The document discusses Belgium's Federal Kafka Project which aims to simplify administrative procedures and reduce administrative burdens for citizens and businesses. It established the Administrative Simplification Agency in 1998 to promote entrepreneurship and later expanded its mandate to help citizens. Through various initiatives like strategic projects and legislation, the project helped reduce administrative burdens by 25% from 2003-2007 and over 50% from 2000-2008 according to government measurements. The project also created many online services to streamline procedures.

1. The Kafka project How to reform the public administration and services Dannie Goossens Administrative Simplification Agency Chancellery of the Prime Minister Castilla y Leon Permanent Delegation to the EU BRUSSELS December 9, 2009

2. “ A key example of an administrative simplification agency is the Agency for Administrative Simplification in Belgium.” OECD, 2006 “ Belgium has developed the European Union's most innovative communication program for cutting red tape.” Worldbank, 2007 Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

3. Table of contents Kafka brand name About ASA –Administrative Simplification Agency Definitions: administrative simplification & administrative burdens A quantitative burden reduction target ? Results SWOT-analysis Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

4. Kafka brand name 2001: “ No to Kafka plan ” Government Commissioner for modernization & simplification of social security 2003-2004: Kafka contact point – all (6) government levels 2005: federal Kafka project Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

5. KAFKA Secretary of State for Administrative Simplification (2003-2007) Minister of Enterprises and Simplification (2008-2011 ) Vincent Van Quickenborne Federal Kafka Project in Belgium Writer

6. KAFKA Involve stakeholders Win hearts and minds Find a strong brandname Federal Kafka Project in Belgium report Citizens Businesses Civil servants test Civil servants measuring model Civil servants index museum Citizens Businesses Civil servants Businesses award contact point Citizens Businesses Civil servants

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11. About ASA (1/2) Administrative Simplification Agency (ASA) Created by Law 10 February 1998 for the promotion of entrepreneurship Competence: businesses, in 2003 extended to citizens Means of action: Right to be informed Recommend – Stimulate – Coordinate Report Branch of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

12. About ASA (2/2) “ Light” administrative structure ASA Director general Deputy Director general 8 senior advisors 4 management assistants + citizen specific unit Steering committee Representatives of businesses and unions Political level Civil service level Network of simplification agents Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

13. Administrative simplification : a definition ≠ E-government ≠ Business Process Re-engineering (reorganisation) ≠ deregulation or regulatory management ≠ plain language drafting or mere communication = Minimization of administrative burdens for citizens and enterprises without interfering with political goals and strategies Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

14. Another definition: Administrative burdens “ All obligations and administrative formalities imposed on citizens enterprises (small and large) nonprofit sector concerning regulations about rights, prohibitions or obligations.” ≠ streamlining internal procedures of public services or making public services more cost efficient Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

15. Administrative procedures: 4 parameters Reduction or increase of administrative burdens Federal Kafka Project in Belgium Administrative burdens Number of enterprises or citizens concerned Frequency Time needed to comply with the obligation Number of administrative formalities

16. Starting up a business 1 Canada ...................................1 1 New Zealand ...........................1 3 Australia ..................................2 4 Belgium...................................3 4 Finland.....................................3 4 Georgia....................................3 4 Sweden....................................3 8 Bulgaria ...................................4 8 Denmark .................................4 8 Hungary...................................4 8 Ireland .....................................4 8 Kyrgyz Republic.......................4 8 Senegal ...................................4 8 Singapore ................................4 8 Sri Lanka .................................4 16 Burkina Faso .........................5 Federal Kafka Project in Belgium 1 New Zealand ....................1.0 2 Australia ............................2.0 3 Georgia..............................3.0 4 Belgium..............................4.0 4 Singapore ..........................4.0 6 Canada ..............................5.0 6 Hungary..............................5.0 6 Iceland................................5.0 9 Denmark ............................6.0 9 Mauritius ............................6.0 9 Portugal..............................6.0 9 Qatar .................................6.0 9 Turkey.................................6.0 9 United States .....................6.0 15 Egypt................................7.0 38 Finland............................14.0 38 Jordan ............................14.0 38 Oman .............................14.0 Number of procedures Time required (days) Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010 – World Economic Forum

17. A quantitative burden reduction target ? 1999-2003 25% reduction target (but no baseline measurement) 2003-2007 Strategic projects (instead of abstract reduction target) Kafka Masterplan – XII Labours Contact point 2008 New projects Measurements of administrative burden reduction (SCM-model) : potential & real 2009- Reduction target: 25% by 2012 Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

18. Evaluation Measurements Biennial Survey (macroeconomic level) 25 % reduction 2002 > 2004 50 % reduction 2000 > 2008 Kafka model = Standard Cost Model Source: Federal Planning Bureau Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

19. Results (2003-2007) 25% reduction in 2 years time (business survey) Reduction: 1,7 billion Euros Kafka-masterplan : All 12 strategic projects accomplished > 200 short term projects 2 simplification laws approved by government abolish ed about 20 procedures, both for citizens and enterprises Growing number of on-line services for citizens and enterprises Tax-on-web (businesses and citizens) e-ID card for citizens One stop shops for enterprises Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

20. Report success stories Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

21. In progress Screening of existing legislation Screening of new legislation Less statistical obligations for enterprises Authentic sources: promotion of existing and creation of new sources Implementation of Services Directive Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

22. SWOT analysis: Strenghts An institutional body Political support at highest level (prime minister) Involvement of stakeholders In touch with problems in the field Brand name Tools Concrete projects Contact point – www.kafka.be Communication of success stories Pragmatism Multidisciplinary approach Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

23. SWOT analysis : Weaknesses Limited impact on ministries / agencies Not in charge of regulatory oversight Network of simplification agents Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

24. SWOT analysis : Opportunities Administrative simplification is hot at all political levels Use of standardised tools such as Standard Cost Model will permit international benchmarking Brand name Reshape network of simplifiction agents into a broader community of believers Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

25. SWOT analysis : Threats Austerity measures Absorption into e-government programme Minister (former secretary of state) personifies Kafka brand Corporatism of stakeholders (defending vested interests) Abstract AB reduction target without concrete projects Academicism & bureaucracy Fear of change (fear of legal changes, fear to disturb balance rights/obligations, …) Indistinct leadership and cost centre in horizontal projects Privacy debate Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

26. Federal Kafka Project in Belgium

27. Thank you [email_address] www.simplification.be www.kafka.be Monthly e-Newsletter in French & Dutch Federal Kafka Project in Belgium