Good Governance Program (2013-2015)

As the population decreases, the state has less income. However, at the same time there is an increased demand on social services.  Estonia needs to review the “state machinery” accordingly. For that reason the Estonian Cooperation Assembly started the project Good Governance Program in January 2013. The main goal of the program is to develop a new simpler,  more transparent, logical and inherently Estonian, model of governance.

Previous research and analyses were taken into account while putting together suggestions for reform. When necessary new analyses were made or research was updated. The Good Governance Plan was completed in cooperation with researchers, public officials, entrepreneurs and non-profit organisations.  However, the Cooperation Assembly is responsible for the suggestions that were made. The main text of the plan was completed in December of 2014, overview of changes that have been made was added at the end of 2015. It is possible to read the full text here (in Estonian).

The Good Governance Plan stated problems and offered suggestions in five areas: participative democracy, local governments, public administration, government and parliament.

Four analysis were made for the Good Governance Project:

Analysis on the organization of the state and the State Picture. The focus of the Good Governance Plan is reviewing how the state functions. Previously there was not a simple and all-encompassing overview of the structure of the organization of the state. The Good Governance Project created the website State Picture (in Estonian), where it is possible to get a fast overview of the organizations, which belong to the state or the local government or which have been created by them. This type of overview is often called a state organogram. The analysis can be read here (in Estonian)

Analysis on the state resource use. What does the term „public sector“ cover in Estonia? How many people work in that sector and how much money is used? Does Estonia have a lean state and is it getting leaner or fatter? The report compiled by the Cooperation Assembly with aid from the Finance Ministry helps to find answers to these questions. Analysis of the public sector resource use based on the state net balances 2006-2012. The analysis can be read here (in Estonian)

Analysis on the plan for the administrative management change. A thorough analysis compiled by the Tartu University Institute of National and International Law and the Estonian Cooperation Assembly analysed the plan for changing the administrative management regulation. The analysis can be read here (in Estonian)

Trends and scenarios on the management of local governments and regional administration. In 2015 the Estonian Cooperation Assembly compiled an overview on the trends and developments of the tasks fulfilled by local governments in the area of responsibility of different ministries. The overview was ordered by the Ministry of the Interior. The aim was to map how has the division of labour between the local governments and state administration developed in practice and how do the ministries perceive effective and suitable assignment of tasks on the regional level. The analysis brought out important decision making points and scenarios for continuing with the reforms of local government management and regional administration. The analysis can be read here (in Estonian)