Based on a recent research paper the European Policy Centre (EPC), developed in cooperation with CESI, on ‘Well-performing public services for a fair and resilient European society’, trade union experts in the field of employment and social investments discussed about the significance of effective public services and ways to make them resilient.

Mihai Palimariciuc, one of the authors of the paper at the EPC, presented the key findings of the study, noting above all the recent significant decline in public investment across Europe, the impact of ageing on the functioning of public services, and the increase in flexible forms of work which does not always come to advantage of the staff. He particularly referred to a surge of atypical work in healthcare, insufficient training for teachers in education, and understaffing in justice systems leading to problems of timely accessibility to judicial recourses for citizens. According to the study, elements for a possible solutions would include a strong EU public services agenda, more national governmental support for public services and measures that focus on the improvement of service quality by addressing labour shortages and upskilling the workforce.

Otto Aiglsperger, Board Member of the Public Services Union of Austria (GÖD), agreed that there is a vital need for functioning civil services especially in times of crises and confirmed that the EU should launch a public service agenda to address the multifaceted challenges that public services and its staff face. In this framework, he added that an improved digitalisation can facilitate the provision of efficient public services but stressed that it must be an instrument for all and take due consideration of the needs of the workforce.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger underlined especially the importance of targeted public investments and laid emphasis on the increasing needs of civil servants which have arisen as a result of the Covid pandemic.

In the same vein, CESI President Romain Wolff concluded that the public sector and its workforce proved to be the most robust pillar during the recent crises: “What happens in crises if we cannot rely on well-performing public services? No health care provision, no public order and safety, no post and telephone services, no public transport, no schooling, no rescue workers, no correctly functioning administration that collects taxes needed by the state to support those in need. Now, in the face of the Covid experience, more than ever, it is obvious that we need efficient and accessible public services – and this means investments in staff, equipment and facilities!”

CESI remains committed to the strengthening of the public sector and the protection of civil servants before, during, and after the pandemic.

Read the full study here: CESI-EPC-Sudy-on-well-performing-public-services-for-a-fair-and-resiliant-European-society