Preparing Public Administrations for the European Administrative Space

This publication contains an overview of the seminar, background papers — including an inventory of how candidate countries plan to manage European integration — as well as ten points which emerged during the panel discussions of senior negotiators. Chapters have been grouped around the three main topics which the seminar addressed: (1) managing EU affairs; (2) membership negotiations and preparation for accession; and (3) preparing to join the emerging “European Administrative Space”. Ensuring the smooth running of a multi-country seminar away from the SIGMA Secretariat required intense organisational and logistical work. The conference facilities provided by the Greek hosts, together with their sharing of information on what is involved in becoming an EU Member State, and on their efforts in administrative reform, contributed to the seminar’s success. SIGMA wishes to thank Nelli Sakellariadou from the Greek Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation for co-ordinating the event. SIGMA staff Linda Duboscq, Winnie Marshall and Joanne Stoddart provided logistical support, and Michal Ben-Gera, Jacques Fournier and Tony Verheijen developed the programme, wrote background papers and co-chaired the sessions with the Greek hosts. Other background papers and presentations were provided by experts in the field.