SIGMA and Montenegro

 

SIGMA works with Montenegro within the EU's overall policy framework for the Western Balkans, the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP).  Accession negotiations with Montenegro were launched in June 2012. SIGMA currently supports Montenegro as an EU candidate since December 2010.

Montenegro landscape for the SIGMA and Montenegro country web page

Civil Service and Administrative Law

SIGMA currently provides assistance to Montenegro in three areas of civil service and administrative law reform:

(1) SIGMA is assisting the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) on finalising the new Law on General Administrative Procedures before its submission to the Government. SIGMA has worked with the MoI on preparing this Law since 2011, and recently helped conduct the public consultation process.

(2) SIGMA is also working with the MoI on identifying state “public authority entities” in order to set up a classification system and harmonise their regulatory framework.

(3) SIGMA is providing advice to the Human Management Resources Agency during the inception phase of a new EC funded technical assistance project launched in May 2013 to support the implementation of the 2013 Law on Civil Servants and State Employees. SIGMA provided considerable support in the preparation of this Law in 2011 and 2012 and is now providing advice to the project to ensure the best possible bridging with the work done during the last two years.

Key partner: Ministry of Interior, Human Resources Management Authority

 

Public Internal Financial Control

Montenegro’s Ministry of Finance has worked on developing Public Internal Financial Control (PIFC) since 2008 and recently adopted a new strategy for the period 2013-2017. SIGMA is now supporting the Ministry’s Central Harmonisation Unit to identify the various obstacles to the development of managerial accountability in the public sector through an analysis of the national legislation and of common administrative practices. Managerial accountability is seen as the key element in achieving modern financial management and control and value for money in public administration.

Key partner: Ministry of Finance

 

Regulatory Impact Analysis

In January 2012, Montenegro introduced Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), a tool used to assess the potential impacts of government policy and potential regulations and the likelihood that they will achieve their desired objectives. Eighteen months after its introduction, and in order to help Montenegro make the RIA system more effective and target in the most challenging areas, SIGMA recently organised a seminar for ministries to: (1) review the first year of implementation, enabling ministries to share their issues and identify any tweaks to the process that would be beneficial (peer support, training, manual); (2) provide a platform for the Ministry of Finance to share examples of good RIAs; and (3) hear practical solutions to the analytical challenges faced by Montenegro from other EU Member States. Further information on the seminar 'Reviewing the Implementation of the RIA Process'.

Key partner: Ministry of Finance

 

Policy Making

Montenegro is currently at a crucial stage of its European integration processes, with the opening of accession negotiations in 2012. However, EU accession negotiations and membership need to be underpinned by policy making arrangements and capacities that: (1) enable consistent policy planning of government activities, including priority setting, (2) create economically efficient and financially sustainable policies; (3) ensure that policies are properly implemented and monitored, and (4) support the transposition and implementation of the acquis in all sectors, and lay the foundations for operating effectively as an EU Member State. To support Montenegro develop the necessary arrangements and capacities, SIGMA is conducting a review of Montenegro’s policy planning, development, co-ordination and implementation, examining its central co-ordination and horizontal planning systems and arrangements, including those for the co-ordination of European integration affairs and for policy analysis and monitoring in line ministries. The review will provide an in-depth analysis of the key aspects of public governance capacities in policy making and coordination, highlight areas of good practice and suggest areas for improvement.

Key partner: Secretariat-General of the Government

 

For further information on SIGMA activities in Montenegro, please contact Klas Klaas, Country Co-ordinator, or Lisa Ball, Project Co-ordinator.

 

Publications and Documents

  • Assessment Reports

SIGMA's annual Assessments review the progress made by EU Candidates and Potential Candidates in public administration reform. These Assessments feed into the EC's annual Progress Reports and its programming of technical assistance. They also aim to provide countries with inputs into their own reform activities.

Assessment reports prepared for Montenegro are available here.
  • Other Reports

Public Management Profile Montenegro, SIGMA 2003
  • Translations of SIGMA Publications into Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian

SIGMA and the OECD as copyright holders cannot take responsibility for the quality of translations of SIGMA publications. For questions on using SIGMA copyrighted material or to request permission to translate a SIGMA publication, please contact the OECD Publications' Rights Unit.

 

Related Documents

 

SIGMA and GOV Publications in Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian