Our goal

Strengthened institutional cooperation and increased quality of public services policies and regulations.

Rationale for the support

Well-functioning institutions are essential for social and economic development, citizen trust, and democracy. Institutional capacity and good governance enable the implementation of sound policies, the provision of quality public services, and respect for the rule of law.

Persistent governance gaps, lack of administrative capacity, and limited transparency and accountability affect institutional performance in several European countries. Digitalisation provides opportunities to increase transparency, efficiency, and accessibility, but also introduces new challenges such as cybersecurity and data protection.

Improving the quality of governance, public administration and institutions remains a key priority for Europe. This is also reflected in the European Semester, the OECD’s governance recommendations, and the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report.
 

Areas of support

  • Institutional capacity and human resources development in public institutions.
  • Strengthened cooperation between public institutions in the Donor and Beneficiary States and/or with International Partner Organisations.
  • Accessibility and quality of public services.
  • Governance tools for inclusive and gender- and youth-sensitive decision-making.
  • Improving capabilities for effective delivery of public services and infrastructure programmes.

How the objective will be addressed

The programme area will strengthen the capacity of public institutions to deliver better policies and services. This includes improving human resources management, digital transformation, and citizen participation. Activities may focus on improving efficiency, accountability, and the quality of governance, including through e-government and open data.

Support will be provided to enhance the rule of law through improved regulatory quality, transparency, integrity systems, and anti-corruption frameworks. This includes building capacity for independent oversight institutions such as ombudspersons, audit institutions, equality bodies, and anti-corruption agencies.

Citizen participation and engagement will be promoted through open government initiatives, participatory budgeting, and transparency tools that enhance trust between citizens and institutions.

Bilateral cooperation with public entities from the Donor States will be used to share best practices, build partnerships, and strengthen cross-border collaboration on public sector innovation.
 

Key actors and beneficiaries

Public sector institutions at all levels, including oversight and regulatory bodies, are the key actors. Social partners, civil society organisations, and academia are important partners. Citizens are the ultimate beneficiaries through improved governance, transparency and public trust.