the Polish Prime Minister and a clearer demarcation of political and administrative responsibilities. Two topics had been selected for the meeting: “Policy-Making and Decision-Making in a Coalition System”, and “Managing Government Transitions”. The two issues were not chosen by accident: actual examples are to be found in all the countries participating in the SIGMA Programme, they are of direct interest to centres of government, and the problems they raise are comparable in nature. In the case of both topics, it is a question of reconciling the exigencies of democracy and efficiency. Democracy implies political pluralism and legitimises the principle that power can be held on an alternating basis. By the same token, however, it sows seeds of weakness or frailty in the functioning of a country’s institutions just when the process of transition requires governments to demonstrate firmness and continuity. A coalition government can find it difficult to speak with a single voice. When teams change too often, continuity can be jeopardised. These are the risks inherent in democracy and they have of course to be accepted, but it is also the role of centres of government to seek to minimise any negative effects they can have on the proper conduct of public policies. Keywords: centre of government, democracy, EU accession, government institutions, policymaking Creation-Date: 1998-01-01 Number: 22 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:22-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Preparing Public Administrations for the European Administrative Space Abstract: This publication contains an overview of the seminar, background papers — including an inventory of how candidate countries plan to manage European integration — as well as ten points which emerged during the panel discussions of senior negotiators. Chapters have been grouped around the three main topics which the seminar addressed: (1) managing EU affairs; (2) membership negotiations and preparation for accession; and (3) preparing to join the emerging “European Administrative Space”. Ensuring the smooth running of a multi-country seminar away from the SIGMA Secretariat required intense organisational and logistical work. The conference facilities provided by the Greek hosts, together with their sharing of information on what is involved in becoming an EU Member State, and on their efforts in administrative reform, contributed to the seminar’s success. SIGMA wishes to thank Nelli Sakellariadou from the Greek Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation for co-ordinating the event. SIGMA staff Linda Duboscq, Winnie Marshall and Joanne Stoddart provided logistical support, and Michal Ben-Gera, Jacques Fournier and Tony Verheijen developed the programme, wrote background papers and co-chaired the sessions with the Greek hosts. Other background papers and presentations were provided by experts in the field. Keywords: EU accession, EU affairs, membership negotiations Creation-Date: 1998-01-01 Number: 23 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:23-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Central Bank Audit Practices Abstract: Central Bank Audit Practices describes common approaches, practices and trends relevant to the audit of central banks, with a view to supporting public administration reform efforts in central and eastern European countries. The study provides a basis for further discussion between decision-makers and practitioners on how the audit regime could be developed to ensure good governance of central banks. This study originates from a discussion on today’s important audit issues which was arranged by the European Court of Auditors together with the presidents of supreme audit institutions (SAIs) of central and eastern European countries and held in Luxembourg on 21-23 October 1996. Follow-up discussions between representatives of SAIs and central banks and SIGMA made it apparent that a focused comparative study could be of high value to officials with responsibilities for the design of audit strategies and policies, as well as to auditors. From the outset it was decided that the study should focus on auditing of central bank activities and not on banking. This meant that aspects of the banking system, such as the regulatory structure of financial institutions or supervision of the financial sector, although very interesting and relevant, have been excluded from the scope of the study or are only briefly mentioned. The study is furthermore limited in that it provides an overview of four European Union Member States (Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden). These countries do not represent the entire variation to be found in the EU. The reader is also asked to keep in mind that current practices might undergo important changes as a result of the introduction of the European Economic and Monetary Union. Keywords: audit, audit regime, central banks, EU accession, supreme audit institutions Creation-Date: 1998-01-01 Number: 24 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:24-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Public Opinion Surveys as Input to Administrative Reform Abstract: This report examines the use of public opinion surveys as tools to advance administrative reforms in western European countries and central and eastern European countries. The aim is to demonstrate to central and eastern European governments and civil servants the utility of public opinion surveys before, during and after reforms in their countries and to encourage their systematic use. Up to now, public opinion surveys have received a great deal of scientific attention with regard to methodological problems of data gathering, data analysis and interpretation of data. There is also much literature on administrative reforms in both OECD countries and central and eastern European countries. Although this literature is widely used, there is very little information on the use of public opinion surveys in the context of administrative reforms. By providing an overview of surveys in western countries, as well as country studies of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Lithuania, and by using examples from different administrative settings, this publication can contribute to a broad understanding of how surveys can provide useful inputs to administrative reforms. Keywords: data analysis, EU accession, public opinion surveys, public policy Creation-Date: 1998-01-01 Number: 25 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:25-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Sustainable Institutions for European Union Membership Abstract: Countries that are candidates for European Union (EU) accession face the complex and urgent task of building administrative institutions so that they can fulfil the “Copenhagen criteria”. Such institutions must be able to implement the acquis communautaire within tight budget constraints and ensure favourable conditions for a competitive private sector. They must also provide candidate countries with the institutional capacity to participate effectively in future policy-making within the European Union upon accession. This paper lays out basic principles, tools and issues for building institutions. The target audience includes all those involved in Institution Building within candidate countries, EU Member States, the European Commission and the aid community. The paper highlights the issues associated with building effective institutions while providing concrete examples of how Member States and candidate countries have responded to such challenges. The definition of a number of key terms (in bold type) are provided in the Annex together with links to additional sources of information (SIGMA and PUMA publications as well as relevant web sites). Keywords: administrative institutions, Copenhagen criteria, EU accession, institutional capacity Creation-Date: 1998-01-01 Number: 26 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:26-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: European Principles for Public Administration Abstract: This paper attempts to identify the standards to which EU candidate countries are expected to conform in order to align their public administrations with those of EU Member States. Originating from SIGMA’s work on public administration reform in central and eastern European countries, in particular civil service development and administrative control, the paper describes an important part of the basis of the SIGMA methodology for assessing candidate countries’ public administration capacities. Keywords: administrative control, civil service, EU candidate, public administration reform Creation-Date: 1999-01-01 Number: 27 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:27-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: A Comparison on the EC Procurement Directives and the UNCITRAL Model Law Abstract: This chart compares the EC Procurement Directives and the UNCITRAL Model Law on Procurement of Goods, Construction and Services. Most central and eastern European countries used the Model Law as the basis of their public procurement laws in the early 1990s. Now that many countries of the region are candidates for EU accession, they must adapt their laws to EC Directives. The aim of the chart is to assist in that process. The EC Procurement Directives were introduced into the European Union to further the EU’s policy of enabling enterprises from all EU states to compete fairly in public procurement markets. The most important objective of this policy is to prevent discrimination by procuring entities in favour of their own national enterprises. The EC Directives support this by, inter alia, requiring major contracts to be advertised, open to competition, and awarded through transparent procedures. These conditions make it difficult to disguise discrimination. The UNCITRAL Model Law on Procurement of Goods, Construction and Services sets out procedures for the award of public contracts. It is designed for the use of countries introducing procurement laws, or reforming their procurement systems, with the aims of achieving economy and efficiency in public procurement and reducing corruption. The Model Law also seeks to promote international competition in public procurement markets. States should in general seek these objectives by advertising and holding a competition for procurements, and awarding contracts through transparent procedures. Keywords: construction, EU accession, EU directives, goods, public contracts, public procurement, public procurement markets, services Creation-Date: 2000-01-01 Number: 28 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:28-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Centralised and Decentralised Public Procurement Abstract: Central and eastern European countries conduct public procurement on a highly decentralised basis, at the level of individual spending ministries, local authorities or other public bodies covered by the procurement law. However, in some cases, there may be advantages in mixing this approach with elements of centralisation, as is the case in many EU Member States. This paper reviews the experience of selected EU countries. The establishment in many central and eastern European countries of public procurement offices that are not responsible for actual purchasing but set national policy, organise training, draft legislation, etc., represents a great change from the earlier central monopoly purchasing systems. The purchasing function itself has been decentralised to hundreds or sometimes thousands of procuring entities. Many countries in the region see the new procurement model as part of the process of democratisation and do not want to replicate earlier institutions and mistakes. They are trying to move rapidly from one system to another. This paper sheds light on the various issues to be considered in deciding how procurement systems in these countries might evolve in the future. The target audience is primarily public procurement offices in Central and Eastern Europe, but the paper could also prove useful to other transition and developing countries that are in the process of modernising their procurement laws and systems. Keywords: EU, EU accession, monopoly, procurement entities, procurement law, public procurement Creation-Date: 2000-01-01 Number: 29 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:29-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Public Procurement Review Procedures Abstract: Public procurement review procedures are intended to guarantee effective remedies for complaints in public procurement. This paper guides central and eastern European countries that are seeking to join the European Union on how to identify the public procurement review procedures best suited to each country’s specificities. These countries are adapting their existing public procurement legislation to the European Council “Remedies Directives”. The annex contains summaries of complaint review systems in eleven western and eastern European countries. The purpose is to provide possible institutional reform models for central and eastern European countries. Keywords: EU accession, EU directives, procurement law, public procurement Creation-Date: 2000-01-01 Number: 30 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:30-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Improving Policy Instruments through Impact Assessment Abstract: Central and eastern European countries have been and still are adapting their legal framework to the requirements of a Western market economy and the body of EU legislation, the acquis communautaire. As the harmonisation of the national legal framework to EU standards is one of the yardsticks for EU accession, most candidate countries have drafted and adopted new legislation under enormous time pressure. Sub-optimal solutions, unforeseen implementation costs and unintended side effects were unavoidable. In many cases new legislation has proved impossible to implement. This experience has led candidate countries and other transition countries to develop an interest in impact assessment. EU Member States introduced impact assessment for legal programmes about two decades ago, based on the experience that new legislation may have a considerable and sometimes unexpected, impact not only on the budget, but also on various parts of the economy and society as a whole. Today, there is an acceptance among EU Member States that some kind of impact assessment exercise should be conducted before legislative changes are introduced. Although the comprehensiveness of a particular impact assessment exercise depends on a variety of factors, e.g. the importance of the policy issue or the commitment of the respective government, the basic aim is to enhance the quality of government decision-making. Establishing or improving the administrative capacity to carry out impact assessments is crucial for both in order to provide the government with the necessary information to take informed decisions on policy options and to improve the quality of new legislation. Even applying only the basic principles of impact assessment can often avoid the necessity for immediate amendments or redrafting. This publication deals with impact assessment in a wide sense, including policy analysis (impact assessment for choosing the instrument), assessment of a policy instrument during the drafting stage and evaluation of existing laws or programmes. Special emphasis is given to impact assessment during drafting. Keywords: EU accession, EU integration, legal framework, legislation, policy evaluation, policy instruments, regulatory impact assessment Creation-Date: 2001-01-01 Number: 31 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:31-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Financial Management and Control of Public Agencies Abstract: All Member States of the EU and countries from Central and Eastern Europe use agencies of various shapes and sizes as part of their system of public administration. The legal forms vary widely from country to country depending on the legal tradition and the system of administration. Public agencies, if properly designed and managed, provide an opportunity for decentralising public administration, achieving greater transparency in government operations, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness with which government services are delivered to end users. Agencies can thus be used for economically and socially beneficial reasons, and indeed are sometimes employed as a stepping stone to more radical options, e.g. the privatisation of government services. However, agencies can also be misused for purposes that contravene the tenets of good governance and sound financial management. They can be a source of inefficiency, unregulated and covert expenditures, political favouritism and corruption. This paper originated in a request from the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic for SIGMA advice in developing new legal provisions for the financial management of public agencies. However, this subject cannot be addressed without avoiding the broader context. This paper has expanded well beyond the scope of the original mandate. It highlights the practice and experience of five EU Member States with very different legal systems and administrative structures. It focuses on issues relating to the financial management of public agencies but also discusses, in less detail, other issues concerning legal structures and governance. No single good practice "model" exists in this complex field. International best practice is still evolving. Moreover, we recommend a cautious approach by countries that are tempted to transpose elements of the agency models applied in countries such as New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Would-be reformers should consider whether the legal and administrative structures are comparable, and the necessary systems of regulation, control and open reporting are in place and can be enforced. Whilst avoiding simplistic solutions, the paper includes recommendations that policy makers in Central and Eastern Europe should take into account before embarking on major reforms in this area. Keywords: financial management and control, legal tradition, public administration, public agencies Creation-Date: 2001-01-01 Number: 32 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:32-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Relations Between Supreme Audit Institutions and Parliamentary Committees Abstract: The SIGMA Paper is drawn from a report on relations between Supreme Audit Institutions and parliamentary committees, prepared for the network of Presidents of the Supreme Audit Institutions of Central and Eastern Countries, Cyprus, Malta and the European Court of Auditors, as part of their efforts to prepare candidate countries for eventual membership of the European Union. It was written primarily for use by those organisations but SIGMA does believe it also has wider interest. The principal contributors of this paper were the Supreme Chamber of Control of Poland and the National Audit Office of Malta, represented by Jacek Mazur and Brian Vella respectively; supported by Jan Pieter Lingen and Chris Kok from the European Court of Auditors; SIGMA expert Harry Havens; former SIGMA staffer Bo Sandberg; and SIGMA staffer Nick Treen. Participating in the work of the liaison officers were the Supreme Audit Institutions of Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia who all supplied valuable data to provide the basis of the report. In addition, the report incorporated material prepared by the Supreme Audit Institutions of Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK, the European Court of Auditors; and SIGMA. Keywords: audit, EU accession, EU enlargement, parliamentary committees, parliaments, supreme audit institutions Creation-Date: 2002-01-01 Number: 33 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:33-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Achieving High Quality in the Work of Supreme Audit Institutions Abstract: This paper focuses primarily on the issue of how to achieve high quality in the audit process. In addition to describing the types of procedures needed to achieve quality, however, it discusses basic principles and those matters of institutional management that create an environment that encourages high quality in an SAI’s work. Audit quality is obtained by a process of identifying and administering the activities needed to achieve the quality objectives of an SAI. All types of SAIs need to understand the benefits that can be realised once audit quality is made a top priority. Improving audit quality requires a systematic SAI-wide approach. Piecemeal efforts by individuals and individual audit teams are not enough and will not work. There are no quick fixes to be obtained where audit quality is concerned. SAIs need to proceed methodically in an organised way to fix each quality issue and problem in turn. As new problems will always emerge, this should be a continuous process for the SAI. It is also evident that most audit quality-related problems are mainly the result of poor management of the audit process or of the SAI itself. Ensuring high levels of quality in an audit organisation involves a succession of detailed steps that must be taken over a period of time. In fact, it is a never-ending process of continual improvement. The first requirement is to define the standards of quality and then to put quality control procedures in place that will ensure that these standards are met. These procedures need not – and should not – suppress the initiative and good judgement of the auditor in adapting to particular circumstances. However, if the auditor judges that it is necessary to depart from the usual audit techniques, it is incumbent upon the auditor to demonstrate the necessity of doing so, and to show that the approach he or she has chosen is capable of satisfying the audit objectives. Keywords: EU accession, EU enlargement, financial control, quality control, supreme audit institutions Creation-Date: 2004-01-01 Number: 34 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:34-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Co-ordination at the Centre of Government: The Functions and Organisation of the Government Office Comparative; Analysis of OECD Countries, CEECs and Western Balkan Countries Abstract: A well-functioning government office acts as a co-ordinator of the decision-making system and as such is crucial for the government’s capacity to define and pursue its collective objectives. The “Government Office” is a generic term that refers to the institution(s) at the centre of government responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and serving the Council of Ministers as a collective decision-making body. This paper describes and analyses the functions and organisation of government offices in a comparative context, covering OECD member countries, central and eastern European countries (CEECs), and countries of the Western Balkans (ex-Yugoslavia and Albania). The analysis is based on information gathered by Sigma and GOV (PUMA)1 since the mid 1990’s, supplemented by results of a written questionnaire administered by Sigma and GOV in 2003. Keywords: centre of government, EU accession, European integration, OECD countries, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2004-01-01 Number: 35 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:35-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Conflict of Interest Policies and Practices in Nine EU Member States: A Comparative Review Abstract: This paper was prepared by Sigma, upon the request of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, to serve as a basic comparative working document for the preparation of a new policy and regulation on conflict of interest in the Czech public sector. Given its generalist orientation, the paper could also be useful for other countries carrying out specific reforms in the area of conflict of interest and general reforms related to anti-corruption policies and instruments. This paper provides descriptive data and an analytical overview of approaches to managing conflicts of interest in the public sector of nine European countries — six “old” EU members (France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom) and three “new” EU members (Hungary, Latvia and Poland). The paper also provides some conclusions that are worth taking into account when reforming policies and instruments to improve regulations and practices on conflict of interest. Keywords: conflict of interest, corruption, democracy, public sector Creation-Date: 2005-01-01 Number: 36 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:36-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Enlargement of the European Union: An Analysis of the Negotiations for Countries of the Western Balkans Abstract: This paper analyses the negotiations which will take place with the six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia & Herzogovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) and attempts to identify where the major problems are likely to lie. The experience of the fifth enlargement of the European Union to the 12 countries of Central and Eastern Europe is used extensively in this analysis for two reasons: firstly, because the offer made to these countries is likely to be the starting point for the offer to be made to the countries of the Western Balkans; secondly, because the problems which occurred in the negotiations for the fifth enlargement are likely to be the main areas of negotiation with the six countries. Keywords: EU accession, EU enlargement, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 37 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:37-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Political Advisors and Civil Servants in European Countries Abstract: While defining appropriate roles for political advisers is a highly relevant topic in most democracies and especially in EU NMS, as well as candidate and CARDS countries today, surprisingly little comparative information exists. To fill this gap, in Autumn 2005, the Sigma Programme launched a questionnaire-based study to collect country experience, as well as a series of seminars on the topic. The first part of this publication provides an overview on the role of political advisers and their relationship with civil servants in OECD countries. In a second part, detailed country chapters on political advisers in Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Spain, as well as Great Britain are presented. Keywords: civil servants, EU accession, EU enlargement, ministries, political advisers Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 38 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:38-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: The Role of Ministries in the Policy System: Policy Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Abstract: This publication is based on a Sigma paper and on reports by EU Member States prepared in 2005 at the request of several new Member States. The original paper and some Member State reports were then used as background documentation for a Sigma workshop for countries in the CARDS region on the role of ministries in policy systems, held in November 2005. This revised version of the paper, prepared after the workshop, includes as an annex a summary of insights from EU Member States as well as comparative information concerning the CARDS region, which was gathered during the workshop on the basis of a questionnaire. This publication presents the steps in the policy process and offers a framework for assessing and developing the role of ministries in the policy process, as well as insights on how the policy process is currently organised in Western Balkan countries. Its contents complement the information provided in a previous Sigma paper, which had emphasised the structure and work of the government secretariat. Keywords: evaluation, monitoring, policy development, policymaking, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 39 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:39-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Central Public Procurement Structures and Capacity in Member States of the European Union Abstract: This study provides an analysis of the functions, structures and capacity of the central public procurement bodies of Member States. Twenty-two separate overviews of public procurement systems in the 22 participating Member States were produced on the basis of national responses to a detailed questionnaire. An in-depth review of these country system overviews provided the comparative analysis portion of this study, which discusses from different angles the various models in place in Member States. Keywords: EU directives, public procurement Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 40 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:40-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Public Procurement Review and Remedies Systems in the European Union Abstract: This study provides a comparative analysis of the public procurement review and remedies systems of Member States. Twenty-four separate overviews of public procurement systems in the 24 participating Member States were produced on the basis of national responses to a detailed questionnaire. An in-depth review of these country system overviews provided the comparative analysis portion of this study. Keywords: public procurement, remedies systems, review systems Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 41 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:41-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Regulatory Management Capacities of Member States of the EU that Joined the Union on 1 May 2004: Sustaining Regulatory Management Improvements through a Better Regulation Policy Abstract: The European Commission requested Sigma to carry out a study on the regulatory management capacities of the ten countries that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 to learn more about their Better Regulation practices, exchange good practices and make suggestions for further improvements. This study was carried out by way of peer reviews taking place between March 2005 and October 2006. The topics examined were notably: the origins of EU Better Regulation policy, regulatory management processes, the tools used in these processes (impact assessment, consultation, simplification, alternatives and accessibility), enactment processes and the enforcement and compliance of laws in the NMS, with reference to intellectual property law and environmental laws. Each peer reviews led to a country report that was sent to the Commission and the Member State in question. Publication of each country report was left to the discretion of the Member State in question. A synthesis was drawn up summarizing all findings and making recommendations addressed to all new Member States in general. Keywords: enactment processes, impact assessment, legal compliance, regulatory management Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 42 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:42-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Organising the Central State Administration: Policies & Instruments Abstract: The main purpose of the paper is to provide orientations based on a comparative approach to policy makers on drafting legislation on the organisation and functioning of the state administration. It is therefore written in a practice oriented way, although it nevertheless attempts to draw some generalisation. Keywords: agencification, central state administration, deconcentration, EU accession, EU enlargement Creation-Date: 2007-01-01 Number: 43 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:43-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Jan-Hinrik Meyer-Sahling Author-Workplace-Name: University of Nottingham Title: Sustainability of Civil Service Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe Five Years After EU Accession Abstract: Before joining the EU in May 2004, Central and Eastern European countries were required to professionalise their civil services. Most were perceived as having made improvements sufficient to be granted EU membership status. But what happened next? Five years after accession, this paper answers the question. Keywords: civil service reform, legal basis Creation-Date: 2009-01-01 Number: 44 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:44-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Public Procurement in EU Member States - The Regulation of Contract Below the EU Thresholds and in Areas not Covered by the Detailed Rules of the EU Directives Abstract: How do Member States regulate their national public procurement systems below the EU thresholds and in areas not regulated in detail by the EU Directives? This paper provides the reader with an overview of different national policies, rules and procedures and presents common features and patterns in the regulatory approach of the countries covered. It will help Sigma partner countries design efficient and sound legal frameworks also outside the scope of the EU Directives. It may as well be of interest to the Member States themselves and to the international procurement community at large. Keywords: EU directives, public procurement, thresholds Creation-Date: 2010-05-27 Number: 45 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:45-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: The Right to Open Public Administrations in Europe: Emerging Legal Standards Abstract: The aim of this paper is to explore the most problematic aspects of information access legal regimes and to provide some guidelines to policy makers, including legislators, governments and public administrators. The analysis is based on the comparison of Freedom of Information Acts (FOIAs) and their administrative/judicial enforcement in 14 EU member states and the EU institutions. Keywords: information access, legal standards, legislation Creation-Date: 2010-11-19 Number: 46 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:46-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: OECD Title: Centralised Purchasing Systems in the European Union Abstract: This study provides a comparative analysis of existing centralised purchasing institutions in selected EU Member States in terms of organisation, coverage, objectives and rationale, financing models, types of framework agreements and call-off systems, as well as the information technology used, and it examines success factors, risks and future challenges. Keywords: centralised purchasing systems, EU directives, public procurement Creation-Date: 2011-04-29 Number: 47 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:47-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Jan-Hinrik Meyer-Sahling Title: Civil Service Professionalisation in the Western Balkans Abstract: This report examines the professionalisation of the civil service in seven Western Balkan states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. In the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the civil service is analysed separately for the state level (henceforth BiH), the Federation level (FBiH) and the Republika Srpska (henceforth RS).The report builds on SIGMA Paper No. 44 (2009), which assessed the sustainability of civil service reforms in the new EU member states of Central and Eastern Europe after their accession to the European Union (henceforth EU) in 2004. SIGMA Paper No. 44 found that Central and Eastern European states had made significant progress towards the establishment of professional and impartial civil service systems before joining the EU. Yet after accession only a minority of countries, namely the Baltic States, continued to invest in the professionalisation of the civil service. Accordingly, the paper examines, first, the degree to which civil service systems ‘fit’ the European principles of administration and, second, the drivers of civil service professionalisation, in order to gain insights with regard to the sustainability of reforms in the Western Balkans. Keywords: civil service, civil service law, professionalisation, senior civil service, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2012-11-01 Number: 48 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:48-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Kalypso Nicolaidis Author-Workplace-Name: University of Oxford Author-Name: Rachel Kleinfeld Author-Workplace-Name: Truman National Security Project Title: Rethinking Europe's « Rule of Law » and Enlargement Agenda: The Fundamental Dilemma Abstract: This paper sets out a strategy calling for a radical overhaul of the manner in which both the EU and aspiring member states define and implement what the Copenhagen criteria refer to as the “Rule of Law” in pursuit of the elusive goal of sustainability. While pointing to the limits of the current “anatomical method” centered on legal and institutional checklists, the paper stresses the existence of a fundamental dilemma between, on the one hand, the need to be more ambitious in assessing and promoting the “Rule of Law” and, on the other hand, the imperative to exercise humility and restraint regarding the claims made by the EU on behalf of “Rule of Law” assessment and assistance. Keywords: EU, EU accession, EU enlargement, rule of law Creation-Date: 2012-11-01 Number: 49 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:49-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Hakan Tokaç Author-Workplace-Name: Treasury Department Author-Name: Mike Williams Title: Government Debt Management and Operational Risk: A Risk Management Framework and its Application in Turkey Abstract: The management of operational risk is at the heart of efficient government, but countries often fail to apply good or even routine operational risk management practices and have difficulty in understanding how to put the processes in place. Through an analysis of Turkey’s Undersecretariat of Treasury, SIGMA Paper 50 presents an overview of key operational risks and recommendations on how to develop a framework for managing them, and provides lessons learnt that can be applied in debt management units and related treasury functions across a wide range of countries. Keywords: debt management, operational risk, risk management Creation-Date: 2013-04-17 Number: 50 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:50-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Klas Klaas Author-Workplace-Name: OECD Title: Policy Making Review Montenegro Abstract: This review examines how policy making is undertaken in Montenegro, looking at both the Government and Parliament. It covers the central co-ordination and horizontal planning systems, including the planning of co-ordination systems for European integration affairs, as well as the arrangements for policy analysis and monitoring in line ministries. It analyses key aspects of Montenegro’s public governance capacities in policy making, highlights areas of good practice and suggests areas where focused improvements could be made in the context of European integration. Keywords: legal framework, policy development, policy planning Creation-Date: 2014-07-17 Number: 51 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:51-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Keit Kasemets Author-Workplace-Name: OECD Title: Policy Making Review Kosovo Abstract: Kosovo is facing crucial challenges in developing a competitive economy, providing a decent level of public service and moving closer to the EU. Developing national policies to meet these objectives will require a functional policy co-ordination, planning and development system. This review is the second in a series of SIGMA policy making reviews, looking into the required legal framework, the policy making arrangements and the capacities of Kosovo. Covering the Government, including the centre of the government and ministries, and also the Assembly, the review provides an in-depth analysis of the key aspects of Kosovo’s public governance capacities in policy making and co-ordination. Kosovo has made remarkable progress in the last decade, however many challenges still remain. The review also includes proposals to further enhance the policy making system. Keywords: legal framework, policy development, policy planning Creation-Date: 2015-01-22 Number: 52 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:52-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Péter Vági Author-Workplace-Name: OECD Author-Name: Keit Kasemets Author-Workplace-Name: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia Title: Functioning of the Centres of Government in the Western Balkans Abstract: A well-functioning policy making system is a key pillar of a transparent and effective democratic system. It is also a crucial precondition for the country to make progress in the European integration process as the capacity of national administrations to undertake the obligations linked with European Union membership is a key criterion in the assessment of candidate preparedness. This is to ensure that the administration is capable of successfully dealing with the complex policy issues facing all European Union member states in an efficient manner.This comparative analysis takes stock of the organisational set up, regulatory framework, and the practices of the key centre of government functions in the Western Balkans, highlighting similarities and differences, and it also gives examples from some EU Member States. Keywords: centre of government, institutional architecture, policymaking Creation-Date: 2017-04-05 Number: 53 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:53-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Bianca Brétéché Author-Name: Alastair Swarbrick Title: Developing Effective Working Relationships Between Supreme Audit Institutions and Parliaments Abstract: Supreme audit institutions and parliaments have an important role in holding governments to account for the use of public funds. Parliaments rely on the objective and professional work of supreme audit institutions to provide them with information about the use of public resources. Parliaments, however, will only use the work of the supreme audit institutions if it is interesting and relevant.This SIGMA paper provides a comparative analysis of how supreme audit institutions and parliaments have developed effective working relationships in the European Union (EU) and EU Accession countries. It describes the expectations for establishing effective relationships and the key factors and issues that influence them, and offers guidance to supreme audit institutions and parliaments for establishing effective working relationships. It also provides a toolkit for strengthening these working relations. Keywords: EU candidate, public accountability, public auditing, supreme audit institutions, transparency Creation-Date: 2017-06-13 Number: 54 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:54-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Annika Uudelepp Author-Name: Wojciech Zielinski Author-Name: Juhani Lemmik Author-Name: Kaido Paabusk Title: Analysis of the Professionalisation of the Senior Civil Service and the Way Forward for the Western Balkans Abstract: Professionalisation of the senior civil service (SCS) is a key determinant of organisational performance in the public sector. It helps governments fulfil policy objectives. Building a professional SCS involves the development of both professional competence and political responsiveness. However, SCS professionalisation remains one of the main challenges in the public administrations of the Western Balkans.This paper provides an overview of the state of play in the Western Balkans based on the Principles of Public Administration elaborated by SIGMA, and on other OECD analytical work, and suggests ways forward. The paper demonstrates that most of the current systems are not yet capable of producing a professional SCS. The paper intends to help senior-ranking decision makers, both at the political and SCS level, to design policies and institutions to support greater professionalism of the SCS. Keywords: professionalisation, senior civil service, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2018-09-07 Number: 55 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:55-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Marian Lemke Author-Name: Susie Smith Author-Name: Teja Kolar Author-Name: Małgorzata Stachowiak Title: Implementing the EU Directives on the selection of economic operators in public procurement procedures Abstract: This Paper analyses and presents the implementation of new procurement tools relating to the choice of participants in public procurement procedures in selected EU member countries, based on the EU Directives, in order to provide examples to SIGMA’s partner countries. A detailed analysis of policies and rules, as well as practical examples, offers guidance on issues such as how to reduce over bureaucratic requirements and the cost of participation for economic operators; how contracting authorities can simplify and streamline the process of verification of information provided by economic operators; how other state authorities (tax offices, courts, etc.) can support contracting authorities; to establish official lists of economic operators; and how to use blacklists and under what conditions. The study gives a detailed overview of the provisions of the EU Directives on mandatory and discretionary grounds for exclusion, self-cleaning, selection of economic operators, self-certification, means of proof, official lists and blacklisting. It presents several practical examples of the transposition of those provisions into the national legislation of selected EU member countries. Keywords: economic operators, EU directives, public procurement Creation-Date: 2018-10-02 Number: 56 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:56-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Péter Vági Author-Name: Egle Rimkute Title: Toolkit for the preparation, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of public administration reform and sector strategies: Guidance for SIGMA partners Abstract: The development and implementation of public administration reform (PAR) and sector strategies are both processes that require identifying the core problems a given country administration is facing, setting clear objectives and targets to address those problems, and translating these into specific actions. This Toolkit is designed for the preparation, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of PAR and sector strategies. It is designed to support governments and public administrations that are committed to meeting the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 16 and the SIGMA Principles of Public Administration. The Toolkit provides practical insights and advice, as well as easy-to-use tools for those involved in the development and implementation of PAR and sector strategies. It was developed by gathering, reviewing and compiling lessons learned, recommendations, advice and tools developed and promoted by SIGMA and the rest of the OECD Public Governance Directorate. Keywords: evaluation, monitoring, public administration reform, reporting, sector strategies, toolkit Creation-Date: 2018-10-10 Number: 57 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:57-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Klas Klaas Author-Name: Lech Marcinkowski Author-Name: Milena Lazarević Title: Managerial accountability in the Western Balkans: A comparative analysis of the barriers and opportunities faced by senior managers in delivering policy objectives Abstract: Managerial accountability means both a clear focus on performance and compliance with rules. It requires holding managers accountable for results by assigning them responsibility, delegating authority for decision making, and giving them the autonomy and resources necessary to achieve the expected results. In the Western Balkans, achieving progress with public internal financial control and public administration reforms more generally has proven especially difficult in the absence of good conditions for managerial accountability.This Paper analyses the state of play regarding managerial accountability in the region based on the Principles of Public Administration developed by SIGMA in collaboration with the European Commission. This paper has also benefitted from broader OECD analytical work, including OECD standards and policy frameworks. It explains many of the current barriers to the development of results-oriented accountability of managers. Its objective is to advise key state authorities in the Western Balkans on how to develop favourable conditions for managerial accountability. Keywords: accountability, autonomy, internal control, managerial accountability Creation-Date: 2018-11-12 Number: 58 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:58-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Miroslawa Boryczka Author-Name: Daria Bochnar Author-Name: Andra Larin Title: Guidelines for assessing the quality of internal control systems Abstract: Public sector organisations across the world are increasingly using advanced management concepts. One such concept, internal control, is a set of management arrangements designed to achieve an organisation’s objectives on time, to appropriate performance standards, within budget, efficiently, effectively and in compliance with the law. These Guidelines explain in detail how to develop internal control in public sector organisations and how to assess the quality of existing systems. They are intended to guide ministries of finance and public sector managers in EU candidate countries and potential candidates, but could also be used by other administrations interested in assessing or improving their management and control systems. Keywords: central harmonisation unit, integrity, internal control, quality assessment, risk assessment Creation-Date: 2019-06-19 Number: 59 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:59-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Marian Lemke Author-Name: Eriks Mezalis Author-Name: Dariusz Piasta Author-Name: Susie Smith Title: Central public procurement institutions in the Western Balkans: With selected EU country examples Abstract: This paper offers a comparative overview of central institutions that develop, regulate and manage the public procurement systems in the Western Balkans, also drawing on examples of good practices established in several EU countries. Its focus is a systematic and detailed discussion of the functions of public procurement offices and agencies, or equivalent institutions.It intends to demonstrate how properly designed central public procurement institutions can support the development of a sound and efficient national procurement system. Keywords: public administration reform, public procurement, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2020-11-19 Number: 60 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:60-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Bagrat Tunyan Title: Regulatory impact assessment and EU law transposition in the Western Balkans: A comparative analysis of the practice of ex ante assessment of regulatory proposals and EU law transposition Abstract: The paper provides a comparative analysis of the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) systems of the six Western Balkans administrations, showing how they have been used to ensure evidence-based lawmaking and EU law transposition. The regulatory and methodological frameworks, institutional set-ups and arrangements for RIA and EU law harmonisation, including government planning, EU accession negotiations and transposition, have been systematically analysed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of national systems and practice and to share knowledge and good practices. Key policy recommendations have been provided to address major shortcomings and improve the national systems of regulatory policy making. Keywords: regulation, regulatory impact assessment, RIA, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2021-02-02 Number: 61 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:61-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Timo Ligi Author-Name: Andrej Kmecl Title: Implementation of laws on general administrative procedure in the Western Balkans Abstract: The paper provides a comparative analysis of the implementation of the recently adopted laws on administrative procedure in the five Western Balkan administrations. First the paper confirms the compliance of the laws with the principles of good administrative behaviour that have been established by the Council of Europe recommendations, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Principles of Public Administration. Subsequently, the application of these principles in practice is reviewed on the basis of three sample administrative procedures. Finally, the paper identifies the main implementation challenges and their causes as well as suggests measures for overcoming the challenges on the basis of experiences from EU and OECD member states. Keywords: administrative procedures, laws, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2021-05-19 Number: 62 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:62-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Jesper Johnsøn Author-Name: Lech Marcinkowski Author-Name: Dawid Sześciło Title: Organisation of public administration: Agency governance, autonomy and accountability Abstract: Good governance of public agencies requires the application of a set of regulatory and managerial tools to find the right balance between autonomy of agencies and adequate oversight from portfolio ministries and other actors. This paper provides insights from EU and OECD good practices, with a detailed analysis of EU acquis requirements for national regulatory agencies. New empirical evidence shows that public administrations in the Western Balkans and European Neighbourhood area lack clear policies and regulations for agency governance and misinterpret the EU acquis. This leads to a proliferation of agencies, duplication of functions and waste of public resources, a lack of accountability to portfolio ministries and generally a governance vacuum. Implementation of government policy is blocked and democratic accountability generally undermined. Finally, recommendations for better organisation of public administration are provided, based on the empirical analysis and lessons learned from SIGMA's engagement in such reforms. Keywords: accountability, agency governance, autonomy, public administration reform, regulators, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2021-10-22 Number: 63 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:63-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Nick Thijs Author-Name: Iain Mackie Author-Name: Martins Krievins Title: Service design and delivery in the European Neighbourhood Policy East region: A comparative report on designing and delivering administrative services in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine Abstract: European Neighbourhood East countries have been actively engaged in improving service delivery for citizens and businesses for some time. Some have opted for flagship initiatives (often with large-scale, one-stop shop solutions), some for digitalisation of services, while some have taken an incremental approach towards the service delivery modernisation process. This comparative paper outlines the state of play in the design and delivery of public administrative services in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Public administrative services cover the vast array of interactions with (and within) government: making enquiries, applications, registrations and payments, and receiving information, documentation, decisions and funds. These contacts allow service users (citizens, businesses and non-governmental organisations) to exercise rights, access entitlements, execute obligations and achieve ambitions. As well as the description and analysis of the general service delivery framework(s), institutional set-up and practical implementation, this paper presents a comparative analysis of a set of life events and highlights inspiring practices from the different countries. Keywords: digitalisation, European Neighbourhood East, service delivery, service design, user experience Creation-Date: 2022-12-02 Number: 64 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:64-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Alastair Swarbrick Author-Name: Ferdinand Pot Title: Public accounting reforms in the Western Balkans and European Neighbourhood: Guidance for SIGMA Partners Abstract: This report discusses the costs and benefits of the transition from cash to accrual accounting in the public sector for SIGMA partners in the Western Balkans and the European Neighbourhood. The countries are attracted by the promises of accrual accounting and the corresponding IPSAS standards that it will improve transparency, accountability and financial decision-making. This report investigates whether the reform towards accrual accounting is indeed recommendable given that the reform towards IPSAS-based financial statements also carries a higher administrative burden and often requires government-wide adaptation or adjustment of the financial information systems. In this report, evidence from case studies of five EU Member States and four SIGMA partners is combined with a review of the academic literature to understand the balance of the benefits versus the costs of the reform. Keywords: accrual accounting, cash accounting, European neighbourhood, public accounting, public financial management reform, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2022-12-13 Number: 65 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:65-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Andrew Davies Author-Name: Monika Kurian Author-Name: Isabelle Chatry Author-Name: Maria Varinia Michalun Author-Name: Thomas Prorok Title: Subnational government in the Western Balkans Abstract: Subnational governments play a significant role in ensuring good public governance. The way that they are organised and function has a direct impact on the economic and social well-being of citizens and public trust in government. This report presents the system of multi-level government in the six Western Balkan economies, comparing them both with one another and in the context of broader international trends in multi-level governance. The report covers territorial and institutional organisation, competences of local governments, human resources and accountability, public financial management and vertical and horizontal co-ordination, in each case identifying key characteristics and recent trends. Keywords: decentralisation, multi-level governance, public governance, subnational government, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2023-03-27 Number: 66 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:66-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Andrew Davies Author-Name: Péter Vági Title: The role and functions of the centre of government in the European Neighbourhood Policy East region Abstract: The institutions that make up the centre of government (CoG) play a crucial role in the policymaking process and help to ensure that government decisions are timely, evidence-informed, strategic and consistent. Despite this prominent role, the CoG often has the reputation of being somewhat opaque in terms of its structure and ways of working. This report presents an overview of the role and functions of the CoG of five European Neighbourhood Policy East countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine – from a comparative perspective, both with respect to each other and in comparison with CoGs in OECD and EU countries. The report explores the CoG’s role in policy co-ordination, how it supports quality decision making, its contribution to strategic planning and its role in managing European integration issues. The report highlights strengths and challenges in the ways that the CoG institutions operate in the five countries and suggests areas for which policy dialogue and exchange of experience with OECD and EU Members could help to enhance outcomes. Keywords: centre of government, European integration, European neighbourhood east, policy co-ordination, strategic planning Creation-Date: 2023-05-25 Number: 67 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:67-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Bagrat Tunyan Author-Name: Klaus H. Goetz Title: Parliaments and evidence-based lawmaking in the Western Balkans: A comparative analysis of parliamentary rules, procedures and practice Abstract: Parliaments have a unique role in ensuring that adopted laws, regardless of who initiated them, are evidence-based and fit-for-purpose. For the executive branch, laws are vital instruments through which they deliver public policy. Governments therefore rely on parliaments to scrutinise and adopt legislation in a timely, well-planned and co-ordinated manner. Parliamentary scrutiny of government lawmaking and its role in ex post evaluation of law implementation helps the legislature hold the executive to account. Evidence-based lawmaking is especially critical to EU integration processes as they involve adoption of many new laws. This paper reviews how laws are planned, initiated, prepared, scrutinised and evaluated by the parliaments of six Western Balkan administrations. The report discusses the concept of lawmaking within a parliamentary system of government. It considers how parliaments and governments co-operate and co-ordinate their legislative activities throughout the lawmaking cycle, providing a comparative analysis of existing rules and procedures as well as lawmaking practices. A set of key findings and policy recommendations are provided to support the Western Balkan administrations to plan and implement future reforms. Keywords: impact assessment, lawmaking, legal drafting, legislative planning, policy co-ordination Creation-Date: 2024-03-15 Number: 68 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:68-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Bianca Brétéché Author-Name: Alastair Swarbrick Title: Increasing the impact of supreme audit institutions through external engagement: Compendium of European experiences with developing effective relationships between SAIs and non-governmental stakeholders Abstract: Supreme audit institutions (SAIs) are a critical part of public accountability systems. They ‘watch’ over governments’ use of public money and report about it publicly, helping to increase transparency. SAIs have an interest in strongly engaging with external stakeholders – including citizens – to make sure that their work is relevant, understood and used to hold governments to account.This paper provides a compilation of European SAIs’ practices on communication, co-operation and collaboration with external partners and is intended to provide inspiration to SAIs of EU candidate countries and potential candidates to further strengthen their engagement with their non-governmental stakeholders. Keywords: EU candidate, external engagement, non-governmental stakeholders, supreme audit institutions, transparency Creation-Date: 2024-04-29 Number: 69 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:69-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Monika Kurian Author-Name: Pawel Swianiewicz Author-Name: Filipe Teles Title: Inter-municipal co-operation in the Western Balkans Abstract: Inter-municipal co-operation (IMC) has proved to be a constructive and efficient instrument in many EU and OECD countries for solving several issues at the local government level, including the lack of resources, administrative fragmentation, the investment burden of individual municipalities or better and more efficient organisation of public service provision. Although IMC is still often thought of as an alternative to the politically sensitive merging of small municipalities, nowadays its use has raised the interest of public administrations whose local governments are medium- and large-sized and that see this instrument as a way to empower local governments, provide them with more responsibilities, ensure sustainability of public services and fuel planning capacities and strategic thinking at the local and regional level. This paper summarises examples from EU and OECD countries where IMC either has a long-standing history or has recently received increased support and attention. It also provides an analysis of the legislative basis, support and incentives and practical data of IMC in the Western Balkan administrations. The paper offers several recommendations specific to the Western Balkan administrations for how to benefit from IMC. Keywords: inter-municipal co-operation, local government, public administration, subnational government Creation-Date: 2024-06-06 Number: 70 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:70-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lech Marcinkowski Author-Name: Anca Butnaru Author-Name: Aleksandra Rabrenović Title: Salary systems in public administration and their reforms: Guidance for SIGMA partners Abstract: Public sector remuneration systems are shaped by an intricate interaction of administrative culture, economic conditions, and political systems. This paper discusses critical considerations to bear in mind when designing, planning and implementing reforms of public service wage systems. It explores key concepts such as job evaluation, pay structures, performance-related pay, market analysis for competitive pay levels and wage bill planning. It provides guidance on the process of reforming public sector salary systems to enhance their competitiveness, equity, transparency and affordability. The paper offers insights drawn from the reform efforts of several EU Member States and SIGMA partners in the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, presenting real-life examples and updated guidelines for effective, sustainable salary system changes. The primary focus is on reforms of wage systems within central government administrations, acknowledging the complexity arising from diverse classifications of civil service and public employees, and the varying scope and structure of salary systems. This paper serves as a practical guide, presenting options along with their advantages and disadvantages to aid policymakers in aligning reforms with their national public administration context and strategies. Keywords: gender pay gap, human resource management, pay equity, public sector, salary policy, salary system reform Creation-Date: 2024-06-20 Number: 71 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:71-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Ferdinand Pot Author-Name: Janez Šušteršič Title: Organisational structure of budget management: Directions for reform in the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova Abstract: This paper studies the differences between the organisation of budget management in selected government administrations in the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova and good practice across the European Union (EU). It observes that the ministry of finance (MoF) in these administrations typically engages in direct budget negotiations with a large number of budget organisations. This practice is in stark contrast with the budgeting approach observed in the EU, where the MoF only deals directly with government ministries and a limited number of constitutional bodies. The paper highlights the adverse consequences for the strategic role of the MoF for fiscal policy, the accountability of line ministries for budgeting and service delivery in their sector and the introduction of modern public financial management instruments such as medium-term budgeting and performance-based budgeting. This paper recommends that governments reduce the number of first-level budget organisations and give line ministries more responsibility for budget management in their sector. At the same time, the paper recommends strengthening line ministries’ accountability for budget management towards the parliament. Keywords: budget management, budget reform, government and budgeting, ministerial accountability Creation-Date: 2024-07-11 Number: 72 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:72-EN Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Timo Ligi Author-Name: Andrej Kmecl Author-Name: Villem Lapimaa Title: The functioning of administrative judiciaries in the Western Balkans Abstract: A functional administrative judiciary is one of the mandatory elements of the rule of law, which explicitly includes “access to justice before independent and impartial courts, including judicial review of administrative acts”. As such, effective administrative justice as a form of oversight is also a vital element of a good and functional public administration. Efforts to improve the functioning of administrative judiciary form an intersection where public administration reform and rule of law reforms meet. This paper analyses selected elements of Western Balkan and European Union (EU) administrative judiciaries, to understand in which respects Western Balkan judiciaries fall short of the standards achieved by their EU counterparts and what could be done to improve the functioning of the administration. The selection of elements to be covered in this analysis was based on discussions with Western Balkan judges, public authorities and other stakeholders, with the overall aim of focusing on elements that are relevant across the region or in a majority of jurisdictions. Keywords: administrative acts, administrative justice, judicial independence, rule of law, Western Balkans Creation-Date: 2024-12-18 Number: 73 Handle: RePEc:oec:govaac:73-EN