8. REFORMS IN PARTICULAR SECTORS

The reform of public administration in the Czech Republic will have to be carried through in particular sectors by means of sectoral reforms. This document is not concerned with the specific reform tasks of individual sectors. It is confined to the common tasks and principles of sectoral reforms. Every sector reform should have a strategic programme of its own.

8.1 Status and Contents of Sectoral Reforms

The reforms of the individual public administration sectors form an integral part of the general reform. Therefore they must be based on all of its common principles and tasks described in this strategy and adapt them to the conditions of the sector as required. Moreover, the individual sector reforms may comprise specific tasks related exclusively or predominantly to the respective sector, in the first place institutional and other changes made in the framework of preparations for EU membership (Chapter 3).

Sectoral reforms must emphasize the elaboration of sector analyses, development strategies and policies, and the further development of the sector and the roles of sector authorities and agencies in new conditions created by EU membership. The fundamental chapters of sector reforms will concern the co-operation of the sector in preparing and implementing decentralization of state administration and the reform of territorial administration, and modernization of human resource management and training within the sector on the basis of the principles common to the whole public administration. Sector reforms may comprise other changes intended for the improvement of quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of public administration in the given sector. Such changes may be proposed by the bodies responsible for the reform in the sector as their own initiatives and reviewed by the central reform office and/or the Government Reform Committee, if required.

8.2 Principles and Forms of Implementation

Managers and professionals responsible for managing and coordinating the reform must be appointed in every sector (see para. 11.2). They will be briefed and methodologically guided by the central reform office, which will also be responsible for the coordination of all parts of the reform including sector reforms. The reform office will draft a common outline and methodological instructions for the structure and content of sector reforms.

Sectoral reforms are already being launched at present through individual reform measures which are in the process of development. By June 1999, every sector should draft a strategic programme of its sector reform on the basis of an outline common to all sectors. This programme will respect the specific sector features and relationships among particular reform measures, i.e. measures common to all sectors, measures in the given sector requiring changes in other sectors, changes in the given sector connected with decentralization of state administration and the reform of territorial administration (including the preparation and support of the reform of territorial administration by the given sector), the initiatives taken by the sector itself and further measures confined to the sector.

8.3 Inter-Sectoral Coordination of Sectoral Reforms

The responsibility for inter-sectoral coordination of all reform proposals and activities must rest with the central reform office and, in the final instance, with the Government Reform Committee (Chapter 11). The sector agencies, however, will be expected to submit proposals that have been thoroughly reviewed and, whenever possible, tentatively agreed to with other sectoral and further agencies concerned. The reform requires initiative and a cooperative attitude in resolving coordination issues in all sectors.