On March 17 in Strasbourg, the EU ministers for public sector transformation and the civil service signed a declaration on the shared values and challenges of their countries’ governments. The declaration, which has three areas of focus, advocates for an initiative promoting the mobility of civil servants across Europe, as part of a new strategy of the European Public Administration Network.

Should pay rises remain tied to performance appraisals? Yes, according to a recent decision of the Swiss Federal Council, but it has also proposed some improvements to the compensation system. Pay rises for individual employees will be based on both internal and external salary progression curves, and feedback meetings will be more frequent and less formal.

The Spanish national civil service training school (INAP) has created a lab to support transformation projects by helping to highlight the value of technology, talent and experiential knowledge. Open to all government employees looking for coaching or advice, the lab is designed to be a permanent space for debate, analysis, discussion and collaboration on issues of public policy and services.