The 3rd annual Technical Support Instrument (TSI) conference took place today 12 May. The TSI is the EU programme that provides tailor-made technical expertise to EU Member States, but also to regional and local administrations to design and implement reforms in line with EU policies. The key feature of the TSI is that it does not provide funding to administrations, in order to avoid procedural overload. Instead, TSI provides highly qualified expertise that supports administrations directly in implementing policies and reforms. By way of example, TSI has been used to implement local strategic plans in various sectors, to appropriately manage emergencies in the health sector such as Covid-19 or in the humanitarian (reception of migrants) and energy sector (supply differentiation) following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The TSI is intended not only for national authorities, but also for regional and local ones. Over the past three years, 600 projects from all 27 member countries have been supported, contributing to the realization of 900 reforms. The topics of Green and Digital Transition have been the most touched. As far as 2024 is concerned, priority will be given to multi-country projects (i.e. involving administrations from different member countries) and on themes that are priorities for the European Commission (so-called Flagships). The ultimate goal is to give voice not only to central administrations, but also to involve regional and local ones. DG REFORM’s task is also to foster the creation of partnerships. In fact, an informal platform open to PAs will be opened in June to collect local needs, which will then be used to build partnerships and shared project proposals around common needs. In addition, horizontal meetings between interested administrations will be organized around specific themes. Finally, national contact points can support administrations by providing information or creating connections between potential partners.
Flagship projects are set up around themes considered strategic by DG REFORM following a careful needs analysis with other DGs and Member States. The use of Flagships has proven to be very effective over the years and, since the start of the TSI programme, more than 200 projects have been Flagships. There are 13 Flagships promoted in 2024 and they concerns:
PACE (Public Adminstration Cooperation Exchange), which promotes the exchange of civil servants and knowledge between European public adminstrations.
- Artificial Intelligence in the PA
- Digital Financial Literacy
- Digital Transformation of Tax and Customs Systems
- Improving the Quality of Public Finances
- Supporting the Green Deal Industrial Plan (regulatory, finance, skills, train)
- Support the Social Climate Fund and the European Emissions Trading Scheme
- Overcoming regional development barriers
- Improve reception capacity and hospitality of migrants
- Mental Health: improving wellbeing and mental health
- Skills development systems better adapted to the labour market
- Strengthening Democracy and Law Enforcement
- The Public Adminstration of the Future
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