About this event 

The online course Coordination Schemes in Costing of Structural Reforms will enable expanding knowledge on policy coordination and importance of inclusive policy-making processes. This discussion will be brought forward in the context of the process of development and budgeting of the Economic Reform Programme (ERP) of candidate and potential candidate countries for membership in the European Union.

Developing the ERP, including the structural reforms (SRs) it foresees is a highly collaborative process. It is led by a Coordinator for the Economic Reform Programme (ERPC) who, with their close teams make sure collaborators from line ministries and other institutions understand the ERP development process, communicate effectively during the development of the document, review the intermediary results (drafts), follow and support the costing and budgeting of the structural reforms.

Extended policy coordination can contribute to timely development of the ERP, relevance of the proposed measures, sector-specific and financial information exchanged in the process, etc. It can improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the process.

These effects are even more needed at the current moment of COVID-19 pandemic where the ERP teams work in virtual environments and circumstances of physical and social distancing.

At the same time, ERP teams are faced with revisiting the substance of the structural reforms and the overall ERP’s from the perspective of the short and medium term anti-shock and recovery measures for health, economic, social consolidation from COVID-19 effects.

How will participants benefit

This online course will enable participants to:

• Expand the knowledge on what is policy coordination, its forms, benefits and challenges;
• Discuss existing coordination practices in the development of the ERP and especially under the current COVID-19 working environments;
• Identify gaps in coordination, information flow, authorisations, collaborations etc.
• Hear examples of coordination in public sector (Ministry of Finance – Line Ministries) from other countries
• Collaborate with peers from line ministries and Ministry of Finance
• Discuss the information flow on costing and financing SR: a) within one line ministry, b) several line ministries and c) line ministries and ministry of finance

Who should attend

Invited to participate are the officials involved in the design, costing and budgeting of structural reforms outlined in the ERP, which include: 

• National ERP Coordinator and Coordinator for the ERP Chapter 3 on Structural Reforms
• Members of the working group for the ERP preparation
• Officials working at the finance and policy departments of line ministries
• Officials working at the budget department of Ministry of Finance
• Policy planning experts from the government’s policy coordination body and/or Prime Ministers’ office

Place and Time

This learning initiative will take place at the Online Learning Campus, from September 30 – October 16, 2020. It includes two webinars, scheduled for October 7 and October 16.

Faculty

• Zoran Zeljko, Coordinator of the ERP process, Directorate for Economic Planning, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Amina Mulabdić, Expert Associate, Directorate for Economic Planning, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• B. Guy Peters, Maurice Falk Professor of Government, Department of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh President, International Public Policy Association, USA
• Saša Jazbec, CEF expert and former State Secretary, Ministry of finance of Slovenia
• Irena Drmaž, CEF Expert and Director of Budget, Ministry of Finance, Slovenia

Practical information

This online course is implemented as part of the CEF’s regional project “Strengthening Line Ministries’ Capacities to Assess Fiscal Implications of Structural Reforms”.

Applications need to be submitted by October 6, 2020 via online application form. 

• This course will be delivered online
• It will feature 2 online meetings and self-paced study of learning resources. The presence is required only during the online meetings
• To participate at it, the basic information technology is needed (internet connection and computer)
• The course will be held in Bosnian and English language
• Upon successful completion of this online course you will receive a certificate
• No participation fee will be charged

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: