Coordination
#12Key Findings
Czechia falls into the upper-middle ranks internationally (rank 12) with regard to coordination.
The government office helps to prepare programs and documents, and assists the prime minister, but no longer has a strategic planning team. The government’s legislative plan transparently allocates tasks among ministries. However, coordination between ministries, especially those controlled by different political parties, remains a challenge.
The coalition council is a key policy-coordination body, especially under the current five-party government. The “K-Five” body, which includes government party chairs, also plays a key role. Coalition party expert commissions communicate while preparing legislative proposals.
The Ministry of the Interior sets standards for public administration performance, but these are not associated with sanctions. Regions and municipalities carry out their own competencies and delegated tasks.
The government office helps to prepare programs and documents, and assists the prime minister, but no longer has a strategic planning team. The government’s legislative plan transparently allocates tasks among ministries. However, coordination between ministries, especially those controlled by different political parties, remains a challenge.
The coalition council is a key policy-coordination body, especially under the current five-party government. The “K-Five” body, which includes government party chairs, also plays a key role. Coalition party expert commissions communicate while preparing legislative proposals.
The Ministry of the Interior sets standards for public administration performance, but these are not associated with sanctions. Regions and municipalities carry out their own competencies and delegated tasks.
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To what extent do established coordination mechanisms between the government’s office and line ministries effectively enhance policy coherence?
10
9
9
Functional coordination mechanisms between line ministries and the GO/PMO, aimed at enhancing policy coherence, are in place.
8
7
6
7
6
Largely functional coordination mechanisms between line ministries and the GO/PMO, aimed at enhancing policy coherence, are in place.
5
4
3
4
3
Coordination mechanisms between line ministries and the GO/PMO, aimed at enhancing policy coherence, are only somewhat functional.
2
1
1
Coordination mechanisms between line ministries and the GO/PMO, aimed at enhancing policy coherence, are not at all functional.
The Office of the Government of the Czech Republic (GO) is a central body of state administration that performs tasks related to the professional, organizational, and technical support of government activities. It provides support for government meetings by preparing programs and documents. Additionally, it assists the expert bodies of the prime minister and members of the government who do not have their own departments , as well as 19 advisory and working bodies of the government. These bodies include representatives from ministries and external organizations, creating a framework for coordination in preparing legislation and long-term plans across government departments and with the prime minister.
An additional 14 committees fall under individual ministries but have similarly broad compositions. They cover a wide range of areas such as state security policy, human rights, economic policy, the Roma minority, relations with the EU, sustainable development, and energy strategy.
The Government Office’s role in strategic planning and coordination across the government was weakened by the abolition – and continued absence – of a strategic planning team. In 2023, a Government Analytical Unit was established to restore and strengthen the office’s capacity to coordinate policies and strategies.
An additional 14 committees fall under individual ministries but have similarly broad compositions. They cover a wide range of areas such as state security policy, human rights, economic policy, the Roma minority, relations with the EU, sustainable development, and energy strategy.
The Government Office’s role in strategic planning and coordination across the government was weakened by the abolition – and continued absence – of a strategic planning team. In 2023, a Government Analytical Unit was established to restore and strengthen the office’s capacity to coordinate policies and strategies.
To what extent are there positive (formalized) forms of coordination across ministries that aim to enhance policy coherence?
10
9
9
Interministerial coordination mechanisms targeting policy coherence provide incentives for identifying synergies and opportunities.
8
7
6
7
6
Interministerial coordination mechanisms targeting policy coherence sometimes provide incentives for identifying synergies and opportunities.
5
4
3
4
3
Interministerial coordination mechanisms targeting policy coherence rarely provide incentives for identifying synergies and opportunities.
2
1
1
There are no interministerial coordination mechanisms targeting policy coherence that provide incentives for identifying synergies and opportunities.
The government’s legislative plan divides tasks among ministries and other central bodies of the state administration, setting deadlines for submitting bills to the cabinet. Task allocation is transparent. Some horizontal coordination among line-ministry civil servants occurs. Senior ministry officials play a crucial role in collecting and discussing comments on proposed legislation. However, barriers persist among the ministries, particularly between line ministries controlled by different political parties.
The decision-making process also involves various interministerial groups or councils formally established under a specific ministry, in which various other ministries are represented. These groups may submit material during the preparatory process for government meetings and participate in the interministerial comment procedure. The councils provide advice prior to decision-making on various topics, but their powers are limited to making recommendations. For example, the Council on Sustainable Development, under the Ministry of the Environment, has 42 members, including representatives of the Government Office, 15 ministries, and outside interests such as NGOs, trade unions, employers’ organizations, and various individual experts.
The decision-making process also involves various interministerial groups or councils formally established under a specific ministry, in which various other ministries are represented. These groups may submit material during the preparatory process for government meetings and participate in the interministerial comment procedure. The councils provide advice prior to decision-making on various topics, but their powers are limited to making recommendations. For example, the Council on Sustainable Development, under the Ministry of the Environment, has 42 members, including representatives of the Government Office, 15 ministries, and outside interests such as NGOs, trade unions, employers’ organizations, and various individual experts.
How effectively do informal coordination mechanisms complement formal mechanisms of interministerial coordination?
10
9
9
Informal coordination mechanisms complement formal mechanisms of interministerial coordination.
8
7
6
7
6
In most cases, informal coordination mechanisms complement formal mechanisms of interministerial coordination.
5
4
3
4
3
In some cases, informal coordination mechanisms undermine formal mechanisms of interministerial coordination.
2
1
1
Informal coordination mechanisms undermine formal mechanisms of interministerial coordination.
The coalition agreement of the Fiala government, which consists of five parties, includes fixed principles of coalition cooperation and coordination. The most crucial body for policy coordination is the coalition council. It consists of the coalition parties’ chairpersons and up to three other representatives from each coalition party. Another body that meets more frequently is the so-called K-five, which includes the chairs of the government parties. Additionally, coalition parties have expert commissions. The expert commissions of the individual coalition parties primarily communicate among themselves in preparing legislative proposals.
There is also informal interministerial cooperation in the form of various joint projects. Informal coordination is also possible through government working and advisory bodies in which different ministries are represented.
There is also informal interministerial cooperation in the form of various joint projects. Informal coordination is also possible through government working and advisory bodies in which different ministries are represented.
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To what extent does central government ensure that subnational self-governments meet national (minimum) standards in delivering public services?
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9
9
The central government effectively ensures that subnational self-governments successfully meet national standards for public service delivery.
8
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6
7
6
Most of the time, the central government ensures that subnational self-governments successfully meet national standards for public service delivery.
5
4
3
4
3
The central government rarely ensures that subnational self-governments successfully meet national minimum standards for public service delivery.
2
1
1
The central government does nothing to ensure that subnational self-governments successfully meet national standards for public service delivery.
The creation of standards for the performance of public administration agencies is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior. The strategic document “Client-oriented Public Administration 2030” concept, adopted in 2020 (Mugglin et al. 2022: 21), contains more than 70 concrete measures aimed at bringing public administration closer to the citizens. There is a system of measurement and evaluation of public administration to assess the services provided, approved by the government resolution of July 2020. Public Service Standards are also in place for the ministries that provide these services, including performance evaluation criteria. A system of sanctions is not mentioned in them.
The accessibility of public services and infrastructure is primarily addressed in relation to the quality of life in individual regions. There is a standardization of the spatial availability of public services, which responds to current needs and represents a specific social obligation to provide a given service at a particular geographical level.
Comprehensive and rigorous standards have been developed for evaluating all levels of education. The key organization is the inspectorate, subordinated to the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport. The latest set of evaluation criteria was published in June 2022, specifying a four-point scale, from excellent to inadequate. Judgments are made across six areas, with three to five specific questions within each, making possible an overall judgment of the area. Evaluations are conducted by inspectors visiting establishments either following specific complaints or as part of routine inspections. Visits are frequent, with 20,349 reported to the 4,200 basic schools in the 2022 – 2023 school year, including 1,021 full inspections. Judgments of inadequate were rare and mostly related to the state of buildings.
Citations:
Vláda České republiky. 2020. Client-Oriented Public Administration 2030. Praha: Vláda České republiky. https://www.mvcr.cz/soubor/client-oriented-public-administration-2030.aspx
https://www.csicr.cz/cz/Dokumenty/Vyrocni-zpravy/Kvalita-vzdelavani-ve-skolnim-roce-2022-2023-%E2%80%93-vyr
The accessibility of public services and infrastructure is primarily addressed in relation to the quality of life in individual regions. There is a standardization of the spatial availability of public services, which responds to current needs and represents a specific social obligation to provide a given service at a particular geographical level.
Comprehensive and rigorous standards have been developed for evaluating all levels of education. The key organization is the inspectorate, subordinated to the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport. The latest set of evaluation criteria was published in June 2022, specifying a four-point scale, from excellent to inadequate. Judgments are made across six areas, with three to five specific questions within each, making possible an overall judgment of the area. Evaluations are conducted by inspectors visiting establishments either following specific complaints or as part of routine inspections. Visits are frequent, with 20,349 reported to the 4,200 basic schools in the 2022 – 2023 school year, including 1,021 full inspections. Judgments of inadequate were rare and mostly related to the state of buildings.
Citations:
Vláda České republiky. 2020. Client-Oriented Public Administration 2030. Praha: Vláda České republiky. https://www.mvcr.cz/soubor/client-oriented-public-administration-2030.aspx
https://www.csicr.cz/cz/Dokumenty/Vyrocni-zpravy/Kvalita-vzdelavani-ve-skolnim-roce-2022-2023-%E2%80%93-vyr
To what extent do national policymakers effectively collaborate with regional and local governments to improve the delivery of public services?
10
9
9
National policymakers work effectively with regional and local governments to improve the delivery of public services.
8
7
6
7
6
In general, national policymakers work effectively with regional and local governments to improve the delivery of public services.
5
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3
4
3
National policymakers rarely work effectively with regional and local governments to improve the delivery of public services.
2
1
1
There is no effective multilevel cooperation between the central and subnational governments.
The Competency Law regulates the powers and competencies of ministries and central government bodies. Czechia has gradually introduced a “joint model” of public administration, allowing local self-government units to exercise both independent and delegated powers transferred from the central state administration. This has resulted in a largely decentralized administrative model where regions and municipalities manage their own competencies and delegate state administration tasks (Mugglin et al. 2022: 21). However, there are no indicators to further assess and monitor differences in service delivery at regional and municipal levels (Obinger 2023: 795).
Formal structures for consultation between different levels of government exist through councils attached to the Government Office or individual ministries. These councils include representatives from various levels of government and outside interests. For instance, the Council for Public Administration, chaired by the Minister of the Interior, includes 28 members from various ministries, central bodies, and lower levels of public administration. Coordination between government levels is essential to ensure financing and co-financing of projects under EU programs and to facilitate consultation on strategic themes. In 2022, the council held four meetings discussing the modernization of public administration, administrative efficiency, human resources policy, and e-Government. Previous discussions have included building regulations, pay relations between central and regional government, and election methods at lower government levels.
In 2020–2021, the Secretariat of the Government Council for Non-Governmental Nonprofit Organizations worked on developing a strategy to enhance cooperation between public administration and non-public entities, particularly the nonprofit sector. This strategy aims to make nonprofit entities stable and crucial partners of public administration in addressing Czech society’s needs. Subsequent discussions have focused on criteria for financial support for NGOs.
Citations:
Přehled o stavu veřejné správy: Česká Republika. 2023. “Česká republika na cestě k modernější a efektivnější veřejné správě / OECD Public Governance Reviews: Czech Republic Towards a More Modern and Effective Public Administration.” https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/2651546f-cs/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/2651546f-cs
OECD. 2020. OECD Economic Surveys: Czech Republic 2020. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/1b180a5a-en
Formal structures for consultation between different levels of government exist through councils attached to the Government Office or individual ministries. These councils include representatives from various levels of government and outside interests. For instance, the Council for Public Administration, chaired by the Minister of the Interior, includes 28 members from various ministries, central bodies, and lower levels of public administration. Coordination between government levels is essential to ensure financing and co-financing of projects under EU programs and to facilitate consultation on strategic themes. In 2022, the council held four meetings discussing the modernization of public administration, administrative efficiency, human resources policy, and e-Government. Previous discussions have included building regulations, pay relations between central and regional government, and election methods at lower government levels.
In 2020–2021, the Secretariat of the Government Council for Non-Governmental Nonprofit Organizations worked on developing a strategy to enhance cooperation between public administration and non-public entities, particularly the nonprofit sector. This strategy aims to make nonprofit entities stable and crucial partners of public administration in addressing Czech society’s needs. Subsequent discussions have focused on criteria for financial support for NGOs.
Citations:
Přehled o stavu veřejné správy: Česká Republika. 2023. “Česká republika na cestě k modernější a efektivnější veřejné správě / OECD Public Governance Reviews: Czech Republic Towards a More Modern and Effective Public Administration.” https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/2651546f-cs/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/2651546f-cs
OECD. 2020. OECD Economic Surveys: Czech Republic 2020. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/1b180a5a-en