European Perspectives for Public Administration Seminar Public Administration and Practice

Transcription

1 European Perspectives for Public Administration Seminar Public Administration and Practice 5-6 April 2018 CNFPT (Centre national de la fonction publique territoriale) (Strasbourg, France)

2 Session 5: Research into Practice: New Challenges for Public Sector Reform What do we need? What do we get? Where to go? Presentation

3 New challenges for Public Sector Reform A new direction: From NPM to the Sustainable Development Goals Coordinator Environmental Implementation Review & Greening the European Semester, DG Environment, European Commission EPPA Seminar Strasbourg, 6 April

4 Public Sector Reform: What and what for? Dominant perspective & driver is still New Public Management Result: more efficient but less effective public sector organisations 2 Source: "Yes, Minister" (BBC)

5 NPM slogans have become part of our mind-sets Slogan Comments 1. Best practices Best practices are exceptions, good practices must be adapted 2. Less is more Small Ministries do not serve ministers better 3. Better regulation More important: better implementation, and metagovernance: need a law or other tools? 4. Public-private partnerships Often: private on top, public at the bottom 5. Break down the silos Institutional silos give structure. Need to break down mental silos and "teach silos to dance" 6. Focus Focus = lose the holistic view; need balance of focus - unfocus 3

6 Good news: Recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all Public sector reform research recognises the importance of different (national) administrative/societal values, traditions, history Pollit & Bouckaert (2017 edition) Report EUPACK (Thijs/Hammerschmid/Palaric, 2018): Comparative overview of public administration characteristics and performance in EU28 European Commission guidance: Toolbox Quality Public Administration (2017) United Nations publications (CEPA) 4

7 Good news (2): Better Regulation explained as thinking beyond only legislation European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans on 27 May 2015 in Brussels during DG Environment s Beaulieu Café on Better Regulation and the circular economy 5

8 What is needed: Reform to Perform New objectives / direction needed for PS Reform and research Conclusion UN ECOSOC / CEPA: Take the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to 2030 as basis The SDGs contain objectives and targets for most public challenges: 6

9 The SDGs as comprehensive set of Goals for PS Reform & Research The SDGs are holistic, universal and 'indivisible' Nexus approach between Goals 7

10 Principles for SDG-driven PS Reform & Research 'Common but differentiated governance' Meuleman/Niestroy 2015 SDG implementation principles as proposed by CEPA (2018) (coord. by Bouckaert) Metagovernance as combining/shifting/management of all governance styles (hierarchical/network/market) Meuleman 2008/2018 Example: the 2-yearly cycle of the EU Environmental Implementation Review, completing the metagovernance toolbox of the Commission: STICK: legal enforcement (infringements) DIALOGUE: EIR CARROT: EU funding & investments 8

11 SDG Targets on Promoting Policy & Institutional coherence CEPA paper 2018 Meuleman 2018 Coherence = by logic and consistency and this has different meanings in different contexts Policy coherence & institutional coherence need synergy 9

12 Combine various intervention types to promote coherence Inspired by hierarchical governance Coordination Structured cooperation guided by principles/rules Integration Taking into account another policy or merging policies or institutions Alignment Mutual adaptation of policies/institutions, through formal or informal collaboration Multi-level governance Structured collaboration between administrative layers Inspired by market governance Reform Changing form, structure and/or culture of policies or institutions Empowerment Mandating people to work together across or beyond departments & levels 10 Inspired by network governance Compatibility Making contrasting policies/institutions work together while maintaining their character Reconciliation Resolving conflicts while achieving better collaboration Capacity building Coaching/training and creating ownership for policy and institutional coherence

13 Public Administration & the European Commission European Social Fund ca. 4,5 bn EUR for capacity building 2. New: SRSS: reform support for member states 3. Newest: Reform Delivery Tool 4. Also: TAIEX (DG NEAR): 20 years experience with twinning and peer support in neighbouring countries; plus - spin-off: 2 EU Peer2Peer tools, on Cohesion Policy and on Environmental Implementation 5. EU Semester: PA quality increasingly important, incl corruption, judiciary 6. EMPL: Toolbox Quality PA (update 2017, EIPA) 7. EUPACK project (EIPA/Hertie): PA knowledge member states : 1st ever high level brainstorm day on COM on PA : result: new PA coordination Unit in SRSS 11

14 Recommendations 1. Redirect public sector reform to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals 2. Develop national work programmes for the promotion of coherence 3. Introduce a global peer-to-peer learning tool for the promotion of coherence 4. Establish a global network (community of practice) of national coherence promotion coordinators 5. Teach silos to dance also in PA research 6. National public administration schools should integrate the promotion of coherence for the Sustainable Development Goals as a priority in their curricula 12

15 References European Commission (2017), Environmental Implementation Review Meuleman, L. (forthcoming), Metagovernance for Sustainability (Routledge) Meuleman, L. (2018), Promoting policy and institutional coherence for the SDGs. Paper for the 17th Session of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA), April 2018, New York. Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish Meuleman, L. (2013), Cultural diversity and sustainability metagovernance. In: L. Meuleman (Ed.) (2012), Transgovernance: Advancing Sustainability Governance. Heidelberg: Springer Verlag, pp Meuleman, L. (2008), Public management and the metagovernance of hierarchies, networks and markets. Dissertation. Heidelberg: Springer. Meuleman, L., Strandenaes, J.G. and Niestroy, I. (2016), From PPP to ABC: A new Partnership Approach for the SDGs Meuleman, L. and Niestroy, I. (2015) Common But Differentiated Governance: A Metagovernance Approach to Make the SDGs Work. Sustainability 2015, 7, Download: Niestroy, I. and Meuleman, L. (2016). Teaching Silos to Dance: A Condition to Implement the SDGs. 13

16 References All papers prepared for the Committee of Experts on Public Administration, 17th session, April 2018, New York: World Public Sector Report 2018 (online very soon): Public-Sector-Reports 14

17 Thank you for your attention Personal website: 15