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This article explores the current need for better regulation in the global society, with a focus on European regulation. It discusses the challenges, risks, and steps towards a common European regulatory policy, as well as the principles and evaluation criteria of good governance. It also examines the impact of good governance on economic and social welfare, and its application in various administrative levels. Finally, it highlights the relationship between governance, networks, and communitarianism, and the comeback of the state and politics in promoting good governance.
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GOOD GOVERNANCE ANDREGULATORY REFORM Dr. Panagiotis Karkatsoulis Policy Advisor, Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation
Better regulation as a desideratum and a fact Old wines in new bottles? From the “Ideal State” (“politeia”) to the global interconnected State
Better regulation as a current request of the global society • Main incentives: • Globalised economy • Political and administrative changes • New technologies
Challenges and risks for a better European regulation • Key features: • Internal market • Monetary Union (EURO) • Common European policies The long way to the unification through diversification Towards institutional convergence
Challenges and risks for a better European regulation • Two important steps towards a common European regulatory policy: • “Mandelkern” Report • Laaken/Barcelona Summits
Next steps to a common European regulatory policy • Establishment of regulatory impact analysis • Improving consultation with the public • Simplification of administrative procedures • Codification of regulation
A necessary precondition for a successful regulatory policy GOOD GOVERNANCE
Government Governance Definition of GOOD GOVERNENCE “A process through which institutions, corporations and citizen groups organise their interests, exercise their rights and obligations and mediate their differences” (United Nations)
Governance as a public policy • Incorporation of old and new principles for the “steering” of a society: • Constitutional legality • Democratic elections • Respect of human rights • State of law • Free political activity • Predictability and stability • Tolerance • Equality …/…
…/… • Public spending corresponding to public aims • Independence of Justice • Transparency • Absence of corruption • Active independent Media of Mass Communication • Free information • Administrative capability and adequacy • Administrative neutrality based on meritocracy • Accountability on questions of public goods and public interest (Australian National Audit Office, 1999)
Evaluation criteria of Good Governance • The quality of Institutions and Democracy is judged by their ability to answer to major social, economic and political needs and problems, such as: • Freedom of expression and assembly • Freedom of opinion • Free Mass Media communication • Civil rights protection
The impact of Good Governance to the economic and social welfare • Positive effect on economic growth • Diminishing of poverty • Improvement of health level • Sustainable environment • Attainment of free economy
Fields of application of Good Governance • Structures/organisation of the staff sector of the administration • Supervision of fiscal values and internal economic control • Observation of the principles of personal behavior and moral integrity (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy UK, 1995)
The principles of Good Governance can be applied in three administrative levels: • International • National (State – Regions – Local Authorities) • Corporate (categories of working people –services)
Governance as response to New Public Management • Governance refers to a new pattern of relations between the State and the civil society, having a network structure and opposing both Hierarchies and Markets. • Governance is strongly opposed to monetaristic and neoliberal policies that result to the degradation of citizens to consumers and to the privatisation and “economisation” of public goods.
Governance and Networks • Networks are related to the ways that citizens’ expectations and communication with the rest of the world are organised. • People in Networks want to give, to donate to others in order to service the common goal. They seek and offer learning, they look forward to exchange their experience, while Difference, Diversity, is desirable.
Governance and Networks • Networks do not constitute designed, elaborated structures, but behavioural adjusting systems that emerge through evolution. • Networks produce their own values, strategies and goals. • Networks offer a new legitimisation basis to the behaviour of the individual in the organisation and abolishthe traditional suggestions of formal rationalism that are expressed in private and public management.
Governance and Communitarianism:common points • Creation of structures for the participation of citizens to the administration of local affairs. • Encouragement of problem solving. • Boosting of local initiatives and activities. • Creation of learning structures able to bring into action other networks of actions and peoples.
Governance as comeback of State and Politics From “Hollowing out” of the State to a new conception of the State as an equivalent social stakeholder that facilitates, consults and represents the community of interests.