Principles of Public Administration as part of European Integration Process. Presentation given by Florian Hauser, European Commission, DG NEAR on 11 May 2023.

1. These slides accompany the explanation of the acquis to Albania and North Macedonia and can only
be used for that purpose. Their content is subject to further development of the acquis and
interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Un
Role of European
Principles of Public Administration
in the European integration process
Florian HAUSER,
DG NEAR A.2,
European Commission

2. What I will talk about:
1. PA as a foundation for a successful EU
2. Public Administration Reform as a
„fundamental“ for EU accession
3. Understanding and measuring public
administration
4. What we will do and not do

3. The quality of public administration is indispensable for advancing the
EU policies and delivering to the needs of the EU citizens.
Public
administration
Economic
development
Digital
transition
Green
transition
health
education
Labour
market
infrastructure

4. Public administration as a foundation for EU
success
• The quality of public administration is indispensable for advancing the EU long-
term objectives and delivering to the needs of the EU citizens
• Twin transition
• Crisis management
• Sustainable development
• The COVID-19 crisis revealed the need for more attention to public
administration ​performance and capabilities
Need active
collaboration
between public
administrations and the
European Commission

5. PA as a factor for growth
Source: World Bank, Worldwide Governance Indicators.
AT
BE
BG
HR
CY
CZ
DK
EE
FI
FR
DE
EL
HU
IE
IT LV
LT
LU
MT
NL
PL PT
RO
SK
SI
ES
SE
UK
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Global
competitiveness
index
2015
Government effectiveness 2015
5

6. Public administrations across the EU have constantly
modernised themselves in the past two decades, but they
are affected by new challenges:
❑ - Fast technological change;
➢ - Demographic changes and skills shortage;
➢ - Increasing complexity of policy issues;
➢ - Green transition and climate adaptation;
➢ - Increasing needs to be covered with public
finances.
Constant change

7. Public Administration reform as a
„fundamental“ for EU accession
1.Copenhagen criteria
2.EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

8. • The accession criteria, or Copenhagen criteria (after the European
Council in Copenhagen in 1993 which defined them), are the essential
conditions all candidate countries must satisfy to become a member state.
These are:
• political criteria: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule
of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
• economic criteria: a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope
with competition and market forces;
• administrative and institutional capacity to effectively implement the
acquis and ability to take on the obligations of membership

9. Europe‘s biggest „industry“
• Public sector = 47% of EU GDP
• About 25% of EU workforce (biggest employer)
• About 14% EU GDP = public procurement (big
spender)

10. EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
• Art 41. Right to good administration – this
includes the right to have a say in any decision
that would have a negative effect on you, the
right to access your file, and the obligation for
the State (or body making the decision) to give
reasons for its decisions.

11. 2. Understanding and measuring
public administration
▪ What is good administration?
▪ Role and functions of the modern democratic
state
▪ Our approach

12. The million Euro question(s)
• What is good
public
administration?
• …and
• How do you get
there?

13. Role and functions of the state
• Attitudes (values)
✓ Integrity
✓ Fair (equal
treatment)
✓ Open
✓ Citizen interest focus
✓ Service oriented
✓ Adaptive
Performance
✓ Provide services
✓ Set standards
✓ Solve problems
✓ Build enabling
environment
✓ Achieve sustainability
✓ Quality investment
✓ Etc.

14. Our approach
• „Principles of Public Administration“ as the main
framework
• Other analysis frameworks (PIMA, PEFA, TADAT, etc.) and
information sources
• Regular monitorings by Commission and with partners
(including civil society)
• Regular policy dialogue on PAR and PFM („Special groups“)
• Reporting - enlargement package, Economic Reform
Programmes, etc.
• Coherent approach and evolution

15. Principles of Public Administration
✓ Strategic framework for public
administration reform
✓ Policy development and co-
ordination
✓ Public service and human
resource management
✓ Accountability
✓ Service delivery
✓ Public financial management

16. An evolving approach…

17. What we will tell you
and
not tell you

18. We will pay attention to:
✓ Commitment (on all levels) to real progress
✓ Not a box ticking exercise („it needs to work“, needs to be
„sustainable“)
✓ Genuine dialogue (on what can be done, and where challenges are)
✓ Be open to learning and innovation (including modern administrative
culture)
✓ Institutional set up should “make sense” and allow for efficiency and
effectiveness
✓ PAR is not a “silo” – a cross-cutting issue (all ministries, regional and
local)
✓ Do join EU programmes and networks as much as possible already
(e.g. Digital Europe, FISCALIS, EUPAN, etc.)

19. We will not tell you:
✓ How to run your country (we respect administrative
traditions and culture – wide variety among EU Member
States)
✓ To set up institutions or follow certain „best practice“
models from another country that don‘t fit your context
(unless required by the acquis)
✓ It is „just a technical issue“ (it is in fact always political)

20. Finally:
Improving public administration is never easy:
There is not a single Member State that has the
perfect administration, or no/few problems
(nevertheless some work better than others, but all
face new challenges)… including the Commission
administration
We share the same interests here: a well managed
state that improves the lives of her people
Culture eats strategy for breakfast: With the right
vision and values, the rest will follow…
We are your partner: We are there to help and
support, as Commission, through our instruments and
partners