Date of release : 08-06-2005

Policy area :

Event : Informal Meeting of Ministers for Public Administration

European Ministers in charge of the Civil Service, meeting in Luxembourg on 7 and 8 June 2005, adopted the 2006-2007 mid-term programme for cooperation between European public services, which aims to optimise the contribution of administrations to the implementation of the Lisbon objectives.

During the press conference, Claude Wiseler, Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Administrative Reform, who chaired the meeting, stated "the medium-term programme for the European Public Administration Network (EPAN) was drawn up by the Luxembourg Presidency. A key point in this programme is to better highlight the important leverage role of public administrations in the implementation of the Lisbon strategy. To this end, a group called ad-hoc Lisbon drew up proposals to increase links between EPAN activities and the Lisbon objectives."

"In this context, the network will in the future deal with issues such as:  reducing bureaucracy, reinforcing efficiency in the public service or distributing instruments to promote quality within public administrations," explained Claude Wiseler.

He added "for the years 2006-2007, network activities will take place initially in human resources areas. A topic of key interest is the study of the determining factors leading to more strategic management of human resources in public administration."

The Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Administrative Reform announced that "another major area for the mid-term programme is that of innovative public services, where activities linked to improving quality in the public services provided to citizens and businesses predominate. In addition, the activities of this programme also include the promotion of exchanges of experience and best practice in the area of e-government and improved regulation."

Ministers also heard the presentation of a study carried out at the request of the Presidency by the European Institute for Public Administration (IEAP) in Maastricht entitled "A new space for public administrations and services of general interest in an enlarged Union." According to Claude Wiseler, "the great advantage of this study is that it draws attention to the impact of European integration on public law and working relations in public administrations – an issue that concerns all public service managers."