ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM: COMMISSION FLOATS PLAN FOR EUROPEAN SCHOOL OF ADMINISTRATION.

The internal administrative reform initiated by Commission Vice-President Neil Kinnock notably involves improving the development of human resources through training. The reforms also involve a profound change of administrative culture, particularly regarding management staff. The new Staff Regulations for the European Civil Service, introduced on May 1, provide in the new careers structure for movements between groups of functions to be subject to mandatory training.

An inter-institutional body should meet a series of political and Community imperatives as well as economic considerations. From this standpoint, some added value is anticipated from the European School of Administration compared with the current system whereby, with a few exceptions, training is organised independently by each institution. Mr Kinnock hopes this inter-institutional body will ensure the promotion of common values, cultivate a team spirit within public administrations, comer up with identical requirements in terms of knowledge and competences, leading on to the joint organisation of training, the achievement of a qualitative improvement in supply, and finally, significant savings as a result of joint organisation, notably regarding...