Poland’s new act on transparency in public life, which took effect in early March, applies to the Polish civil service. The two main provisions are protection for whistle-blowers (who cannot be fired from their jobs, transferred or subject to disciplinary action) and a three-year ban on a civil servant taking a job in the private sector if the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau cites a definite risk of conflict of interest.

France Stratégie has used data from the OECD and Eurostat to create a public employment scorecard, which compares the administrations of 19 countries. It considers not just headcount, but also the volume of public expenditure and recourse to outsourcing. Despite the difficulties related to different management approaches and varying scopes, this international comparison helps shed light on certain paths for reform.

France and other OECD Member States are contributing to the drafting of a recommendation on civil service management and skills. Currently being drafted by the Public Employment and Management Working Party, this recommendation could be published by the OECD by 2019. Legally non-binding, it will be the first such recommendation in the field of civil service HR management, incorporating views shared by Member states. It will summarise joint HR principles for a civil service that is designed to fulfil its responsibilities, to uphold its values and to provide high-quality services.