Reform of the European Commission: Progress report highlights success of reform process, January 2003

A progress report on the reform of the European Commission, adopted on 29 January 2003, shows that almost 90% of the reforms proposed in the 2000 Reform Strategy White Paper have been implemented, particularly in the areas of financial management and control, resource planning and programming and staff policy.

In 2003, the European Commission will focus on completing the proposed reforms before the current Commission's term of office ends, paying particular attention to action in three areas:

• Finalising negotiations in the Council and the Parliament on the modernisation of staff regulations

• Ensuring full and effective implementation of all changes in systems, structures, management and work practices

• Adapting to new challenges, particularly those stemming from the enlargement of the European Union

The reform of the European Commission has been one of the key goals of Romano Prodi's Commission. Following the scandal that surrounded the Santer Commission and which led to its collective resignation in March 1999, the new Commission made a commitment to strengthen the institution and turn it into a well managed public service organisation. As a result it adopted a White Paper on Reform on 1 March 2000, which was divided into two parts: the first outlined the challenges facing the European Commission and the objectives of any reforms; the second part of the paper presented an Action Plan for the implementation of these reforms. The Action Plan proposed 98 measures broken down into four key areas of action:

• Creating a culture based on service (Actions 1-11)

• Priority setting and the efficient use of resources (Actions 12-20)

• Towards a modernised human resources policy paper (Actions 21-60)

• The overhaul of financial management, control and audit (Actions 63-98)

Of the 98 measures proposed, 87 of these have been achieved with a relatively even spread of success across each of the four action areas. Key achievements include: the rights of access to documents for EU citizens; the introduction of an Annual Activity Report; the increased mobility of managers within the Commission and better opportunities for women; a new Directorate-General specifically responsible for the internal audit of the institution; and the adoption of the new Financial Regulation.

Commenting on the progress report, Neil Kinnock, the European Commissioner responsible for the Commission's reform said:

'All of the evidence is that without claiming perfection reform in the Commission is being achieved more broadly, more quickly and at a lower cost than in any comparable administration. The candid progress report shows that huge and increasingly successful efforts have gone into gaining essential modernising changes. Many of the benefits will by definition only be gradually apparent but the advances necessary to get those gains are very definitely underway.'

However, despite the apparent success of the reforms, there still remains considerable doubt about the European Commission's accounting system, as highlighted by the European Commission's chief accountant Marta Andreasen in 2002 and reinforced by the European Court of Auditors' annual report. The European Commission outlined an action plan on 17 December 2002 to address some of the key problems identified in the EU's accounting system, but it has been questioned whether this will address the system's shortcomings.

Links:
European Commission:
	29.01.03:	Press Release: Commission Reform: 87 of 98 measures have been approved and implementation shows first benefits of Reform [IP/03/133]
	29.01.03:	Speech: Progress Review of Administrative Reform [SPEECH/03/32]
	Time for change in Europe's public administration: Reforming the European Commission
	Reforming the Commission - A White Paper Part I [COM(2000) 200 final]
	Reforming the Commission - A White Paper Part II [COM(2000) 200 final]
European Integration Online Papers:
	The resignation of the Santer-Commission: the impact of 'trust and 'reputation'
European Sources Online: Topic Guides
	The European Commission
European Sources Online: In Focus
	European Commission: Internal Accounting Controls
	Prodi unveils plans to reform the internal organisation and working methods of the European Commission, June 2002
	Reform of the European Commission, November 2001
	Reform of the European Commission: Commission launches its 'route map for reform'

Helen Bower

Compiled: Thursday, 30 January 2003

A progress report on the reform of the European Commission, adopted on 29 January 2003, shows that almost 90% of the reforms proposed in the 2000 Reform Strategy White Paper have been implemented.