Commissioners Hahn and Ferreira participate in ministerial meeting to discuss challenges and common actions for European Public Administrations

Today, Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn and Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira are in Ghent to participate in a ministerial meeting within the framework of the European Public Administration Network (EUPAN), organised by the Belgium Presidency of the Council of the EU. EUPAN serves as a pivotal platform uniting public administration officials from Member States, the European Commission, and observer countries.

The Commission plays a crucial role in the network as an active peer administration and a permanent member of the Secretariat. Outside the framework of EUPAN, the Commission also offers support and facilitates reforms within the public administrations of Member States through tools like the Technical Support Instrument.

The event allows for peer exchanges on key topics for public administrations and human resources policies, by focusing notably on perspectives in human resources, evidence-based policy making, integrity, diversity and well-being of public servants, the role of Artificial Intelligence and the attractiveness of the public sector.

The meeting of Ministers culminates in the signature of The Ghent Declaration, continuing the work towards a modern public administration that fosters an inclusive and attractive work environment and continuing cooperation between the administrations of EU Member States. The Declaration is signed on the Commission's side by Commissioners Hahn and Ferreira.

Commissioner Hahn, Commissioner in charge of EUPAN, opened the ministerial meeting alongside Petra De Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, giving the Commission's view on the shared challenges that Public Administrations face today and the need to further reinforce exchanges at central, regional, and local levels.

Commissioner Ferreira is also delivering a presentation on the latest developments on the ComPAct, a Communication launched by the Commission in October 2023 which will accompany EU Public Administrations in their reform journey to a civil service that is ready to tackle current and future challenges. It will also help shape the European Administrative Space.

Further information on the ministerial meeting is available here.

(For more information: Stefan De Keersmaecker – Tel.: +32 2 298 46 80; Laetitia Close – Tel.: +32 2 296 70 73)