Issues to be addressed within this thematic area include:

[a] strategic planning and policy-making

Individual ministries or other institutions with a policy mandate need to have sufficient capacity to set priorities and establish strategies for their sectors, including through consultations with stakeholders. Such priorities and strategies should be linked to budget plans spreading across several years. Ministries should be able to implement these strategies by selecting and elaborating policy instruments, including legislative measures, and by evaluating their impact.

[b] policy coordination

The government’s role in policy coordination requires that legislative and other measures proposed by line ministries are effectively discussed. This process is usually supported by a government secretariat and/or units providing overall strategic advice, and needs to be clearly regulated: planning of the agenda, preliminary consultations across portfolios are carried out, conflict resolution mechanisms, etc.

[c] coordination in European integration

For governments identifying European Integration as a key policy objective, one organ, normally a ministry or an office has to be responsible for coordinating the various aspects of the process, including support to negotiations with the EU, legal approximation to the EU acquis, coordination of EU programs and management of EU Funds. Measures for building capacity in EU issues within individual institutions are also necessary.

[d] coordination in the area of PAR

The reform of the Public Administration is better approached through a government-wide strategy, covering different areas such as policy coordination, human resources, service delivery, etc. and spreading across several years. If a PAR strategy is in place, one organ should be responsible for coordinating the various aspects of public administration reform.

[e] coordination in other specific policy areas

Other areas that might be subject to special policy coordination mechanism include National Development Plans or Poverty Reduction Strategies, and Anti-corruption Strategies. While their implementation should be coordinated with general government policy, specialized units/agencies can be created to monitor and nurture implementation.