Management Plan 2018 Secretariat-General - European Commission
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Ref. Ares(2018)317214 - 18/01/2018
Management Plan 2018
Secretariat-GeneralContents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 3
PART 1. MAIN OUTPUTS FOR THE YEAR ................................................... 6
General objective A: A New Boost for Jobs, Growth and Investment ....... 6
General objective B: An Area of Justice and Fundamental Rights
Based on Mutual Trust ................................................................... 8
General objective C: A Union of Democratic Change.......................... 9
General objective D: To help achieve its overall political
objectives, the Commission will effectively and efficiently
manage and safeguard its assets and resources, and attract and
develop the best talents .......................................................... 14
PART 2. MAIN ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT OUTPUTS FOR THE YEAR .. 33
A. Human resource management .................................................... 33
B. Financial Management: Internal control and risk management ........ 35
C. Information management aspects ............................................... 37
D. External communication activities ............................................... 39
E. Examples of initiatives to improve economy and efficiency of
financial and non-financial activities of the DG........................... 41
ANNEX 1 REGULATORY SCRUTINY BOARD .............................................. 44
ANNEX 2 EUROPEAN FISCAL BOARD ...................................................... 46INTRODUCTION
2018 will be a defining year for the Union and for the European Commission. It will be a
year of delivery, as the final proposals are made to complete the work on the ten political
priorities of the Juncker Commission. And it will be a year to look to the future as the
Union of 27 prepares to move forward with unity and purpose.
The Commission has already delivered 80% of the proposals promised at the beginning
of the mandate. As stated in the Commission Work Programme for 2018, the Commission
intends to table the remaining proposals necessary to deliver on the political priorities by
May 2018. This will allow time for political agreement to be reached by the European
Parliament and Council within the current parliamentary term.
Looking further ahead, the 18 months leading up to the European Parliament elections in
June 2019 will be a critical period for the Union. As set out in the Roadmap to Sibiu for
a More United, Stronger and More Democratic Union, and reflected in the Leaders'
Agenda agreed by the European Council, now is the time to prepare the decisions that
will shape the Union for years to come.
The Commission Work Programme for 2018 sets out exactly how the Commission
will contribute to building the Europe of 2025 and beyond, drawing on the reflection
process launched by the Commission White Paper on the Future of Europe in 2017. These
and other initiatives will pave the way to the Special Summit in Sibiu in 2019, at which
concrete decisions will be taken for a more united, stronger and democratic Europe.
In all these areas, the Secretariat-General will continue to play its unique role at the
heart of the European Commission. As described in the Strategic Plan for the 2016-2020
period, the Secretariat-General contributes to all the political priorities by coordinating
the services on behalf of the President and Vice-Presidents and leading on key strategic
initiatives. The ultimate goal is to support the political agenda by ensuring that high-
quality and timely proposals are presented to the College for adoption.
A key output for 2018 with a longer-term perspective will be a comprehensive proposal
for the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework. This will be the culmination of
the process launched by the Reflection Paper on the Future of EU finances launched in
2017. The Secretariat-General and the Directorate-General for the Budget will lead inter-
service work on the proposal and on the individual programmes through which the
budget is implemented. The goal will be to equip the Union with a budget commensurate
with its ambitions and to ensure that the programmes are fully aligned with the political
priorities and designed to maximise their impact on the ground.
The Secretariat-General will also lead on other parts of the Roadmap to Sibiu, for
example through a reflection paper on a sustainable European future, which will set
out options for the follow-up to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris
Agreement on climate change. The Secretariat-General will also support the functioning
of the new taskforce on 'subsidiarity and proportionality and doing less more efficiently'
and will prepare the Communication on further enhancing subsidiarity,
proportionality and better regulation. And the Secretariat-General will be closely
involved with the preparation of several important institutional proposals, for example on
ways to make single-market law-making more efficient.
As in previous years, the Secretariat-General will also play a leading role in the annual
European Semester of economic policy coordination and will continue to coordinate
work on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Bulgaria and Romania,
taking into account the political goal of being able to conclude the process during this
Commission mandate.
Other policy outputs for the year will include, for example, further work on the
response to the refugee crisis and the implementation of the European Agenda for
3Migration; the implementation of the European Defence Action Plan and the 2017
Defence Package; a proposal to create a European Labour Authority; and coordination
of the Commission's continuing efforts to complete the Energy Union and Digital Single
Market.
The Secretariat-General will in 2018 continue to spearhead the Commission's Better
Regulation agenda, by providing day-to-day support to services and developing tools
and policies at corporate level. In 2018, the Secretariat-General will launch a stock-
taking exercise on the Better Regulation agenda and support the work of the Task Force
mentioned above. In addition, engagement with stakeholders will be strengthened
through the further enhancement of the Better Regulation portal.
The Secretariat-General is also fully engaged in work to improve the transparency and
democratic underpinning of the Union's activities. As part of the 'Democracy
Package' announced in President Juncker's 2017 State of the Union address, the
Secretariat-General will seek to secure agreement between the European Parliament and
Council on the reform of the European Citizens' Initiative to make it easier for citizens
to set up and support initiatives. Reaching agreement on the revision of the Regulation
on European Political Parties and Foundations to improve its functioning and
increase political accountability will also be a high priority in the year before the
European Parliament elections.
This Commission is leading by example in improving the transparency of its relations
with stakeholders. The priority for 2018 will be to roll out similarly high standards across
the institutions by securing agreement with the European Parliament and Council on a
mandatory inter-institutional transparency register.
Another important part of the Secretariat-General's role within the Commission is to
develop and drive a wide range of corporate policies. The Juncker Commission's
commitment to the highest standards of performance and governance is reflected in
the Secretariat-General's ongoing work on the reformed Strategic Planning and
Programming cycle and in support of the Commission's corporate governance bodies. And
the implementation of the strategy on data, information and knowledge management will
help improve the way services work together in pursuit of shared objectives.
The Secretariat-General also works to maintain high ethical standards in the
Commission. A priority for 2018 will be the full and coherent implementation of the new
Code of Conduct for Commissioners. 2018 will also be an important year for data
protection: the Data Protection Officer will oversee the implementation of the revised
data protection regulation in the Commission.
An efficient decision-making system is key to enabling the Commission to
act efficiently and collegially. The Secretariat-General is responsible for the decision-
making machinery in the Commission and is leading work to streamline procedures and
upgrade and integrate the IT tools supporting this process. 2018 will see important new
releases of the Commission's decision-making IT tool, Decide, which will introduce new
functionality and improve the user experience.
Another important area of activity for 2018 will be preparing for the withdrawal of the
United Kingdom from the European Union. To this end, a dedicated Brexit
Preparedness Group has been set up within the Secretariat-General to ensure
coordination of internal preparations for withdrawal, to oversee administrative and
legislative changes as necessary, and to provide guidance both within the Commission
and for citizens and stakeholders.
Finally, as a central service of the Commission, the Secretariat-General's goal is to set an
example in terms of gender equality, well-being and staff engagement. All staff
participated in 2017 in an exercise to identify areas where the Secretariat-General could
improve. As a direct result of this, actions will be launched in 2018 through the 'SG we
4want to be' initiative to improve working methods and the working environment, covering
areas such as mobility, personal development, collaboration and communication with
senior management. The Secretariat-General will also continue to strive to meet its
targets for female representation in middle and senior management.
5PART 1. MAIN OUTPUTS FOR THE YEAR
General objective A: A New Boost for Jobs, Growth and Investment
European Semester
The Secretariat-General is responsible for coordinating the work of the Commission
services on the European Semester of economic policy coordination. The main milestones
of the European Semester cycle include the Annual Growth Survey, which launches the
cycle by setting out general economic priorities for the EU and provides Member States
with policy guidance for the following year. After the European-level guidance, the
Commission services produce country-specific analysis in the country reports. These
reports analyse Member States' economic and social situations and, for the Member
States concerned, the state of play and developments with regard to macroeconomic
imbalances.
The European Semester is the vehicle through which the Commission monitors progress
towards the Europe 2020 targets. The chapeau Communication accompanying the
Commission's proposed country-specific recommendations will report on progress
towards these objectives, in particular by providing a summary account of progress of
the nine indicators linked to the Europe 2020 headline targets. The country reports will
also contain reporting on Member States' performance in relation to their national Europe
2020 targets.
The 2018 exercise will also integrate elements related to the European Pillar of Social
Rights. Based on the analysis and the subsequent dialogue with Member States, the
Commission proposes country-specific recommendations on a number of issues of
macroeconomic and social relevance for each Member State. These recommendations are
adopted by the Council. The Commission then monitors follow-up on the implementation
of this guidance by the Member States.
In related activities, the Secretariat-General will coordinate the follow-up to the
December 2017 package on deepening the Economic and Monetary Union, working
closely with other Commission services, notably the Directorate-General for Economic
and Financial Affairs. It will also continue to coordinate the Commission's work on the
implementation of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda and the sustainable development
goals, including the management of the multi-stakeholder platform and the preparation
of a reflection paper 'Towards a sustainable Europe by 2030'.
Relevant general objective: A New Boost for Jobs, Growth and Investment
Specific objective A1: To ensure sound public finances, prevent excessive
macroeconomic imbalances, pursue structural reforms for jobs and growth and
boost investment by providing integrated fiscal, economic, employment and social
policy guidance to the Member States.
Main outputs in 2018:
All new initiatives and REFIT initiatives from the Commission Work Programme
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Reflection paper Adoption by the Commission Autumn 2018 SG.D1
"Towards a
sustainable Europe by
2030"
Other important outputs
Output Indicator Target Lead
6Unit(s)
1
Country reports Publication by Commission services February 2018 SG.D12
Country-specific Adoption by the Commission May 2018 SG.D1
recommendations3
Annual Growth Adoption by the Commission November 2018 SG.D1
Survey4
Multiannual Financial Framework
As announced in President Juncker's State of the Union address and featured in the
Roadmap for a more United, Stronger and More Democratic Union (October 2017), the
Commission will present a comprehensive proposal for the post-2020 Multiannual
Financial Framework, including on own resources, in May 2018. This will be an
opportunity to design an ambitious EU budget that will help the Union to fulfil its
ambitions and deliver EU added value to Europe's citizens across a range of policy areas.
There will also be a strong focus on further simplifying the Union's financial programmes
so as to deliver results quickly on the ground.
The preparation of the next Multiannual Financial Framework was launched in March
2017 with the publication of the White Paper on the Future of Europe. The subsequent
Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances, published in June 2017, set out a series of
options and scenarios regarding the future direction of the EU budget and how it could be
used. The results of this political process will shape the Commission's proposals for the
next Multiannual Financial Framework.
Within the Commission, the Secretariat-General and the Directorate-General for the
Budget will coordinate the work of the services to develop coherent and ambitious
proposals fully aligned with the political priorities.
Relevant general objective: A New Boost for Jobs, Growth and Investment
Specific objective A3: The current MFF is reviewed and a new MFF put in place for
the post-2020 period.
Main outputs in 2018:
All new initiatives and REFIT initiatives from the Commission Work Programme
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Post-2020 Adoption of by the Commission May 2018 SG.B1
Multiannual Financial
Framework proposal
1
Assessment of economic and social developments and challenges, of the reform agenda, of the
implementation of country-specific recommendations and of progress in the implementation of the Europe
2020 strategy for each Member State.
2
Also responsible: DG ECFIN and DG EMPL (for the employment and social-related aspects)
3
Operational guidance to Member States on how to increase growth and jobs, including by removing
bottlenecks preventing growth and job creation, and to promote sustainable public finances. The number and
scope of the country-specific recommendations reflect the intensity and severity of the challenges faced by
the Member States and the adequacy of their response to previous country-specific recommendations.
4
It sets out the European Union's economic priorities for the coming year and launches the annual European
Semester cycle
7General objective B: An Area of Justice and Fundamental Rights
Based on Mutual Trust
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism
The Commission produces regular reports under the Cooperation and Verification
Mechanism, with particular regard to judicial reform and the fight against corruption in
Romania, and organised crime in addition with respect to Bulgaria. Through the 2018
reporting, the Secretariat-General will bring together the Commission's work on its
ongoing cooperation and analysis with national authorities and other key stakeholders,
taking into account the political goal of being able to conclude the process during this
Commission mandate. These reports are a specific contribution by the Secretariat-
General in respect of two Member States to progress towards achieving the delivery of
the Commission's broader general objective of creating an area of Justice and
Fundamental Rights based on mutual trust.
Relevant general objective: An Area of Justice and Fundamental Rights Based on
Mutual Trust
Specific objective B1: The rule of law is consolidated in Bulgaria and Romania
through achieving the goals of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanisms.
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Cooperation and Adoption by the Commission (if required) SG.E15
Verification Autumn 2018
Mechanism reports
Country-specific Adoption by the Commission May 2018 SG.D1
recommendations6
Annual Growth Adoption by the Commission November 2018 SG.D1
Survey7
5
Also responsible: DG ECFIN and DG EMPL (for the employment and social-related aspects)
6
Operational guidance to Member States on how to increase growth and jobs, including by removing
bottlenecks preventing growth and job creation, and to promote sustainable public finances. The number and
scope of the country-specific recommendations reflect the intensity and severity of the challenges faced by
the Member States and the adequacy of their response to previous country-specific recommendations.
7
It sets out the European Union's economic priorities for the coming year and launches the annual European
Semester cycle
8General objective C: A Union of Democratic Change
The work of the Secretariat-General in 2018 will contribute to the democratic change
objective in a number of ways, including through better regulation policy and initiatives
to improve stakeholder engagement, transparency, and engagement with citizens,
national Parliaments and the other European institutions.
Better regulation policy
In 2018, the Secretariat-General will continue to provide guidance, coordination and
quality control on regulatory policy and procedures with a view to ensuring the quality,
effectiveness and efficiency of EU legislation and policies. It will:
monitor the implementation of the 2018 Commission Work Programme,
coordinate the preparation of the 2019 Commission Work Programme, and
continue to manage the planning and validation process for new initiatives;
provide guidance on planning and on the application of better regulation tools
(impact assessment, stakeholder consultation, evaluation) through training,
chairing inter-service networks, participating in inter-service groups, advising
services, speaking at conferences in the EU, international organisations and
abroad;
promote quantification practice of regulatory costs, benefits and savings, in
cooperation with the Joint Research Centre;
manage the Commission infringement cycles (drawing on infringement data for
evaluation and policy programming work);
coordinate and implement the REFIT Programme including managing the REFIT
Platform and related financing (supported by the EU programme for the
Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs (COSME));
ensure policy coordination on evaluations and fitness checks and provide
upstream and downstream advice and support for policy coordination of REFIT
items;
continue international regulatory cooperation exchanges, notably with the OECD;
provide the secretariat to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (see annex 1);
continue to implement the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making, by
pursuing relevant internal actions and follow-up with the European
Parliament/Council;
launch the preparatory work (in the first half of 2018) on a stock-taking of the
Better Regulation Agenda, which will be finalised in the first half of 2019.
As announced in the 2017 State of the Union address, the Commission established on 14
November 2017 the 'Task Force on Subsidiarity, Proportionality and "Doing Less More
Efficiently"'. The Task Force will report to the President by 15 July 2018, making
recommendations on how to better apply the principles of subsidiarity and
proportionality, identifying policy areas where work could be re-delegated or returned to
Member States, as well as ways to better involve regional and local authorities in EU
policy making and delivery. The Secretariat-General will provide the secretariat to this
task force which will be chaired by First Vice-President Timmermans. The Task Force will
present a report to the President of the Commission on its work and the Commission
intends to adopt a Communication on further enhancing subsidiarity, proportionality and
better regulation in the daily operation of the European Union (as set out in the Roadmap
for a more United, Stronger and More Democratic Union)
9Relevant general objective: A Union of Democratic Change
Specific objective C1: Regulatory policy and related tools are fully developed and
applied throughout the legislative cycle (planning to impact assessment to
evaluation) in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of EU regulation.
The acquis is 'fit for purpose' delivering its benefits by least cost.
Main outputs in 2018:
All new initiatives and REFIT initiatives from the Commission Work Programme
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Communication on options Adoption by the Commission September 2018 SG.B2
for enhancing efficiency at SG.F2
the helm of the European
Union
Communication on further Adoption by the Commission September 2018 SG.C2
enhancing subsidiarity, SG.B2
proportionality and better SG.F1
regulation in the daily
SG.F3
operation of the European
Union (Subsidiarity and
Proportionality Task Force)
Other important outputs
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Commission Work Adoption by the Commission October 2018 SG.C4
Programme
Support the interinstitutional Adoption by co-legislators End 2018 SG.B2
negotiations on the '"Reform
of Comitology" - Commission
proposal 2017/35 for an EP
and Council Regulation
amending Regulation (EU) No
182/2011 laying down the
rules and general principles
concerning mechanisms for
control by Member States of
the Commission’s exercise of
implementing powers
Support the interinstitutional Adoption by co-legislators End 2018 SG.B2
negotiations on the
"RPS/PRAC alignment" –
Commission proposals
2016/798&799 for two EP
and Council Regulations
adapting a number of legal
acts providing for the use of
the regulatory procedure with
scrutiny to Art. 290 and 291
TFEU
Opinions on impact Timely delivery of opinions Ongoing RSB
assessments issued in 2018 issued on all cases SG.C1
– support to the RSB submitted by the SG.C2
Commission services
Opinions on fitness checks Timely delivery of opinions Ongoing RSB
and major evaluations issued SG.C2
in 2018 – support to the RSB
10Analysis of sensitive Quality, timelines and Ongoing SG.C3
infringement cases accuracy of information
Consolidate the information Themis/Infringements 3rd quarter of 2018 SG.R3
on the full life cycle of module fully operational SG.C3
monitoring of the
implementation and
application of Union law,
notably on the infringements
management
Support the inter-institutional Adoption by co-legislators 3rd quarter of 2018 SG.B2
negotiations allowing to LS
supplement the Common
Understanding on delegated
acts with a catalogue of
legally non-binding criteria
for the delineation between
delegated and implementing
acts
Stakeholder engagement
In order to strengthen the engagement of citizens, stakeholders and national Parliaments
with EU policy making, and in line with its better regulation ambitions, the Commission is
gradually building up a web portal where citizens and stakeholders can contribute to and
track the law-making process: the Better Regulation Portal. This portal, which is
developed under the steer of the Secretariat-General and in close collaboration with DG
COMM, offers external stakeholders and the general public an easy to use, one-stop
access point to Commission initiatives as well as the possibility to give feedback at
relevant stages of the decision-making process. The Portal enables external stakeholders
to better understand and participate in the Commission policy-making process. Its
functionalities were extended in 2017 and will be improved further in 2018.
Enhancing the dialogue with citizens, stakeholders and national Parliaments
At the beginning of its mandate, the Commission made the commitment to forge a new
partnership with national Parliaments as a way of bringing the European Union closer to
its citizens. Next to increasing the number of direct contacts of Members of the
Commission with national Parliaments, the Commission intensified its efforts to give
timely, detailed and political replies to national Parliament opinions and will continue to
do so. Further improvements will also be sought in relation to replies to opinions of the
Consultative Committees, in particular with regard to their timeliness. The Secretariat-
General will continue to coordinate the Commission's relations with the European
Ombudsman and will focus in particular on making the collaboration more efficient and
expeditious in 2018.
Additionally, as part of the Democracy Package announced in the 2017 State of the Union
address, the Commission has proposed to reform the Regulation on the European
Citizen's Initiative to make it easier for citizens to set up and support initiatives. The
Secretariat-General will support the negotiations in the European Parliament and the
Council on this Regulation. In parallel, it will launch work to deliver on a pilot in 2018 for
the foreseen online collaborative platform that will provide a discussion forum and
information and advice to citizens and organisers of initiatives.
Revision of European political parties and foundations Regulation
In his State of the Union address on 13 September 2017, President Juncker announced
the adoption of the Regulation on European Political Parties and Foundations. This
legislative proposal aims to rectify identified shortcomings in particular in relation to the
affiliations between national and European parties, increase political accountability, as
11well as to mitigate problems in the application of the current rules. The Secretariat-
General will now lead on the inter-institutional negotiations with a view to securing an
early agreement so that the funding of parties in the year of the European Parliament
elections (2019) is conducted in accordance with the new rules.
Relevant general objective: A Union of Democratic Change
Specific objective C2: A more democratic and accountable European Union opening
up policy-making and enhancing its dialogue with citizens, stakeholders and
national Parliaments.
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Follow-up to the European Quality and timeliness of Ongoing SG.F3
Ombudsman's requests follow-up
Annual report on subsidiarity Adoption by the Commission July 2018 SG.F3
and proportionality and
Annual report on relations
with national Parliaments
Follow-up to national Quality and timeliness of Ongoing SG.F3
Parliaments' (NPs) opinions follow-up to reasoned SG.D
opinions and opinions SG.E
received within the political
dialogue with NPs
Follow-up to the opinions of Quality and timeliness of Ongoing SG.F3
the consultative committees follow-up to the opinions SG.D
(CoR and EESC) received from the SG.E
Committee of the regions
and the Economic and Social
Committee.
Support the negotiations on Adoption by co-legislators April 2018 SG.F1
the revision of the European
political parties and
foundations Regulation
Support the negotiations on Adoption by co-legislators End 2018 SG.C4
the revision of the European
citizens' initiative Regulation
Further development of the Roll-out of major release(s) End 2018 SG.A.1
Better Regulation Portal further streamlining the
possibilities for external
stakeholders to provide
feedback at relevant stages
of the decision-making
process and enabling them
to track the progress of
initiatives.
Transparency policy
The Juncker Commission has committed to "lead by example" when it comes to
transparency. At the very beginning of its mandate, the College committed to high
transparency standards. This lies at the heart of the Democratic Change priority in the
Political Guidelines for this Commission. Being transparent about the way EU institutions
work, including how they interact with interest representatives, is essential to ensuring
public trust. One of the first actions of this Commission was to adopt new rules on
transparency, publishing information on which stakeholders meet its decision-makers and
top officials to discuss policy issues. This openness is coupled with a pledge to only meet
12interest representatives featuring on the Transparency Register. To make the
Transparency Register even more rigorous and credible, the Commission has invited the
European Parliament and Council to adopt the same rules on only meeting registered
organisations. The aim is to secure the same commitment from all the institutions to
transparency when pursuing negotiations with them on the Proposal for an
Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory Transparency Register.
Joint legislative database
As set out in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-making, the Commission is
cooperating with the European Parliament and the Council to establish a Joint Legislative
Portal, aiming to present the state of play on ongoing legislative files in a user-friendly
manner, so that non-specialists can easily access information and underlying documents
from all the Institutions. Following the drafting of a joint concept paper, work should now
advance to the technical specifications and then development.
Parliamentary questions
The importance of Parliamentary questions was reiterated by President Juncker in a letter
to President Tajani in March 2017. In this letter, the President assured that “the
Commission makes every effort to reply in good time and to provide high quality and
politically pertinent replies”. Revised guidelines on the management of parliamentary
questions, developed by the Secretariat-General, are part of this effort.
Relevant general objective: A Union of Democratic Change
Specific objective C3: The public has easy access to information on the EU's work
and contacts with stakeholders – from the preparation stage to the final documents
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Support the negotiations on a Adoption by co-legislators End July 2018 SG.B4
new Interinstitutional
Agreement for a mandatory
register
Joint database of legislative Continuation of preparatory 2018 SG.A1
files work 2020 SG.F1
Joint database established
Support negotiations for the Adoption by co-legislators Early 2018 SG.F1
IIA Better Lawmaking: SG.E
follow-up on informing EP SG.B
about international
negotiations and on trilogue
transparency, and horizontal
follow-up
Handling of Commission Quality and timeliness of Ongoing SG.F1
replies to European replies SG.D,
Parliament questions, SG.E
supported by a well- Revision of guidelines January 2018 SG.F1
performing IT tool
Preparation of integration of SG.F1
BASIL in Decide SG.A1
13General objective D: To help achieve its overall political objectives,
the Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and
safeguard its assets and resources, and attract and develop the best
talents
I. Policy coordination and political intelligence
I(a). Coordination of policies
The Secretariat-General’s role is to ensure effective policy coordination for the delivery of
all items in the Commission Work Programme. Work starts at the very early stages of
policy development and planning, continues through the adoption of decisions and
initiatives by the College, and culminates with the negotiation, adoption and
implementation of Commission initiatives. The Secretariat-General coordinates in a
variety of ways: by organising and chairing inter-service groups; preparing meetings of
the project teams led by Vice-Presidents; and co-drafting documents and preparing
detailed replies to inter-service consultations.
The Secretariat-General also maintains an informed view of the legislative "acquis",
policy debates and impact of existing policies on the ground. Furthermore, it coordinates
relations with other institutions and bodies to help ensure the successful adoption of the
President's priority initiatives.
In 2018, this coordination activity will cover both the remaining proposals to complete
the work on the political priorities of the Juncker Commission, and the longer-term
initiatives announced in the Commission Work Programme and the Roadmap to Sibiu for
a More United, Stronger and More Democratic Union (in grey in the tables).
Examples of the Secretariat-General's policy coordination role
The non-exhaustive examples below illustrate the central role that the Secretariat-
General plays in a wide range of policy areas, as chef de file on certain initiatives or in
close collaboration with the lead service(s) on others:
Refugee crisis and migration
The refugee crisis and the implementation of the European Agenda on Migration will
remain key priorities in 2018. The Commission is pursuing a comprehensive approach to
tackle these issues, with immediate crisis response measures to bring humanitarian
support, to reduce the incentives for irregular migration and put stronger border
management in place, and to put a more robust long-term framework in place.
The Secretariat-General's role in 2018 will continue to include intensive coordination,
steering and reporting, working together with key services (especially DG Migration and
Home Affairs, DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, DG Humanitarian aid
and Civil Protection, and the European External Action Service, as well as the Structural
Reform Support Service) to deliver on the main policy deliverables for the year. This
requires responsiveness to short-term needs, a consistent approach to working with third
countries of origin and transit and monitoring efforts to provide a robust system of EU
borders and migration management. As part of this work, the Secretariat-General will in
2018 continue being the lead service for the progress reports on the migration agenda.
European Solidarity Corps
Further to President Juncker's announcement in the 2016 State of the Union Address, the
first phase of the European Solidarity Corps was launched following a Commission
Communication in December 2016. Its key objective is to strengthen cohesion and
solidarity in Europe by allowing more young people to participate in a wide range of
14solidarity activities, either by volunteering or by gaining occupational experience in
helping to address societal challenges. The legislative proposal in May 2017 puts the
European Solidarity Corps on a firm footing by proposing a budget for the next three
years and a dedicated legal base. The Secretariat-General in cooperation with all relevant
services is working closely to ensure a swift adoption of the legislative proposal by co-
legislators in early 2018 and a continued broad roll-out of the European Solidarity Corps
involving all relevant players.
European Labour Authority
The proposal to establish a European Labour Authority, announced in President Juncker's
State of the Union Address 2017, will strengthen cooperation between labour market
authorities at all levels and help better manage cross-border situations. It will be
accompanied by further initiatives in support of fair mobility, such as a European Social
Security Number. The Authority will serve a double function of better enforcement
through enhanced coordination between national authorities and facilitating
administrative processes for mobile people and authorities in the digital era. The
Secretariat-General, taking part in a dedicated task-force, will help to ensure swift
adoption by the Commission of the legislative proposal setting up the Authority in the
first quarter of 2018.
Defence
The Secretariat-General plays a strong coordination role with respect to the
implementation of the European Defence Action Plan (EDAP) and the Defence Package of
June 2017. Through the High-Level Group on EDAP and defence-related matters which
brings together the key Cabinets and services, the Secretariat-General will continue to
ensure consistency between the different streams of work.
In 2018, the focus will be on the implementation of the European Defence Fund,
including with view of the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework. The Secretariat-
General will help ensure consistency between Permanent Structured Cooperation
(PESCO) projects and all other Union policies. The Secretariat-General also coordinates in
the context of EU-NATO cooperation to ensure proper involvement of relevant
Commission services. It also supports Commission services in the implementation of
concrete actions: in 2018, that will include the planning and execution of the parallel and
coordinated exercise with NATO (PACE18), for which the EU will be in the lead.
Energy Union
One of the ten priorities of the present Commission is to establish an Energy Union. A
European energy union will ensure that Europe has secure, affordable and climate-
friendly energy. It will deliver jobs, growth and investments needed to modernise
Europe's economy. The Commission has tabled the vast majority of the legislative
proposals necessary to provide a predictable regulatory framework in this area. Enabling
actions are being put in place to accelerate public and private investment and support a
socially fair clean energy transition. The annual State of the Energy Union report of 2018,
to be produced by the Secretariat-General, will be a key opportunity to take stock of
achievements in this area both at EU and national level.
Single Market
Since the adoption of the Single Market Strategy in October 2015, the Commission has
delivered on a number of important initiatives such as the Services Package, the proposal
for a Single Market Information Tool, the proposal for a Single Digital Gateway as well as
more recently the Public Procurement Package. In doing so, the Commission broadly
followed the timetable set out in the Single Market Strategy while keeping in mind the
European Council’s request to have all Single Market initiatives adopted and put in place
by the end of 2018. The last initiatives foreseen in the Single Market Strategy will be
15adopted in the upcoming months but at the latest by mid-2018. Thus, the first priority of
the Secretariat-General in this area will be to ensure a timely adoption of the remaining
initiatives. At the same time, the focus will be gradually shifting to the inter-institutional
discussions. The objective in those discussions will be to facilitate a swift agreement by
the co-legislators while making sure that the key elements of the Commission proposals
remain, to the extent possible, intact. The Secretariat-General will have an important role
to follow the process, ensure collegiality and provide guidance and steer as necessary.
Capital Markets Union
Since the adoption of the Action Plan on building a Capital Markets Union in September
2015, the Commission has delivered on the majority of 33 foreseen actions in view of
building an integrated Capital Markets Union by 2019. In June 2017, the Commission
took stock of the progress and proposed new actions in response to evolving priorities
and challenges. This included for example proposals to support SME listing on public
markets, an initiative on FinTech, a package of measures addressing the problem of non-
performing loans and an initiative in support of sustainable finance. Thus, the priority for
the Secretariat-General in 2018 will be to ensure timely delivery of the remaining
initiatives, both those set out in the original Action Plan as well as those outlined in the
recent mid-term review, in view of meeting the Commission’s commitments in this key
area. This will go hand in hand with efforts to ensure swift agreement on Commission
proposals by co-legislators.
A Connected Digital Single Market
The Commission announced a number of initiatives in the Mid-Term Review of the Digital
Single Market Strategy as well as in the Letter of Intent presented by the President on 13
September 2017 and in the 2018 Commission Work Programme. With the European
Council having reaffirmed the need to complete work on this major programme in 2018,
the Secretariat-General's work will centre on supporting the adoption of pending
proposals and on continuing to address emerging issues.
Trade policy
As underlined in the State of the Union address 2017, trade policy will be a particular
focus of the Commission's work in 2018. The conclusion of trade agreements with key
partners adds to the development of a framework for screening of foreign direct
investments into the European Union to make trade a key theme for 2018. The
Secretariat-General has a particular role in ensuring consistency of approach and in
drafting horizontal communications on key issues.
Relevant general objective: To help achieve its overall political objectives, the
Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard its assets and
resources, and attract and develop the best talents
Specific objective D1: The policy-making process is efficiently steered and
coordinated in order to ensure that the ten political priorities of the Commission are
delivered on time and in a collegial way.
Main outputs in 2018:
All new initiatives and REFIT initiatives from the Commission Work Programme
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Communication on the future Adoption by the Commission 2nd quarter of SG.D3
of EU energy and climate 2018
policy, including the future of
the Euratom Treaty and on
the possible use of Article
192(2), second subparagraph
16TFEU.
Communication on the Adoption by the Commission September 2018 SG.D2
possibility of further SG.D4
enhancing the use of SG.B2
qualified majority voting and
of the ordinary legislative
procedure in internal market
matters, including social and
taxation matters on the basis
of Article 48(7) TEU
Initiative to strengthen the Adoption by the Commission October 2018 SG.E1
enforcement of the Rule of SG.B2
Law in the European Union
Strategy for the successful Adoption by the Commission February 2018 SG.E3
EU accession of Serbia and
Montenegro as frontrunner
candidates in the Western
Balkans
Communication on the Adoption by the Commission September 2018 SG.E3
enhancement of the use of
qualified majority voting in
Common Foreign Policy
Implementation of the Follow up of approach in 1st half of 2018 SG.E1
European Agenda on September 2017 mid-term
Migration review and the CWP 2018
Implementation of the Digital Adoption by the Commission 1st half of 2018 SG.E2
Single Market Strategy of initiatives announced in
the mid-term review of the
Digital Single Market
Strategy and the CWP 2018
Clean Mobility Package III Adoption by the Commission 1st half of 2018 SG.E2
st
Proposal setting up the Adoption by the Commission 1 quarter of SG.D4
European Labour Authority 2018
Other important outputs
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Chairing of Steering Groups Successful completion of Ongoing SG.D and
on all CWP items inter-service process SG.E
Leading the Coordination Achievement of policy and Ongoing SG.DSG2
Team meetings on the operational objectives of the SG.E1
Refugee Crisis EU's response to the refugee
crisis
Leading the Taskforce for the Achievement of policy and Ongoing SG.E
implementation of the operational objectives of the
Partnership Framework new Partnership Framework
approach approach
Reports on the Adoption by the Commission Quarterly 2018 SG.E1
implementation of the
European Agenda on
Migration
Support the negotiations on Adoption by the co- Early 2018 SG.D4
the legislative proposal on legislators
The European Solidarity
Corps
Support the negotiations on Adoption by the co- 2018 SG.E3
the proposal on investment legislators
screening
17State of the Energy Union Adoption by the Commission Q4 2018 SG.D3
2018 progress report
I(b). Political intelligence and inter-institutional relations
The Secretariat-General serves as a bridge between the President's and Vice-Presidents'
Cabinets and services to connect technical information with political needs, and support
the political actions carried out in decision-making, in influencing and engaging in EU
policies with the other institutions and bodies.
This is done through a mix of actions, i.e. direct ad-hoc requests to services, use of
ready-made information material, briefings, flash reports and other reports about
developments in the other institutions and bodies. Through the Secretariat-General,
which coordinates the activities of all its services in this respect, the Commission
maintains a permanent dialogue and interacts with the European Parliament, the
European Council and the Council, the Member States, national Parliaments, the
Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, as well as
with the European Ombudsman.
Furthermore, briefings are policy enablers and a key instrument of political
representation. By providing the President and the Vice-Presidents with relevant policy
and political intelligence aspects, from internal and external sources, they contribute to
nurturing debates and building strategic approaches towards delivering the Commission
priorities. Similarly, monitoring and analysis of social media activities improves the
Commission positioning in inter-institutional relations and informs briefings.
A particular focus of this work in 2018 will be shaping and preparing the regular meetings
at Head of State or Government level foreseen in the Leaders' Agenda endorsed by the
European Council in October 2017. The Secretariat-General will be responsible for
coordinating the preparation of the Commission contributions to each of these
discussions, and for close cooperation with the other Institutions in the preparation of
these meetings.
Joint Declaration
The annual Joint Declaration on legislative priorities, created by the Interinstitutional
Agreement on Better Law-making and signed for the first time in December 2016 by the
Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, has proved its
worth as a means of maintaining political attention on key legislative files as they
advance through the decision making process. The next Declaration will cover the whole
period up to the European elections in 2019 and will help ensure as many as possible of
the key priorities for the current mandate of the European Parliament and the
Commission are adopted.
Developments in the legislative process for these priority proposals will be monitored by
the Secretariat-General on behalf of the Commission President to provide a basis for a
weekly discussion between the Cabinets of Commissioners and the maintenance of
political attention on these priorities. The Secretariat-General will also liaise with the
services of the European Parliament and the Council to facilitate the interinstitutional
monitoring of progress on the priority files, notably via the monthly meeting of the
Interinstitutional Coordination Group and in preparing the follow-up meetings of the
three Presidents provided for in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-making.
18Relevant general objective: To help achieve its overall political objectives, the
Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard its assets and
resources, and attract and develop the best talents
Specific objective D2: The Commission's prerogatives and positions in inter-
institutional negotiations are defended.
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead Unit(s)
Modern and efficient Quality of service Ongoing SG.F1, input
framework for Commission from all
inter-institutional position- concerned
taking (GRI-procedures) SG units
Joint Declaration on Accuracy and timeliness Ongoing SG.F1 with
legislative priorities: progress contribution
tracker from SG.D,
SG.E and
SG.B1
Overview of ongoing trilogue Accuracy and timeliness Ongoing SG.F1
negotiations
Attendance and reporting of Accuracy and timeliness Ongoing SG.F1,
ongoing trilogue negotiations SG.D, SG.E
and SG.B1
Inter-institutional calendar Regularly updated Ongoing SG.F1
Quality of information SG.F5
SG.R3
Modern and efficient Quality of service Ongoing SG.F1, input
framework for Commission from all
inter-institutional position- concerned
taking (GRI-procedures) SG units
Joint Declaration on Accuracy and timeliness Ongoing SG.F1 with
legislative priorities: progress contribution
tracker from SG.D,
SG.E and
SG.B1
Relevant general objective: To help achieve its overall political objectives, the
Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard its assets and
resources, and attract and develop the best talents
Specific objective D3: The President and the Vice-Presidents are provided on time
with high quality, fit-for-purpose briefings as well as flash reports on major
institutional and international issues.
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead Unit(s)
Briefings for Commission Quality and timeliness Ongoing SG.F4
representatives at SG.F1
institutional and external SG.F2
events SG.F3
SG.E3
Coaching and training Number of people trained Ongoing SG.F4
sessions on delivering activity
effective briefing
contributions
Reporting and analysis on EP Quality and timeliness Ongoing SG.F1 SG.D
activities SG.E
SG.B
Early warning messages on Timeliness of information Ongoing SG.F2
sensitive issues for the other
19institutions and better
anticipation of major issues
of relevance for the European
Council
Reporting COREPER I & II Accuracy and timeliness of Ongoing SG.F2 SG.D
and the relevant Council information SG.E
formations: SG.B
Same day flash reports
Preparation and circulation of
SI notes
Establish and maintain close Quality and availability of Ongoing SG.F2
working relationship with the information
Presidency, the GSC, the PEC
Cabinet and expand the
network of contacts with all
MS
Representation of the Timely and accurate Ongoing SG.F2
Commission in all Coreper organisation of appropriate preparation
meetings (including in all representation in meetings, based on
Mertens/Antici group meeting provision of political input from
preparing Coreper I and II) intelligence to Commission SG.D / SG.E
representatives. and SG.B
Social media monitoring and Quality of analysis Ongoing SG.F5
analysis, providing political Social media intelligence (weekly)
intelligence incorporated in briefings
20II. Corporate policies and administrative coordination
The work of the Secretariat-General helps to ensure that the Commission functions in the
most effective and efficient manner and is administratively equipped to deliver on its
political ambitions. In this area, it coordinates a wide range of aspects such as strategic
planning and programming, ethics, information security and IT governance, document
and information management etc.
In addition to these ongoing responsibilities, a dedicated Brexit Preparedness Group
has been set up in the Secretariat-General on 1 December 2017 to ensure coordination
of preparations for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. The
preparations will in particular involve important internal coordination with the services of
the Commission and will materialise in information notices to the citizens and
stakeholders, legislative adaptation measures as well as administrative steps.
Furthermore, contingency plans and measures will be put in place to address the risk of
possible negative consequences and protect EU 27 interests in the absence of a
withdrawal agreement or transitional arrangements.
II(a). Strategic planning and programming
In 2018, the Secretariat-General will continue to promote the smooth functioning of the
Commission's corporate governance system, inter alia by preparing and following up on
meetings of key corporate governance bodies such as the Corporate Management Board
and groups such as the Group of Resource Directors.
The Secretariat-General will also coordinate the further implementation of the
Commission's reformed Strategic Planning and Programming framework. This framework
helps to ensure that the activities of the Commission services are fully aligned to the
political priorities of President Juncker; and strengthens the performance culture within
the Commission by requiring services to set clear objectives and subsequently to monitor
and report on performance. The Secretariat-General, working in close cooperation with
the other central services, supports this process by providing clear instructions and
templates for Management Plans and Annual Activity Reports, as well as ongoing advice
and support throughout the preparatory process.
The Secretariat-General also leads on the preparation of the Annual Management and
Performance Report for the EU budget, a key component of the Commission's corporate
reporting framework. It combines information on the performance of the EU budget and
on budgetary management. The report is the Commission's main contribution to the
annual budgetary discharge process and reflects the Commission's strong commitment to
transparency on budgetary performance and management.
Relevant general objective: To help achieve its overall political objectives, the
Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard its assets and
resources, and attract and develop the best talents
Specific objective D4: A strong performance management framework is
implemented and resources are adequately allocated in all Commission services in
order to deliver efficiently on the political priorities of the Commission.
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Instructions for the Instructions issued October 2018 SG.B1
preparation of the 2019
Management Plans
implementing the Strategic
Plans 2016-2020
Instructions for the Instructions issued 4th quarter of 2018 SG.B1
21preparation of the 2018
Annual Activity Reports
Adoption of the 2017 Annual Adoption of the Report by By 15 June 2018 SG.B1
Management and the Commission SG.C1
Performance Report for the
EU budget (AMPR)
22II(b). Information security and IT governance
The Secretariat-General is at the heart of the Commission's IT governance framework,
supporting the activities of the main governance bodies (the Corporate Management
Board, the IT Board and the Group of Resource Directors) involved in the oversight of the
Commission's IT investments and activities, working in close cooperation with the
Directorate-General for Informatics. In 2018, the Secretariat-General will continue to
work with other central services to proactively monitor IT investments and identify key
priority investment areas and projects to optimise synergies and efficiencies in the
organisation. In that overall context, the IT Board is also expected to steer the discussion
that would lead to the endorsement of a corporate ICT strategy.
Relevant general objective: To help achieve its overall political objectives, the
Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard its assets and
resources, and attract and develop the best talents
Specific objective D5: Corporate IT investments and strategy are aligned with the
business priorities of the Commission..
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Assistance to the IT Adoption of the budget 31 March 2018 SG.B1
Governance bodies in the proposal by the Group of
priority setting for budget Resources Directors
allocation for 2017 and 2018
for the common IT Budget on
Heading 5
The Information Security Steering Board (ISSB), chaired by the Deputy Secretary-
General and supported by the Secretariat-General, will continue to exercise its
operational responsibility for the governance of IT security as a whole within the
Commission. This includes the monitoring of the implementation of the Commission
decision on IT security and of the implementation of the IT Security Strategy covering IT
security awareness raising, the Digital Workplace security enhancements and the
implementation of key security processes as vulnerability management and risk
management.
Relevant general objective: To help achieve its overall political objectives, the
Commission will effectively and efficiently manage and safeguard its assets and
resources, and attract and develop the best talents
Specific objective D6: The corporate information security is implemented by an
appropriate governance structure, strategy and framework in cooperation with DG
DIGIT and DG HR
Main outputs in 2018:
Output Indicator Target Lead
Unit(s)
Information to the Corporate Reports to the Corporate June and December SG.B1
Management Board on IT Management Board 2018
Security Risks and
implementation of the IT
Security Strategy
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