Modernising EU programme management

Unlike public administration systems in many member states, the management of EU programmes has not, until recently, been subject to a radical modernizing agenda. Following the resignation of the Santer Commission in March 1999, a wide ranging programme of management reform has been introduced by the European Commission. Based on the findings of the committee of independent experts reports of 1999, a reform White Paper was published by Commissioner Kinnock in March 2000 with the intention of implementing many of these proposals and adding some new ones. This article will review the content and progress of these reforms in the context of the 'New Public Management/Modernising Government' paradigm, and compare them with earlier change packages initiated by the outgoing commission. The likely trajectory of the current initiatives will be evaluated against this experience taking into account recent Court of Auditor'sfindings.