End of Commitment Report – Integrity plans for local bodies in Catalonia: tools to fight corruption and promote good governance and public ethics in the local sphere.

Name of Evaluator

Núria Pérez Milán

Email

nuriaperezm@gencat.cat

Member Name

Cataluña (España)

Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... Title

Action plan – Catalonia, Spain, 2021 – 2023

CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action...

Integrity plans for local bodies in Catalonia: tools to fight corruption and promote good governance and public ethics in the local sphere.

Action

This project aims to facilitate the implementation of tools to fight corruption and promote good governance and public ethics – with a focus on integrity plans – for local bodies in Catalonia. The starting point is the project titled “Integrity Plans for Local Government”, promoted by the ACM. The commitment includes the following stages: Promotion of voluntary take-up among local bodies through training and awareness-raising activities. Implementation by local bodies via the provision of tools that can be adapted to their specific characteristics, along with support from the promoter organizations and supra-municipal bodies. This stage includes training actions for all members of the public administration (both elected and professional) and all those connected to the public administration. It also includes participatory methodologies that enable the achievement of political consensus and the development of bottom-up processes. Assessment of achievements (in terms of recognition, rather than auditing) via mechanisms such as quality seals. The assessment process will involve the implementing bodies themselves as well as external actors, citizens, and civil society organizations. One of the main aims of the commitment is to ensure that all of the local bodies who wish to take part in the project are able to do so, thereby enabling integrity-related measures to be implemented throughout the territory.

Problem

Citizen distrust. Lack of excellence in public management. Lack of training on the part of elected officials as a whole. Lack of resources to develop adequate policies on transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More and integrity. Malpractice and corruption. It is necessary to change the approach and the ways in which funds are received through program contracts.

1.1 What was the overall level of progress in the commitment implementation at the time of this assessment?

Substantial

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The Good Governance Group of the Open Government Network of Catalonia is implementing this commitment. For the years 2023-2024, the priority is the implementation of internal alert systems (anonymous reporting channels). Significant results have been achieved in this area. Additionally, a training course on principles of good governance and ethics has been developed for elected officials and managerial staff of local administrations. A Guide on integrity for local elected officials has been published.

Overall, especially in administrations that have received European funds, integrity and anti-fraud plans with key components have been developed: integrity policy or strategy, conflict of interest management, fraud risk assessment, internal alert systems, etc. Governance portfolios and technical structures have been institutionalized in local administrations.

Provide evidence that supports and justifies your answer:

• Whistleblower Channel of Catalonia
• Article: “We provide local authorities with two standard models for regulating whistleblower channels to comply with the Whistleblower Protection Law”

1.2 Describe the main external or internal factors that impacted implementation of this commitment and how they were addressed (or not).

The integrity policies have progressively evolved, notably activated since 2021 due to requirements stemming from European funds to address challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate the ecological transition and digital transformationGovernments are working to increase access to and quality of government services, improve transparency, and create opportunities for participation by using information and communications technologies.... More processes (at least in terms of detection, prosecution, and accountability measures). Preventive measures have not been developed as extensively.

Another key element is the effective functioning of the intergovernmental working group leading this commitment. There is also intensive monitoring of government commitments by non-governmental actors, as well as the revitalization and expansion of Catalonia’s Ethics Committees Network.

Within the Generalitat, good governance has been incorporated as a ministerial competence, and the Directorate General of Good Governance, Innovation, and Democratic Quality has been established. The Catalan Institute of Public Policy Evaluation has been tasked with preparing a report on the conceptualization of integrity policies, their components, and associated indicators.

Currently, the government’s perspective is to further develop guidance and preventive measures by establishing a governance body for the Public Service Ethics Code of Catalonia (approved in 2021).

1.3 Was the commitment implemented as originally planned?

Few of the commitment milestones were implemented as planned

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

The commitment refers to integrity plans in local administrations. The concept of integrity comprises various elements that have not been developed and implemented at the same pace, intensity, and breadth. The commitment should also involve the Generalitat of Catalonia, not only for its political leadership but also for its role in energizing and supporting the Good Governance working group. Particularly, the Generalitat should focus on institutionalizing the different components of integrity policies effectively.

2.1.1. – Did the government disclose more information; improve the quality of the information (new or existing); improve the value of the information; improve the channels to disclose or request information or improve accessibility to information?

Not Applicable

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

The commitment from Catalonia does not include actions related to transparency, thus these types of outputs have not been considered. However, concurrently, the Subdirectorate General of Transparency and Interest Groups within the Directorate General of Good Governance, Innovation, and Democratic Quality has developed projects in this regard.

2.1.2. – Did the government create new opportunities to seek feedback from citizens/enable participation inform or influence decisions; improve existing channels or spaces to seek feedback from citizens/enable participation/ inform or influence decisions; create or improve capabilities in the government or the public aimed to improve how the government seeks feedback from citizens/enables participation/ or allows for the public to inform or influence decisions?

Not Applicable

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

The commitment from Catalonia does not include actions related to citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to m... More in public policies; therefore, these types of outputs have not been considered. However, concurrently, the Subdirectorate General of Citizen Participation within the Directorate General of Good Governance, Innovation, and Democratic Quality has developed projects in this area.

2.1.3 Did the government create or improve channels, opportunities or capabilities to hold officials answerable to their actions?

Yes

Degree of result:

Major

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

The implementation of internal alert systems allows individuals who have a professional relationship with a public administration or an entity dependent on it to make anonymous reports. It also provides a strengthened protection system against potential retaliation if they are identified.

2.1.4 Other Results

Yes

Degree of result:

Major

Explanation: In narrative form, what has been the impact on people or practice.

Mutual trust, collaboration, and collective value creation by the Good Governance working group of the Open Government Network of Catalonia are valuable intangible outcomes for addressing multi-level policy approaches.

2.2 Did the commitment address the public policy problem that it intended to address as described in the action plan?

Yes

Provide a brief explanation of your answer:

• Citizen trust is considered a distant and uncontrollable impact, yet it serves as the inspiring force behind projects. The Catalonia Anti-Fraud Office conducts a biennial survey that confirms a very high perception of corruption (80% of the population believes it is high or very high). Spain’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023 published by Transparency International is 60 out of 100. The actions we develop should aim to improve these indicators.
• Excellence, good management, institutional quality, and best practices are also aspirations guiding our actions.
• Resource allocation for transparency and integrity policies has also been addressed and is evident in the implementation of various measures and devices related to integrity.