SIGMA is a joint OECD-EU initiative that has been providing support to public administration reforms in EU candidate and neighbourhood countries since 1992. It conducted a baseline assessment of Ukraine's public administration system in 2018. The assessment found that while Ukraine had the necessary legislative and institutional frameworks in place across areas like civil service, policymaking, and oversight, there were issues with implementation, coordination, and the absence of standards and accountability frameworks. SIGMA uses the Principles of Public Administration to monitor progress, with the goal of informing governments and the EU on reforms.

1. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU). It should not be reported as representing the official views of the EU, the OECD or its member countries, or of partners participating in the SIGMA Programme. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the authors. This document, as well
as any data and any map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. © OECD 2023 – The use of this material, whether digital or print, is governed by www.oecd.org/termsandconditions.
SIGMA – roles, responsibilities
and operations
Gregor Virant, Head of SIGMA/OECD
Paris - Kyiv, 11 May 2023
Presentation for joint event with Ukraine’s
Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service
to the Standards of the European Union

2. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
2

3. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. SIGMA
3
▪ Joint initiative OECD/EU
since 1992.
▪ Supporting public
administration reforms in
EU enlargement and
neighbourhood countries.
▪ Working in Ukraine since
2006, more intensively after
2014
Standard setting
Monitoring
Regional
studies and
events
Bilateral work

4. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. OECD
4
Shared
values
Since
1962
38
Members

5. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. The SIGMA Team
> 40 staff members
> Core staff: policy advisors with
extensive experience in EU
member states’ public
administration, seasoned
practitioners
> A large pool of external experts
> Matrix organisation (professional
teams, regional/country
management)
> Annual budget ca. EUR
9.000.000
5

6. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
¬ Albania
¬ Bosnia and Herzegovina
¬ Kosovo*
¬ Montenegro
¬ Republic of North
Macedonia
¬ Serbia
¬ Türkiye
(in the context of EU accession)
¬ Armenia
¬ Azerbaijan
¬ Georgia
¬ Republic of Moldova
¬ Ukraine
Western Balkans and Türkiye European Eastern Partnership
¬ Algeria
¬ Egypt
¬ Jordan
¬ Lebanon
¬ Morocco
¬ Tunisia
European Southern
Neighbourhood
Geographic scope
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Kosovo's
declaration of independence.

7. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. Ukraine and the OECD
> Co-operation since independence, intensified
after the revolution of dignity.
> Public governance: participant in PG committee.
> February 2022:
> OECD council condemns Russia’s
aggression against Ukraine.
> 5 July 2022:
> Ukraine applies for membership (Lugano)
> October 2022:
> Prospective member status.
> Initial accession dialogue.
7

8. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. SIGMA and Ukraine
> Since 2006.
> Baseline assessment in 2018.
> Work on:
> Strategic framework of PAR
> Civil service
> Policy making
> Service delivery
> Administrative procedure
> PFM
> Public procurement
8

9. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU). It should not be reported as representing the official views of the EU, the OECD or its member countries, or of partners participating in the SIGMA Programme. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the authors. This document, as well
as any data and any map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. © OECD 2023 – The use of this material, whether digital or print, is governed by www.oecd.org/termsandconditions.
SIGMA and the Principles
of Public Administration
Gregor Virant, Head of SIGMA/OECD
Paris - Kyiv, 11 May 2023
Presentation for joint event with Ukraine’s
Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service
to the Standards of the European Union

10. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
10

11. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. The Principles of Public Administration
> A framework of standards defining good public administration
> Designed for the purposes of EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy
> A tool of EU’s enlargement policy and for dissemination of OECD standards
> Derived from formal EU acquis (where it exists), OECD recommendations, other
international standards, good practices of the EU and OECD Member States.
> A policy and monitoring/measurement framework.
> Regular SIGMA assessments with recommendations informing both governments
(reforms planning) and EC (enlargement packages, policy dialogue)
11

12. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. The Principles of Public Administration
12
European
Principles for
Public
Administration –
“European
Administrative
Space” - SIGMA
paper 27
1999
EU Charter of
Fundamental
Rights - "Right
to good
administration"
2000
EU Enlargement
Strategy has
PAR as part of
“fundamentals”
2014
Principles of
Public
Administration
for EU candidate
countries and
potential
candidates
2014
Principles of
Public
Administration
for European
Neighbourhood
Policy countries
2016
Revised
Principles of
Public
Administration
2023
Copenhagen / Madrid criteria for accession
“Administrative and institutional capacity to
effectively implement the acquis and ability to
take on the obligations of membership”
1993
/1995

13. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. Six areas of Public Administration Reform
13

14. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. Vertical structure
14
6 AREAS
17 KEY REQUIREMENTS
48 PRINCIPLES
336 SUB-PRINCIPLES
52 COMPOSITE INDICATORS (VALUE 0-5)
340 SUB-INDICATORS
1000 CRITERIA

15. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. New (2023) version
15

16. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. New (2023) version
16
270
Sub-principles
32
Principles
6 thematic areas of
Public Administration
270
sub-indicators
(1000 criteria)
32 composite
indicators
6 area averages
(high-level indicators)
Policy framework
Under consultation
Measurement framework
Under construction

17. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU.
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU). It should not be reported as representing the official views of the EU, the OECD or its member countries, or of partners participating in the SIGMA Programme. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the authors. This document, as well
as any data and any map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. © OECD 2023 – The use of this material, whether digital or print, is governed by www.oecd.org/termsandconditions.
SIGMA assessments – why
do they matter?
Gregor Virant, Head of SIGMA/OECD
Paris - Kyiv, 12 May 2023
Presentation for joint event with Ukraine’s
Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service
to the Standards of the European Union

18. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. Monitoring (assessment) against the principles
18
Product
Players
Tool
Consultation
Monitoring report with indicator values, narrative, recommendations (tracked
since recently).
National PA institutions, local experts, international experts, SIGMA team.
PAR.IS – uploaded documents, questionnaires, assessment sheets.
Consultation with the government on indicator values and on draft report.

19. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. Monitoring (assessment) against the principles
> Purpose: to inform the government
and the EC
> (Ukraine report will be of much interest
also for the OECD)
> Periodical: Western Balkans 2015,
2016, 2017 2019 (partial), 2021
> Moldova 2015, Ukraine and Georgia
2018, Armenia 2019, Morocco (partial)
2019
19

20. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. SIGMA Baseline Assessment 2018
(Envisaged in the PAR strategy - June 2016, all areas but PFM)
Main findings:
➢ Strategic framework: strategies and coordination structure in place, unrealistic planning, no costing
➢ Policy planning and policy development: legislative and institutional set-up in place but
overlapping responsibilities; patchy implementation; unusually high share of draft laws submitted to
VR by MPs and not by government, weak link between policy and budget planning
➢ Public service and HRM: legislative and institutional framework in place, absence of common
standards and guidelines for implementation, absence of HR planning and HRMIS, shortcomings in
implementation of merit-based recruitment, salary system and wage bill planning in need of reforming
20

21. A
joint
initiative
of
the
OECD
and
the
EU,
principally
financed
by
the
EU. SIGMA Baseline Assessment 2018
➢ Organization and accountability: sound macro-organizational architecture without mushrooming of
agencies (CEBs); absence of performance/accountability framework for agencies, micro-
management instead; ministers without influence on appointment of heads of CEBs; cumbersome
reorganization processes (legal personality of CEBs); absence of delegation
➢ Oversight: good access to public information, but unclear arrangements on appeal and absence of
supervision; sound legislative framework for independence of SAI and Ombudsman and efficient/fast
administrative justice, but low public trust in oversight institutions and courts and no monitoring of
recommendations implementation
➢ Service delivery: CNAPs, early positive developments in digital government; Law on Administrative
procedure missing
21