The capacity of a government to deliver policies and quality services for its citizens depends on the professionalism and integrity of its civil servants, who should be managed according to international standards and EU practices.
Public service and human resource management
About
Key elements
International standards and EU practices recommend:
An effective and efficient institutional set-up, with well-defined roles and responsibilities.
Human resource policies and strategies that are fairly and consistently applied.
Merit-based recruitment and promotion, transparent and fair remuneration, and sysematic professional development for civil servants.
Political neutrality.
The state administration should be developed according to clear policies and regulations, to ensure a rational, effective and efficient institutional structure.
Administrative legislation that protects public interest and citizens’ rights, together with independent oversight institutions, are also needed to ensure effective compliance of administrative authorities with the rule of law. All of these elements are essential for enhancing the trust of citizens in public institutions.
What SIGMA does
SIGMA assists EU candidate countries, potential candidates and neighbourhood countries in building their civil services, reforming their state administrations and strengthening their administrative legal frameworks. By sharing professional expertise from EU member states, this process helps them to implement reforms and improve their performance.
Contact the team
Lech Marcinkowski
Team leader
Albania, Algeria, Kosovo*, Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine
lech.marcinkowski@oecd.org
Tel: +33 (0) 1 85 55 44 92
Blanca Lázaro
Senior Policy Advisor
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Palestinian Authority
blanca.lazaro@oecd.org
Tel: +33 1 45 24 93 94
Wojciech Zielinski
Senior Policy Advisor
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye
wojciech.zielinski@oecd.org
Tel: +33 1 45 24 14 83
Related publications
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Toolkits and guidance1 May 2025
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Toolkits and guidance1 May 2020
Related events
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ConferenceIn person11 February 2026 -
In personPublication launch9 December 2025 -
VirtualWorkshop15 May 2025