News Item

Commission adopts roadmap for reform of EU-Agencies

The Commission has just adopted a roadmap for improved efficiency and accountability, greater coherence and transparency, and more balanced governance of the EU's decentralised agencies. The document puts flesh on the bones of the 'Common Approach' – the first ever political agreement on EU agencies, reached by the Commission, Council and European Parliament in July 2012 after three years of analysis and negotiations.

Published on December 20, 2012

Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič commented: "The greater efficiencies this roadmap will deliver are vital when rationalisation efforts are top of the political agenda. But it is not just about saving money. The document sets out, in a very clear way, a whole series of measures that will improve the performance, governance and transparency of our agencies. This will help agencies to deliver EU policies even better than they do today."

Timeline

For actions where the Commission is responsible, an ambitious deadline is set for the end of 2014. Yet, the roadmap highlights several actions which the Commission considers a priority, and it will already implement these in 2013 (where relevant in co-operation with the agencies or other institutions). They include:

preventing and managing conflicts of interest in the agencies, for members of the Management Board and Directors, experts in scientific committees, and members of Boards of Appeal;
including key performance indicators in agencies' annual work programmes and for agencies' Executive Directors;
developing standard provisions to be included in agencies' host state agreements, based on existing best practice;
developing guidelines with agencies on applying activity-based budgeting and activity-based management;
elaborating guidelines for regular evaluations.

For full European Commission press release in English