Study visit to Tallinn: Members of the Centre of Government and Better Regulation working groups visited their colleagues at the Government office of Estonia
Three-day working visit in Tallinn, designed to connect civil servants from the region with their colleagues from Estonia, provided an opportunity for them to get in touch with best-recognized practices and champions within policy coordination and better regulation to uphold reforms in these crucial areas of PAR.
Twenty members of ReSPA’s CoG and BR working groups and the Regional Network of Policy Coordinators got an opportunity to dive deep into a variety of models and practices of strategic planning and policy coordination in Estonia, such as the decision-making process in the centre of Government, integration of the UN Sustainable Development Goals into the national planning system and national policies, linking budget planning and development planning, coordination mechanisms in Estonia and EU level, and the work on recruitment and training of the Top Civil Service Centre, etc.
During the first day of the working visit, they visited the e-Estonia briefing centre where their Estonian colleagues explained how they successfully transformed traditional administration into one of the leading digital public administrations. During their visit to the Estonian Government office, they heard and learned about the complex establishment and transformation of the State Chancellery into a Government office and the influences of EU Membership on public policies in Estonia.
The second day of the working visit was devoted to strategic planning and policy coordination structures of the Estonian Government, to the integration of the UN Sustainable Development Goals into the national planning system and national policies. In addition to these topics, the hosts from the Government office of Estonia explained the importance of data-driven decision-making in government decisions, public sector innovation in Estonia, and the coordination mechanisms in Estonia established for participating in EU institutions and the policymaking process.
The last day of the working visit was committed to public participation in decision-making in Estonia and the Open Government Partnership (OGP), the role of government in the green transition of Estonian society, and to the links between budget planning and development planning.
Tight schedule encompassed numerous experts and topics:
- Keit Kasemets, ReSPA Expert, presented Establishing and orientation of Estonian CoG and How EU Membership influences public policies in Estonia;
- Henry Kattago, strategy director of the Estonian Government, presented strategic planning and policy coordination structures of the Estonian Government;
- Eili Lepik, Deputy Strategy Director at the Government Office of Estonia, elaborated on the Integration of the UN Sustainable Development Goals into the national planning system and national policies;
- Anni Lehari Project manager in the Government Office presented the public sector innovation program
- Dimitri Burnashev presented the importance of data-driven decision-making in government decisions and the implementation of the EU Better Regulation Agenda in Estonia
- Karin Maisvee and Ülle Hanson pointed up the coordination mechanisms at Estonia/EU level
- Ott Karulin and Heleri Reinsalu, advisors at Government Office, presented where Estonia stands regarding the public participation in decision-making in Open Government Partnership (OGP)
- Priit Potisepp, Statistic consultant, elaborated on the budget planning and the links with development planning
- Kristi Klaas, Heads of Unit, presented the activities of the Office of the Government devoted to the Green Transition.
