On February 18-19, 2016 at the premises of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (hereinafter – the NAUCS) the two-day international research and practical conference “Professionalism, Ethics and Values of Civil Service: Experience of the EU Member States and Eastern Partnership Countries” (hereinafter – the Conference) was held. The event was organised by the NAUCS and the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union within the framework of the Working Group (panel) “Public Administration Reform” of the thematic platform “Democracy, Good Governance and Stability” of the EU initiative “Eastern Partnership”.
In the framework of the event the topical issues and implementation of the best EU Member States and Eastern Partnership Countries experience and practices regarding the formation of the effective, transparent and open civil service in accordance with the principles of good governance and on the basis of the ethical norms and values was discussed.
During the first day of the conference the Head of the NAUCS Kostiantyn Vashchenko in his opening remark underlined the importance of the civil service reform based on the European standards and best international experience in the public administration reform.
Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Jan Tombinski noted the extraordinary relevance of the chosen topic and emphasized the reform of public administration and the establishment of public, professional, politically impartial, effective, citizen-oriented civil service, which operates in the interests of the state and society are among the priorities identified by the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.
Dmytro Shymkiv, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, emphasized that the creation of an integrated civil service is an important legal definition of rules of ethical conduct for civil servants, their knowledge and establishment of responsibility for its compliance.
Furthermore Dmytro Shymkiv underlined that within the context of public administration reform continuous professional competency development of civil servants on ethics and preventing corruption, creation of online resources and study cases for practical acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities was considered to be quite essential.
The Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Hanna Onyshchenko admitted that legal definition of either landmarks or specific requirements to the behavior of civil servants would enhance the effectiveness of interrelation between government authorities and civil society as well as would facilitate realization of rights and freedoms of a human being and the citizen, envisaged by the legislation, and guarantee commitment of civil servants to supreme moral principles and the state.
The Head of the Project of Hanns Seidel Foundation in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Romania Daniel Seiberling in his speech underlined the importance of civil service reform, updating objectives of personnel services, as well as the necessity of the level of their professional competency on human resources management.
Yurii Kovbasiuk, the President of the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine stated the importance of involvement of talented youth to the civil service and creation of conditions for their professional development as well stressed on the key role of the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine for creation of such conditions, update of standards of high education and study programs.
Within the frameworks of panel discussions and work in sections durind the first and the second day of the conference representatives of the EU Member States and Eastern Partnership countries, governmental authorities of Ukraine, international and public organizations, higher educational institutions and centers for training and professional development of personnel got the opportunity to familiarize and discuss the novations of the Law of Ukraine “On Civil Service”, to exchange the experience and best practices of the EU Member States and the Eastern Partnership countries regarding the objective recruitment and promotion, motivation of the fair behavior and ethics of the civil servants.
According to the results of the Conference the common position document was elaborated.
