Greece

   
5.3

Sensemaking

#18
Key Findings
Greece falls into the lower-middle ranks (rank 18) in the category of sensemaking.

A number of new strategic units have been created in recent years, including one for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation. They have not yet engaged in policy experimentation using advanced techniques such as innovation labs or behavioral insights.

Regulatory impact assessments are legally required for new legislation, and no bill can be submitted without one. These tend to provide reliable information on socioeconomic impacts when data is available. However, the lack of data on specific indicators often translates into weakened evaluations.

RIAs must include a sustainability evaluation. However, these are often limited by a lack of empirical data or time constraints. A new law requires ex post evaluations of laws, but the period for such assessments has only just begun.
0246810AnalyticalCompetencePreparednessAnalyticalCompetencePreparednessAnalyticalCompetencePreparedness
110Preparedness# 12Analytical Competence20
6.0

Preparedness

#12
0246810Capacity forStrategicForesight andAnticipatoryInnovationCapacity forStrategicForesight andAnticipatoryInnovationCapacity forStrategicForesight andAnticipatoryInnovationCapacity forStrategicForesight andAnticipatoryInnovation
110Strategic Foresight & Innovation# 12

To what extent can the central government foster the capacity for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation within its organization?

10
 9

The central government can foster the capacity for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation within its organization.
 8
 7
 6


Most of the time, the central government can foster the capacity for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation within its organization.
 5
 4
 3


The central government is rarely capable of fostering the capacity for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation within its organization.
 2
 1

The central government is not capable of fostering the capacity for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation within its organization.
Capacity for Strategic Foresight and Anticipatory Innovation
6
Greece has established a dedicated central government unit for strategic foresight and anticipatory innovation. Established in 2022 by the Presidency of the Government, the Special Secretariat for Foresight is responsible for exploring ideas and scenarios, providing tools and guidance, and coordinating and monitoring relevant projects.

The Ministry of Digital Governance, established in 2019 as a successor to the Ministry of Digital Policy, Communications, and Information, also contributes to policy implementation in areas such as open government, knowledge management, and digital transformation.

The government allocates financial and human resources, such as grant funding and procurement, to establish test beds for new ideas through the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (ELIDEK). Since 2016, this state-funded institution, supervised by the Ministry of Development, has organized various rounds of calls for tender, funding research teams from across Greece and all scientific disciplines. These teams provide research results and policy recommendations to the scientific community and public administration.

Higher civil servants receive training at the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government (EKDDA), which covers strategic management methods, innovations in public administration, and digital skills.

However, most of the aforementioned government units are relatively new and have not yet matured enough to engage in policy experimentation through innovation labs, behavioral insights, or delivery teams using relevant techniques. As a result, it is too early to determine their impact on work practices and organizational culture within ministerial bureaucracies.

Citations:
Τhe ELIDEK Foundation was established by Law 4429/2016.

The website of the Ministry of Digital Transformation is https://mindigital.gr/

The Special Secretariat for Foresight was founded in 2022 under Presidential Decree 19/2022. The website of the Special Secretariat of Foresight is https://foresight.gov.gr/en/

The website of ELIDEK is https://www.elidek.gr/en/homepage/

The website of the school in which higher civil servants are trained, namely the EKDDA, is https://www.ekdd.gr/

Τhe course curriculum of the EKDDA is available at https://www.ekdd.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/%CE%A0.%CE%A3.-%CE%9A%CE%98_%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%AC%CF%81%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B1-1.pdf
4.7

Analytical Competence

#20
0246810EffectiveSustainabilityChecksEffective Ex Post EvaluationEffectiveRegulatoryImpactAssessment
110Regulatory Impact Assessment# 15Effective Sustainability Checks14Effective Ex Post Evaluation27

To what extent does the government conduct high-quality impact assessments to evaluate the potential effects of prepared legislation before implementation?

10
 9

The government draws on high-quality RIAs to assess the potential impact of prepared legislation before implementation.
 8
 7
 6


In most cases, the government draws on high-quality RIAs to assess the potential impact of prepared legislation before implementation.
 5
 4
 3


The government rarely draws on high-quality RIAs to assess the potential impact of prepared legislation before implementation.
 2
 1

The government does not draw on high-quality RIAs to assess the potential impact of prepared legislation before implementation.
Effective Regulatory Impact Assessment
6
Since 2019, it has been a legal requirement to conduct Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) for any new legislation. As of October 2020, no bill can be submitted to parliament without an accompanying RIA. The Office for Better Regulation, part of the General Secretariat for Legal and Parliamentary Issues in the Presidency of the Government, oversees the RIA process.

While government officials are not required to involve stakeholders when preparing regulatory changes, they must upload draft legislation to the competent ministry’s website for public deliberation. This digital deliberation allows for the consideration of stakeholders’ needs and likely responses. Each ministry is required to apply uniform standards in preparing RIAs using templates and indicators provided by the Office for Better Regulation. The RIA for each bill is made publicly available on the parliament’s website.

Although there are no periodic quality evaluations of the RIA process and its results, the existing institutions and processes ensure that RIAs meet minimum standards. RIAs provide reliable information about the impacts of regulations on key socioeconomic indicators, as long as data on these indicators is available. However, the lack of data in specific policy areas can limit the full application of RIA. For example, while Greece has adequate epidemiological data, there is very little data on issues like sexual harassment, which can affect the corresponding regulations.

Citations:
The legal requirement to conduct RIAs is included in Law 4622/2019.

On the Office for Better Regulation, see the website of the General Secretariat for Legal and Parliamentary Issues https://gslegal.gov.gr/?page_id=2

The website of the parliament, on which bills of law and the accompanying RIAs are uploaded, is https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/

To what extent does the government effectively incorporate sustainability assessments within the framework of RIAs?

10
 9

High-quality sustainability assessments are incorporated within regulatory impact assessments.
 8
 7
 6


High-quality sustainability assessments are, for the most part, incorporated within regulatory impact assessments.
 5
 4
 3


High-quality sustainability assessments are rarely incorporated within regulatory impact assessments.
 2
 1

Sustainability assessments are not incorporated within regulatory impact assessments.
Effective Sustainability Checks
5
The Greek government has developed a sustainable development strategy based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This strategy has been translated into concrete National Action Plans to implement specific SDGs, though these plans do not yet cover all policy areas. For example, there are action plans in areas such as public health, mental health, protection of people with disabilities, social economy, energy conservation, green public procurement, and digital skills.

Sustainability checks are mandated by law to be integrated into RIAs. Civil servants responsible for drafting RIAs must complete a template provided by the Secretariat of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, which includes specific fields for sustainability checks, such as questions on the environmental impact of proposed legislation.

However, these checks are sometimes limited by a lack of empirical data or by time constraints during the preparation of draft legislation. External pressures or the ambition of government ministers to demonstrate productivity may also lead to rushed RIA preparation.

Citations:
Greece’s sustainable development strategy is presented in detail in the “National Voluntary Review 2022 on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”: https://hlpf.un.org/sites/default/files/vnrs/2022/VNR%202022%20Greece%20Report.pdf

Regarding sustainability checks, Law 4622/2019 article 62 paragraph 3 requires that the RIA includes detailed data.

To what extent do government ministries utilize ex post evaluations to improve existing policies?

10
 9

High-quality ex post evaluations serve as the basis for making adjustments to public policies.
 8
 7
 6


High-quality ex post evaluations frequently serve as the basis for making adjustments to public policies.
 5
 4
 3


High-quality ex post evaluations rarely serve as the basis for making adjustments to public policies.
 2
 1

High-quality ex post evaluations are not utilized to make adjustments to public policies.
Effective Ex Post Evaluation
3
Article 56 of Law 4622/2019 mandates ex post evaluations of laws, requiring the involvement of social partners, universities, and research centers. However, Article 120 of the same law postponed the implementation of these regulations until 2020. Consequently, the three- to five-year evaluation period for laws adopted in 2020 or later will not begin until 2024 at the earliest.

The ex post evaluation process is initiated by the Presidency of the Government, which calls on its “Coordination Services” within each ministry to collaborate with the ministry’s services in producing the evaluations. The law stipulates that stakeholders, particularly those who can provide empirical information, should be involved in ex post evaluations. For instance, the law specifically mentions social partners (representatives of employers and employees), universities, and research centers as sources of useful empirical information for these evaluations.
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