Ministers responsible for the Public Administration and e-Government from IRELAND, LUXEMBOURG, ITALY, THE  UNITED KINGDOM and THE NETHERLANDS, in the presence of  the representatives of the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, meeting in their capacity as members of the extended Troika
Meeting in Wassenaar: On 4 November 2004

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that during the ministerial meetings in Como and Rome attention was given to the importance of the modernisation of Public Administrations in the framework of the Lisbon strategy;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the signing of the treaty which established a constitution for Europe in Rome on the 29th of October 2004 by the European heads of state and government
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that the Lisbon Agenda with the Mid Term Review will in many respects give renewed impetus to make Europe the most competitive knowledge economy of the world;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that Public Administrations have had an indirect role in achieving the Lisbon objectives;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the satisfactory results in the implementation of the Rome Medium Term Programme and the need to have it fully implemented by the year 2005;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that better regulation by public administrations is an important aspect of increasing business competitiveness, in line with the Lisbon objectives;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that excellent performing Public Administrations can also make a significant contribution to developing the most competitive knowledge economy of the world;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that these public administrations should be effective, efficient, transparent, democratic, legitimate and accountable;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that Public Administrations should develop a more inclusive approach to policy making, addressing the issues of citizens and business, that administrative burdens should be reduced, and that Public Administrations should be effective and give citizens a right to be informed;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that in order to improve the quality of public services the available possibilities must be utilised integrally with a view to improving the operational management of public organisations; and that Public Administrations must innovate with limited means in order to respond to social and economic trends such as the more-demanding citizens, changing demographics and changing economic circumstances
(...)

Full Text