Slovenia chaired the European Public Administration Network from 1 January to 30 June 2008.

During this period the Slovenian Presidency eagerly carried out the priorities set by the Medium-Term Programme for 2008-2009 and launched the two year test phase of the strengthened EUPAN/TUNED social dialogue.

In view of the above mentioned, the Human Resources Working Group emphasized promotion of trust in public services, management for change and cross-border mobility.

Promotion of trust in public services was also in the centre of discussions within the social dialogue test phase. A project entitled "Improving trust in central government administrations through effective social dialogue" was prepared and submitted for EU funding. The project shall highlight the role of social dialogue in anticipating and managing change in central government administrations and the impact on citizens' trust.

The Innovative Public Service Group gave special attention to the Comparative Analysis of Quality Management in Public Administrations in the EU Member States and the Evaluation of Public Administrations' Added Value to the Lisbon Strategy Goals.

The E-Government Working Group highlighted the role of ICT in the reduction of administrative burdens, promotion of user-centred services and interoperability.

At the 50 th Directors-General Meeting held at Brdo pri Kranju, on 28 and 29 May, the Presidency seized the opportunity of the jubilee and initiated a discussion on the future of EUPAN. The adopted conclusions stress the high value of the Network and recognize the need for further procedural and organisational adjustments.

Human Resources Working Group

The work of the HRWG during the Slovenian Presidency was focused on three main topics of the Medium-Term Programme 2008-2009: promotion of trust in public services, management for change and cross-border mobility of civil servants.

The results of the study "What are Public Services good at? Successes of public services in the field of human resources management" show EU-wide progress on a number of issues such as general evolution of HRM, equality, ethics, customer-orientation etc. The Study identifies the key indicators for positive effects of HRM reforms and was therefore considered as a valuable contribution in the field of human resources management

(Executive Summary of the Study).

The Study "Leadership Competencies for Change Management" clearly indicates that selecting managers for public administration means identifying individuals who believe they can influence and change their organisations and provide them with additional trainings in the areas of multicultural skills, understanding, innovating and changing organisation, emotional intelligence and self-control as well as interpersonal skills.

(Executive Summary of the Study)

Regarding the cross-border mobility of civil servants the Slovenian Presidency an effort to re-establish mobility as one of the most important working areas of the HRWG. Based upon the analysis of the questionnaire the following measures are recommended to promote cross-border mobility: promotion of exchange programmes and bilateral agreements and better use of Your Europe website ( http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/ ).

(More on HRWG)

Social Dialogue

At the start of the Slovenian Presidency a two-year test phase of the EUPAN/TUNED social dialogue was launched. In line with the EUPAN/TUNED Work Programme the project " Improving trust in central government administrations through effective social dialogue" was prepared and submitted for EU funding.

Furthermore, the EUPAN and TUNED representatives attended the Multisectoral Workshop on Third Party Violence (14 March, Brussels) organised by sectoral social partners under the support of the EC and prepared a joint report on the issue. The report recognises violence as an important stress factor, the issue of stress at work will therefore be further elaborated under the EU presidential Trio (France, the Czech Republic and Sweden).

 (More on Social Dialogue Test Phase)

Innovative Public Services Group

The work of the Innovative Public Services Group during the Slovenian Presidency was led in a manner that assured the outputs and results of projects and activities to be presented at the 5 th Quality Conference for Public Administrations in the EU, including:

•  European Primer on Customer Satisfaction Management;

•  Practitioners Handbook on Citizen Charters;

•  Evaluation of Public Administrations' Added Value to the Lisbon Strategy Goals;

•  Comparative Analysis of Quality Management in Public Administrations in the EU Member States; the respective Comparative Review Matrix (June 2008) available at : http://www.eupan.eu/3/86/&for=show&tid=4 .

CAF:

•  Procedure on External Feedback (PEF) is being developed;

•  The 4 th European CAF Users Event in 2009 will be hosted by Romania, in October 2009.

E-Government Working Group

Within the scope of the e-Government Working Group the Slovenian Presidency promoted action-oriented approach to democratic and user-centric public administrations. The Presidency initiated a first cross-border European pilot project in areas of interoperability and identification across the EU and emphasized the role of e-Government (ICT) in the reduction of administrative burdens.

(More on e-Gov)

Learning team – Administrative burden reduction for citizens

Upon the initiative of the Netherlands first EUPAN learning team was set up. The Learning Team on Administrative Burden Reduction for Citizens has two main objectives – to develop the methodology for benchmarking and exchange European best practices in the respective field as well as to exchange experiences and to gain practical knowledge to measure burdens and identify possible improvements and actions for simplifications. The learning team is open to members of all EUPAN working groups and other experts. During the first half of 2008 two meetings of the learning team were organised (the Hague, Helsinki) with active participation of 18 countries.

News

EUPAN Handbook

In line with the Resolution on Human Resources approved at the 50 th DG Meeting, the EUPAN Handbook was amended in parts related to National Contact Points and visibility of the Network.

(Download the Handbook)

Projects

Comparative Analysis of Quality Management in Public Administrations in the EU Member States

In February 2008, Slovenia started an extensive project – comparative analysis of quality management in public administrations of the EU member states in order to capture latest developments and the state of play in the Quality Management area in the EU. In this respect, two main streams of activities were launched:

1. Content wise, the Comparative Analysis of Quality Management in Public Administrations in the EU will be elaborated, which will also be one of the important contributions to the 5th Quality Conference 5QC held in October 2008 in Paris;
   
2. In regard to comparative information presentation, transparency and visibility of the existing comparative review will be enhanced – improved overall review (level 1) as well as improved access to additional and / or more detailed information (level 2).

The purpose of the Comparative Analysis of Quality Management in Public Administrations is primarily to:

• Provide a comparative analysis of the area which is the central area of operation of the Innovative Public Services Group;
• Present the results of comparative analysis at the 5QC in October 2008 in Paris;
• Contribute to improved accessibility of sources for benchmarking and sharing of good practices through improved transparency and enhanced accessibility of comparative data/information in the area of quality management in the EU.

The Comparative Review Matrix of Quality Management in Public Administrations in the EU (June 2008) is already available at http://www.eupan.eu/3/86/&for=show&tid=4 .

Evaluation of Public Administrations' Added Value to the Lisbon Strategy Goals

The underlying principle of the study "Evaluation of Public Administrations' Added Value to the Lisbon Strategy Goals" is to support a broader discussion in the Innovative Public Services Group and to invite the Member States to contribute to mutual understanding of the area, as well as to identify possible relations between the actions taken and results achieved.

The purpose of the study Evaluation of Public Administrations' Added Value to the Lisbon Strategy Goals is, above all to:

• Investigate the area from the point of view of the IPSG and to
• Identify which actions launched within the National Action Programmes for achieving Lisbon Strategy goals related to their public administrations generated most added value.

The expected results:

• Presentation of the results at the 5QC conference in October 2008 in Paris;
• Publication – printed version, to be disseminated at the 5QC; pdf version – to be published at the EUPAN web page;
• Presentation of countries' cases / projects which contributed most to the Lisbon goals in individual countries;
• Presentation / review of contribution to the realisation of Lisbon Strategy goals, from the IPSG's point of view.

Events
5th Quality Conference for Public Administrations in the EU Paris, 20-22 October 2008 (http://www.5qualiconference.eu/)

Studies and Reports

•  "What are Public Services good at? Successes of public services in the field of human resources management" (Download Full Text)]  

•  "Leadership Competencies for Change Management"
(Download Full Text ]  

The promotion of cross-border mobility of civil servants between EU Member States public administration
(Download Full Report)