BUILDING A LANDSCAPE FOR ETHICS TRAINING

Controlling corruption requires political morality to inspire society and influence government organizations to pursue integrity and accountability. Citizens expect public servants to manage public resources properly and make decisions based on social equity. Fair and reliable public services inspire public trust and create a favorable environment for businesses, thus contributing to the markets and economic growth. Principles for managing ethics in public service include:

ETHICS TRAINING MUST BE MADE MANDATORY IN THE EU

Voters’ satisfaction and trust in political administrations has declined substantially due to politicians’ irresponsiveness, misconduct, and lack of accountability. Voters increasingly feel that their role and power to influence the political decision-making process has been diminished and, as a result, they have lost confidence in governments. Furthermore, voters have come to believe that politicians are more motivated by personal power than civic impact.

BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR

We would like to wish all our members, friends and visitors a prosperous New Year!

Efficient use of resources, good quality training in Public Policy Advocacy and high awareness of our members' needs are all paramount to improving our services and increasing our members' satisfaction in 2014.

We thank you for your support and together let's make 2014 a very successful year of happiness, peace and success!

FRANCE'S REALITY CHECK

There is an increasing consensus in France, that the French economy is in the doldrums. While president Hollande keeps reaffirming that things are going to get better, few people in France believe him; even positive figures are greeted with a certain scepticism.

Here below are some interesting facts:

GREECE TAKES HELM OF EU ON 1ST JANUARY 2014

Greece takes helm of thee EU at a critical time, just months before the end of the current European Parliament. This means that Greece will have less than 4 months to deliver on complicated dossiers, rather than the full six months.

ECONOMIC PROSPECTS FOR EUROPE IN 2014

Europe’s  economy is going to expand very slowly. The European Central Bank (ECB) has stabilized sovereign debt  markets and systemic risk is for now substantially reduced. But growth will not follow early. Most of the south of Europe has nominal unit labor costs well above Germany’s post- reform levels, and the process of reconvergence with common exchange rate is slow and difficult. Reforms to increase structural flexibility and accelerate a structural shift toward the tradable sectors have been limited.

DISTINGUISHING THE SUB-COMPONENTS OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

The process through which strategic managers make and implement decisions is strategic management. Here below are interrelated sub-components that are part of the process. They include Government Relations/Public Policy Advocacy, Regulatory Affairs, Strategic Planning and Issue Management and Public Affairs.

Government Relations/Public Policy Advocacy

WHAT POLITICAL BALANCE OF POWER IN THE NEXT EP?

The European Union is today facing an important turn in its history. The political situation in Europe has importantly shifted over the past few years. Indeed in the current context today’s Euro skepticism is often combined with a new highly concerning rise of extreme parties who, despite their many differences, all share at least one important common thread: they are anti-Euro and anti-Europe. It is this dangerous cocktail of skepticism, lack of interest, and national political instability, that most experts are afraid of.

OUTCOME OF THE FULL REVIEW OF THE EU TRANSPARENCY REGISTER

The current Register was set up jointly by the European Parliament and the European Commission in 2011. While it has always been the Parliament's wish that the register should become compulsory, it has proved difficult to find an adequate legal base in the EU Treaty. For this reason the working group called for a proposal by the Commission to adapt the EU Treaty. Failing this, the Commission should formulate a proposal by 2016 on the basis of article 352 of the EU Treaty, which, however, requires unanimity among the EU member states.

CODES OF CONDUCT FOR PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES

Codes of conduct are common in many professions and occupations. Codes of conduct provide guidance to individuals on responsible and ethical professional practices. They define rules of behaviour based on core principles and ethical standards for members of the profession or occupation. They increase peer pressure on professionals to comply with certain generally accepted standards. They can also enhance the reputations of individuals by publicizing the principles for which they stand, and provide a means of evaluating the ethics of individuals who practise in the profession.

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