| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Details | 11.11.01 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 11/11/2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Details of the latest steps in the process of reforming the Commission were unveiled on 30 October 2001. Announcing proposals for modernising the Commission's human resources policy, Neil Kinnock, Vice-President for Reform said: 'The adoption of these proposals on management, on appraisal and promotion, and on a new career system ... will help to bring out the very best in the highly able staff of the Institution by ensuring that their qualities are properly encouraged, assessed and recognised. That will benefit them as career professionals and it will further strengthen the Commission's performance in the Service of the Union'. Background The previous Commission, headed by Jacques Santer, resigned on 15 March 1999, following a critical report by a Committee of Independent Experts set up by the European Parliament: First report on allegations regarding fraud, mismanagement and nepotism in the European Commission. The investigation was organised by Parliament in response to allegations by a Commission official, Paul van Buitenen. On 10 September 1999 the Committee issued a second report: Analysis of current practice and proposals for tackling mismanagement, irregularities and fraud. The Prodi Commission formally took office on 14 September 1999, following ratification of its 20 members by the European Parliament. However, prior to formal approval being granted, Mr Prodi and the Commissioners-designate were at pains to portray themselves as an open and transparent administration-in-waiting. A Code of Conduct for Commissioners [pdf] was published, and information about personalities, policies and processes was made available on the Europa website (see for example, the collection of press releases on Commissioners-designate and speeches made by the President-designate). Once in office, President Prodi restructured the Commission to improve its effectiveness in key areas, and a number of new Directorates-General were created, including External Relations, Justice and Home Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection, and Enterprise. A premium was placed on personal responsibility, with each member of the Commission required to give an undertaking that he/she will resign if asked to do so by the President. Progress towards reform On 18 January 2000, Neil Kinnock, Commission Vice-President for Administrative Reform, published a consultative document 'Reforming the Commission' (PDF), which set out an Action Plan of 84 measures to be implemented over the following two and a half years. Although the paper acknowledged the 'valuable guidance' provided by the Committee of Independent Experts' two reports, it also highlighted initiatives taken by the Commission itself to address some of the issues concerned. In October 1997, the Commission launched a 'Review of the Commission's Organisation and Operation' which aimed to provide an up-to-date analysis of all activities carried out by the Commission, as well as the resources and working methods used. The review, which became known as "Dessiner la Commission de Demain" (DECODE) or the "screening exercise", was conducted from November 1997 to May 1999. It was published in July 1999 as 'Designing Tomorrow's Commission: A review of the Commission's Organisation and Operation'. Other initiatives mentioned by Vice-President Kinnock were the Williamson Report on the Statut du Personnel; SEM 2000 (Sound and Efficient Financial Management), and MAP 2000 (Modernisation of Administration and Personnel). 'Reforming the Commission' sought to answer two questions:
It set out a modernisation programme with defined objectives, actions required to fulfil them and dates for implementation. The objective was to create a Commission based on:
Three elements ('pillars') were identified in the reform process:
It was acknowledged that, although some of the measures proposed in the 84-point Action Plan could be implemented very quickly, others would require operational details to be set out in separate Communications, or would necessitate existing legal texts to be modified. The paper proposed establishing a number of new units (Strategic Planning and Programming, Internal Audit Service, Audit Progress Board, Inter-institutional Committee on Standards in Public Life) and abolishing existing ones (Financial Control DG, Inspectorate General of Services). The internet was identified as the prime means of direct communication between the Commission and citizens, and the paper suggested that an appropriate level of resources should be sought to properly fund the Commission's electronic information services. The reform White Paper - referred to by Commission President Romano Prodi as a 'revolution' - was approved by the Commission on 1 March 2000. It incorporated what Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer called 'a large number of valuable refinements on the basis of the comments received.' One of the criticisms of the Commission concerned its inability to effectively manage its workload. In February, it was decided to establish a 'Peer Group', chaired by Romano Prodi, to assess the Commission's role and the human resources necessary to carry out the tasks required. In July 2000 the Commission published a Communication: Matching the Commission's activities with its human resources - The means to achieve our objectives. The measures set out in the Communication were 'those which the Commission considers to be absolutely necessary if the Institution is to carry out the bulk of its current activities and policy priorities in a satisfactory way.' It was made clear that 'any new tasks that the Commission may take on presuppose the allocation of the corresponding resources.' In September 2000, the Commission adopted a legally-binding Code of Good Behaviour for relations with the public, which entered into force on 1 November 2000. At the end of October 2000, the Commission adopted a 'Roadmap' which identified four 'packages' of reforms based on the White Paper which would be introduced over the following three months. Focusing very much on human resources issues, the packages were:
A month later, at the end of November 2000, the Commission proposed three measures 'aimed at maintaining the highest standards of integrity and public service in the Commission and the other European Institutions'. They concerned establishing an Advisory Group on Standards in Public Life, 'whistleblowing', and discipline. Shortly after, on 14 December, the Commission approved a proposal for a Regulation to set up 'Executive Agencies' - external organisations which would implement Community programmes. On 22 December 2000 the Commission decided to establish a new system for promotion and appraisal of senior staff. Taking the adoption of the March 2000 White Paper as its starting point, the Commission published a review of progress towards reform on 28 February 2001: Reforming the Commission: One Year On. The proposals on personnel policy published at the end of October 2001 were therefore the latest in a series of developments based on the March 2000 White Paper. Details were published as A global package for the reform of personnel policy (summarised in Commission finalises its reform proposals for staff policy and career structure). The proposals address performance appraisal and seek to introduce a closer link between annual assessment and promotions; career and salary advancement will be based on ability and performance. The current four categories of staff will be reduced to two - 'Assistants' and 'Administrators'; improved training and qualification opportunities and an end to 'glass ceilings' will help promotion from one category to the other. Additional measures address management, flexible working and parental leave, and under-performance. Although some measures do not require changes in the Staff Regulations, others will require the Regulations to be amended. The Commission will now present formal proposals for legislation to the Inter-institutional Staff Regulations Committee, after which they will be submitted to the European Council. The Commission wants to see changes introduced in 2003. Further information within European Sources Online:
Eric Davies Overview of reforms to the European Commission proposed by Vice President of the European Commission, Neil Kinnock, on 30 October 2001. |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
