European Public Administrations Research Articles

Workplace health promotion interventions in EU-27 public administrations.

The objective of this article is to make an exploratory study about European public administrations (public administration, public agencies, public law entities, entities dependent on the public administration and public universities) in relation to workplace health promotion interventions. The sample was extracted from the ESENER-3 (Third European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks) (EU-OSHA, 2019) and consists of 7,981 public entities from the EU-27 countries. Four WHPI have been studied: healthy nutrition interventions, sports activities after working hours, back exercises at work and prevention of addictions. This is an exploratory study. The sample was extracted from the ESENER-3 (Third European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks) (EU-OSHA, 2019) and consists of 7,981 public entities from the EU-27 Public Administration. In total, 45,420 establishments were interviewed. Different patterns have been observed when implementing workplace health promotion interventions in the EU-27 public administration. The promotion of sports activities outside working hours is the one with the highest level of implementation in European public administration. On the other hand, the measure with the least implementation level is the promotion of healthy nutrition. The limitations of the study are that the studied items are nominal and comprise more than two categories, so it has not been possible to develop a correlation analysis. The EU-27 public administrations can see which workplace health promotion interventions need to be improved. Differences that may exist in the adopted workplace health promotion interventions by European public administrations have not yet been addressed in depth by the literature.

Public spending and green finance: A systematic literature review

The public sector is being urged to actively participate in sustainability challenges more than ever before. In response, we present a systematic literature review on sustainable finance in European public administrations, particularly environmental aspects. This paper provides a systematic literature review on sustainable finance in European public administrations. It analyzes 82 papers published between 1992 and 2022, identifying areas of investigation such as sustainable development planning, sustainability accounting, measurement tools, and public-private partnerships. Further research is needed in green finance, particularly in financing methods.

EInvoicing: the influence of the EU on the expansion of electronic administrative services

The digital transformation poses major challenges for local authorities. In order to keep pace with modern development, various basic administrative procedures need to be digitized. The status of digitization in German municipalities demonstrates that they are reaching their limits. As administrative units are to be considered as an interface between society and state, the following paper will focus on this topic.
 This paper reflects on the necessary expansion of eGovernment services in local authorities against a European background, with the aim of bringing together the European and municipal levels. The European Union (EU) has set itself the goal of contributing to the modernisation of digital public services and serving as a catalyst through various programs. This paper discusses to what extent the EU achieves its stated goal and whether its actions generate added value in local authorities by using eInvoicing as an example. With the Directive 2014/55/EU the EU set a standard, henceforth all European public administrations must be able to accept invoices in electronic format from their suppliers. The paper aims to demonstrate the significance of the above stated directive, with a specific focus on local authorities.

On the Perils of Structured Loans Financing in France and Italy

AbstractThe restructuring process of sovereign debt is not yet managed under common global rules; public debt stabilisation is an explicit policy goal in the EU, but cannot be achieved if local public authorities do not control their liabilities and connected risks. EU local administrations’ debt soared due to the economic downturn, reduced resources transferred from the central state and increasing expenses. After 2000, French and Italian local authorities extensively underwrote complex financial instruments, such as over the counter (OTC) interest rate and exchange rate derivatives and structured loans (i.e. loans with embedded derivatives) to manage their growing liabilities; the proliferation of derivatives among European public administrations has been favoured by the absence of proper disclosure and of monitoring procedures. Losses due to structured loans accumulated and in 2017 French local authorities asked for state rescue; similarly, some Italian regions and municipalities reported relevant losses. The reduction of financial risks can be achieved by improving information and transparency, by reducing moral hazard, and limiting ‘revolving doors’.

A novel approach to manage cloud security SLA incidents

Cloud computing is increasingly playing an important role in the service provisioning domain given the economic and technological benefits it offers. The popularity of cloud services is increasing but so are their customers’ concerns about security assurance and transparency of the Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). This is especially relevant in the case of critical services that are progressively moving to the cloud. Examples include the integrated European air traffic control system or public administrations through the governmental clouds. Recent efforts aim to specify security in cloud by using security service level agreements (secSLAs). However, the paucity of approaches to actually control the fulfillment of secSLAs and to react in case of security breaches, often results in distrust in cloud services. In this paper, we present a solution to monitor and enforce the fulfillment of secSLAs. Our framework is able to (a) detect occurrences that lead to unfulfillment of commitments, and (b) also provide mitigation to the harmful events that may or do compromise the validity of secSLAs.

The Influence of Government Priorities on Public-Administration Reforms in Europe1

Abstract3 The article assesses how and the extent to which political or policy priorities of European governments condition reform processes and their results in times of crisis. This research is based on desk research and statistical analysis of the 2013 EUPAN survey data on public-administration reform initiatives in Europe. The article finds that the place of public-administration reforms on the governmental agenda partially explains the process of public-administration reforms, but it cannot account for the variation in the (perceived) reform results. Also, the results of this research confirm that EU-13 and (potential) candidate countries face more difficulties in reform implementation due to a combination of comprehensive reform strategies and weak administrative capacities. If the quantitative analysis was able to uncover some broad trends common to European public administrations, more qualitative approaches (causal process-tracing and case studies) are needed to capture specific contexts and changing processes in different European public administrations on which delivery progress is inevitably contingent. In order to explain why some windows of opportunities are seized while others are missed during the process of public-administration reforms, it is important to undertake process-tracing in within-case and between-case analysis and focus on causal configurations in the study of particular reform cases.

Multicriteria approach to interpret the variability of the levels of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in the Madrid metropolitan area, during the 1999–2012 period

The evolution of the mean levels of particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants recorded in the Madrid metropolitan area from 1999 to 2012, were investigated focussing on the impact of mitigation strategies and economic scenarios. Temporal trends have shown that SO2, CO, NO, PM10 and NO2 levels at Madrid kerbside and urban-background sites have been decreasing over the 1999-2012 period, with statistical significance. A small contribution to the annual decreasing rates of SO2, NO and NO2 obtained at these sites could be attributed to the reduction in the regional background levels. The reduction in the emissions of atmospheric pollutants from specific sources of the urban agglomeration, explained most of the annual decreasing rates obtained at the kerbside and urban-background sites. From 1999 to 2007 a reduction of the emissions from road traffic and residential heating was produced, as a consequence of the implementation of a number of management strategies promoted and adopted by European and national public administrations. In contrast, from 2008 to 2012 a deep decrease in fuel consumption and a reduction of construction-demolition and roadwork activities took place in the Madrid metropolitan area, as a consequence of the economic recession. The expected overcoming of the economic crisis within the next few years, will presumably give rise to similar levels of PM and gaseous pollutants as those existing previously to the crisis period. The introduction of new Euro 6/VI vehicles which emit considerably less NOx than previous generation diesel vehicles, as well as the implementation of strategies aimed at reducing resuspended mineral dust from road traffic and construction-demolition activities are thus encouraged.

IPSASB’s Conceptual Framework: Coherence with Accounting Systems in European Public Administrations

Accounting and reporting systems in public administrations of European countries have deeply changed in the last 20 years due to the new public management wave and the trend toward international harmonization. This research aims to examine the possibility of implementing International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board’s (IPSASB’s) Conceptual Framework (CF), by observing accounting and reporting systems in the different governmental levels of countries selected and taking into account the embedded traditional characteristics of European countries. Results highlight how many structural differences still occur within and among countries, showing that much work is still necessary to obtain harmonization as implied in the IPSASB’s CF.

An original tool for checking energy performance and certification of buildings by means of Artificial Neural Networks

The Energy Performance Buildings Directive (EPBD) was issued to provide a common strategy for all European countries and to implement several actions for improving energy efficiency of buildings, responsible for 40% of energy consumption. Energy Performance Certificates are provided as a tool to evaluate the energy performance of buildings; however, costly and time-consuming controls are necessary to verify the accuracy of the set and declared data.Useful tools could be the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), whereby it is possible to estimate the energy consumptions from specific parameters, to evaluate the accuracy of data in the energy certificates, and to identify the certificates needing accurate control.In this study, an Artificial Neural Network was developed based on approximately 6500 energy certificates (2700 are self-declaration) received by the Umbria Region (central Italy), in order to evaluate the global energy consumption of buildings from several and specific parameters reported in certificates. Data was checked in compliance with energy standards and only the correct certificates were used to train the Neural Network.The implemented Neural Network was tested with database data and a good correlation was found; in particular the energy performance calculated with the Neural Network presents an error greater than 15kWh/m2year with respect to the real value of global energy performance index in only 3.6% of cases.Finally, a Neural Energy Performance Index (N.E.P.I.) was defined, in order to verify the accuracy of the energy certificates; the study reported in this paper shows how the new defined index could be an important tool to identify which energy certificates require controls. A refinement of the Neural Network would allow to minimize the error and to define a N.E.P.I. index that could be used by European public administrations as a tool to perform an initial check of certificates.

Implementing CAF in public administration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to stimulate interest in the use of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF), a self-evaluation quality tool for the public sector, to disseminate relevant experiences from CAF implementation in Europe, to offer ideas about CAF optimization and to provide a basis and direction for further improvement. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology that is followed in the paper is based on the study of best practices (BP) of CAF implementation in European public administrations. The BP were selected in order to cover a wide range of political fields and to prove that CAF can be used by organizations in all parts of the public sector with different characteristics of size and structure. Findings – Studying relevant examples leads to the conclusion that effective CAF implementation can improve the performance of public administration and help establish a quality philosophy. The paper shows that CAF is a tool that can be easily modified and adapted to the organizations' special needs and characteristics. Practical implications – The study of the selected cases and the related information that is presented in this paper helps to disseminate relevant experiences from CAF implementation in Europe. It offers managers of the public sector ideas and helps on how to implement the CAF model, by providing real examples of organizations that have implemented it. It also helps them understand the benefits from CAF implementation, as well as the obstacles and barriers that may be faced, in order to be better prepared for its successful implementation. Originality/value – The value of this paper lies in the identification and presentation of several ideas and tools which have been successfully developed by European organizations and may as well be implemented by others. Ideas about modifying CAF and adjusting it into the uniqueness of every organization can be obtained only through careful study and analysis of its implementation.

Policy recommendations for public administrators on free and open source software usage

Free and open source software, holding a strategic position in knowledge economy, reaffirms the critical role of governments and regional authorities in establishing strategies for integrating effective and sustainable Information Technology solutions in the public sector towards economic growth and social welfare. Moreover, public services, organisations and territorial administrations collectively represent a major software user with great impact on the software market. In this sense, software selection in the public sector is a highly political and strategic process; various collateral implications and policy aspects should be considered in order to reach the best possible decisions. Within this context, this manuscript provides policy recommendations on issues and challenges pertaining to the use of free and open source software by European public administrations. The recommended policy actions are mainly based on review of the current policy framework. The main goal of this manuscript is to contribute in providing policy orientations and proposing actions that can help governments, public administrations and European institutions fully harvest the benefits of open source.

Is Europe Ready for a Pan-European Identity Management System?

European public administrations must manage citizens' digital identities, particularly considering interoperability among different countries. Owing to the diversity of electronic identity management (eIDM) systems, when users of one such system seek to communicate with governments using a different system, both systems must be linked and understand each other. To achieve this, the European Union is working on an interoperability framework. This article provides an overview of eIDM systems' current state at a pan-European level. It identifies and analyzes issues on which agreement exists, as well as those that aren't yet resolved and are preventing the adoption of a large-scale model.

Interchange of Public Officials in European Public Administrations: Italian Case

In a Europe without internal borders that must compete in a global economy, in which there are constantly evolving the needs of an aging society and the labor market, it is essential to achieve a very high level of mobility. The percentage of workers mobility in the EU is relatively low: currently about 2% of working-age citizens, originating in one of the 27 EU Member States, lives and works in another Member State. Mobility in the labor market, covering the mobility from one job to another and mobility between Member States or regions, is a fundamental part of the Lisbon objectives, and an important component of Europe's response to demographic change and globalization. This study analyze the issues related to public employment, ie employment in the public administrations of EU Member States, subject to the free movement of persons under art. 45 paragraph 4 TEU by a clause of exception that will safeguard the public interest. The study has highlighted the Italian legislation, the different types of access to European and Italian Public Administration and its application.

Current Trends in Pan-European Identity Management Systems

In a globalized digital world, it is essential that persons and entities have a recognized and unambiguous electronic identity that will allow them to communicate with each other. The demand for electronic identity has grown as a result of governments promotion of e-Government, in which the citizen-public administration relationship often has a strictly personal nature and requires digital identification systems that are univocal, secure, and global. In particular, the European Union (EU) in 1995 launched the Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA) program [20], as well as Interoperable Delivery of European eGovernment Services to Public Administrations, Businesses, and Citizens (IDABC) [11], and Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations (ISA) [14]. These European Union programs seek to foster initiatives to achieve global interoperability between European public administrations in order to offer cross-border services.

Quality Rhetoric and Citizens’ Satisfaction Measurement - Selected Practice of the CAF Instrument in Czech Municipal Public Administration

The movement of quality is visible across European public administrations. The paper discusses approaches to quality management in the Czech public administration. It focuses on selected municipal practice of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). The paper is based particularly on the analysis of self-assessment reports produced by self-assessment teams of 12 municipalities which implemented the instrument. The analysis focuses on their self-evaluations of CAF 2002s criteria which require practice of participatory decision-making and measurement of citizens/clients satisfaction. The paper was elaborated with the support of the Czech Science Foundation (Grant no. 402/07/1486).

Evaluation of Virtual Learning Environment for the Professional Training in Public Administration

In this paper, we describe a framework for the evaluation of a virtual learning environment in the Public Administration context. We describe the question of e-learning education of the Italian Public Administration employees and we analyse the characteristics of these learners [11, 13, 9]. These adults do not belong to the Internet Generation but they have to use the new educational tools, with the problems that this implies [9, 10, 15]. 
 Citizens expect transparency and services personalization, efficiency and quality by the Public Administration. The Public Administration began this modernization process aimed at the improvement of the administrative action. The aim is to meet the needs of citizens that live in a complex society. This entails a re-examination of the role and the logic of work that find in the employees a master key for their success [6]. Therefore the most important element for this modernization process and for the reformation of the administrative action is the education of the employees [12, 14].
 The European Council invited the member States to adopt the methodologies of e-learning for the education of their staff [4, 5]. In the last years a large number of employees have received training with the methodologies and the instruments of on-line education. 
 The European Public Administrations had adopted on a large scale the e-learning for the education of their employees because this is a modality of in service-training that removes space and time bonds. Moreover this allows the utilisation of new educational techniques. 
 The learning policies adopted by the governments highlight the importance of education in adulthood to be competitive in the knowledge society [4]. This type of education is oriented to provide and to develop the ability that can be utilised in a professional field, not to make up for knowledge opportunities missed at the time of compulsory school education. 
 It is essential to provide the employees-learners a good quality learning object and Virtual Learning Environment [1, 2, 3]. For these reasons we had worked out a framework to evaluate the quality and the pedagogical efficacy of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) from the point of view of lifelong learning. The evaluation offers feedback to developers, tutors, teachers and the other involved people, and it is an important part for the guarantee of quality [7]. We are interested in finding general principles that are useful in the planning of the learning environment for the Public Administration employees. 
 We describe the pedagogical implications of the adoption of e-learning in adult education, the reasons for its broad use in Public Administration. 
 The virtual environment is a social space, and in this system a set of people (students, tutors, teachers, administration assistant, etc) interact, with different roles and needs. 
 For this reason the evaluation of an e-learning environment embraces the evaluation of the process of delivery, the maintenance and the people involved [8]. The evaluation instruments could be created in order to estimate the quality expected, looked for and reached. For these reasons it is necessary to detect indicators able to find the minimum criteria of quality [3]. In a Virtual Learning Environment there are different elements that can be considered in order to evaluate the quality of the learning system, we have considered these:
 â?¢ The quality of communication system.
 â?¢ The quality of support services and the didactic staff.
 â?¢ The quality of administrative services. 
 â?¢ The quality of learning objects.
 We also analyze the learnersâ?? needs regarding on-line education. The aim of this study was to find a learning environment suitable for Public Administration employees. 
 

The use of Call Centres by local public administrations

European local public administrations (PA) are rapidly adopting information and communications technologies often with a view to offering e-commerce. Call Centres (CCs) feature prominently in the technology mix used by private sector e-commerce, but as a survey in this paper shows, CCs are less often used in public sector. This paper analyses the differences between private and public sector commerce and their implications for public sector e-commerce and its prospective use of CCs over the next ten years. It outlines the evolution of CC technologies and argues that current developments make the technology increasingly appropriate for the public sector. A model of e-commerce featuring connectivity, interactivity and agility is developed in the paper. From this it is concluded that many of the advantages from the use of CCs by PAs, are in system integration and process re-engineering — attributes positioned in terms of bridging technology and acting as a learning organisation. From this perspective, the paper concludes that CCs are likely to increasingly feature in the information and communications technology-mix for e-commerce delivery of PAs over the next ten years.

Influence of Value for Money Audit on Public Administrations: Looking Beyond Appearances

Value for money (VFM) auditing will soon have been part of the control environment in European and North American public administrations for thirty years, yet, despite its many interesting features, it has received very little attention from researchers. Chief among the VFM audit'sstill unexplored features, would doubtless be the value of its performance as an instrument to control and improve the management of public affairs. In order to partially fill this research gap, I am proposing 14 indicators to measure the effectiveness of VFM audits. But I don't stop there, for pointing out the successes or failures of VFM audits would finally be futile unless one also pointed to their causes. So, turning my attention to causes, I also propose 11 factors which can be used to explain the successes of Auditors General in carrying out VFM audits of public organizations as well as their inevitable failures.