Advisers submit recommendations to European Commission on sweeping reform — Politico Europe
In Brussels, Belgium, a group of external advisers submitted a report to the European Commission containing nine recommendations for a sweeping overhaul of its administrative structure. The document is intended to become one element of a reform designed to make the EU’s executive body more efficient, simplify bureaucratic procedures and make working at the institution more attractive, Politico Europe reports.
Cooperation between directorates-general
The report was prepared by a group led by former European Commission Secretary-General Catherine Day. It also included eight experts with experience in national administrations and international organizations, including the OECD and the OSCE.
Among the key proposals are strengthening cooperation between the European Commission’s directorates-general and moving away from a model in which departments operate separately from one another. The advisers also proposed strengthening the Secretariat-General as a strategic, results-oriented center and applying a human-centered approach to artificial intelligence to simplify administrative processes.
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No final decisions
The submission of the report does not mean that the European Commission has already approved a structural reform. The conclusions of Day’s group will be considered as part of a broader review led by European Commissioner for Budget and Public Administration Piotr Serafin. He is to submit final recommendations to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen by the end of 2026.
The potential changes may affect directorates-general that manage significant volumes of EU funding, including departments responsible for regional policy, agriculture, employment, fisheries, research and innovation. Serafin previously noted that major structural decisions would be closely tied to negotiations on the next EU multiannual budget for 2028–2034, and therefore should not be expected before those negotiations are completed.
The first stage of the review included 15 internal workstreams and proposals from thousands of European Commission employees. A separate internal process had already produced an initial set of recommendations in July, but they were intended to start a discussion rather than become final decisions.
