Latest News
Two Forthcoming Events for EU Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries
SIGMA’s 3rd public internal financial control conference will focus on the implementation of financial management and control systems. It is organised with Turkey’s Ministry of Finance and will take place in Ankara, 4-6 June 2013. The 6th regional conference on public procurement is organised with the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA) and will take place in Danilovgrad, 19-20 June 2013. Its focus will be on defense procurement and utilities.
Government Debt Management and Operational Risk
The management of operational risk is at the heart of efficient government, but countries often fail to apply good or even routine operational risk management practices and have difficulty in understanding how to put the processes in place. Through an analysis of Turkey’s Undersecretariat of Treasury, SIGMA Paper 50 presents an overview of key operational risks and recommendations on how to develop a framework for managing them, and provides lessons learnt that can be applied in debt management units and related treasury functions across a wide range of countries.
SIGMA News, Issue 2
This issue highlights the visit of Kosovo’s Minister of Public Administration to the OECD, presents the study “Ethics Training for High Officials” and the 3rd edition of the CD-ROM “Public Procurement in the EU”, and provides some news on SIGMA’s projects in Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Morocco in the areas of public procurement and civil service. Earlier newsletters are available here.
Rethinking Europe's "Rule of Law" and Enlargement Agenda
SIGMA Paper 49 discusses how EU member states and candidate countries define and implement what is referred to as the “Rule of Law”. In doing so, it identifies the existence of a fundamental dilemma between the need for more ambition in promoting the “Rule of Law” and the need for more restraint in the claims made on behalf of “Rule of Law” assessment and assistance. The paper proposes a new approach to address this dilemma and suggests practical steps that may help to navigate the dilemma and operationalise this new approach.
2012 Assessments
SIGMA’s annual Assessments review the progress made by EU candidates and potential candidates in public administration reform. These assessments feed into the EC’s annual Progress Reports and help to shape future reform activities.
Co-operation with Algeria Launched
SIGMA and Algeria have launched their partnership through a project with the Directorate General for the Civil Service to improve the legal administrative framework and to modernise human resources management, and a project with the Court of Accounts to strengthen the Court’s role and capacities to perform its future tasks through the preparation of a strategic development approach.
Civil Service Professionalisation in the Western Balkans
New SIGMA Paper No. 48 examines the performance of Western Balkan countries in professionalising their civil service. It assesses the degree to which these countries' civil service systems 'fit' the European principles of administration and it identifies the main drivers of professionalisation. The Paper shows a mixed picture of achievements and persisting weaknesses, and identifies low levels of reform sustainability.
EC Compendium of Public Internal Control Systems in EU Member States
Prepared by the EC's DG Budget with SIGMA support, this compendium provides an overview of public internal control systems used in the 27 EU Member States to manage and control their national funds, revenues and expenditures, on the basis of voluntary contributions by the Member States. The compendium contains an analysis of the systems in operation and also provides the reader with an insight into possible future developments.
Public Procurement Policy Briefs
These Policy Briefs aim at providing non-specialists and specialists alike with information on key public procurement issues. Subjects covered include EU legislation, principles and institutions, procurement procedures and tools, award criteria setting, advertising, tender evaluation and contract award, and the incorporation of environmental and social considerations.