Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 The Mark of Good Public Services A Uniform Framework for Measuring and Improving Public Services for Businesses in the Netherlands Dimitri Verhoeven

Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Content Regulatory Reform Reason why Solution Development & Involvement Basic Development Principles Results The System of 10 Standards Measurement method Measurement results Improvement plan Certificate of Good Public Services Goal and state of play Questions

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Regulatory Reform Program Reducing regulatory burden through: Reducing administrative burdens Improving quality of legislation and process Simplifying administrative procedures Improving public services But… Toolbox  Standard Cost Model AB  Best Practices for permits  Common Commencement dates.  Lex Silencio Positivo (quick response)  Regulatory Navigators (transparency)  Simple forms and procedures

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Reason why Businesses complain about public services. Governments respond to these complaints by developing and implementing solutions. Governments want to show their good initiatives. Businesses often disagree. Result: a lot of discussion about public services and too little attention for improvements.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Solution A different angle: Question to businesses: When do governments achieve good public services? Result: The Mark of Good Public Services A uniform framework for measuring and improving the quality of public services for businesses.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Development & Involvement Businesses: Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers and SME representatives. Ministry of Economic Affairs: Regulatory Reform and ICT Policy Department in cooperation with SIRA Consulting. Local governments: Municipalities Provinces Regional Water Authorities 10 most important government organizations to businesses : For example: Chambers of Commerce Tax and Customs Administration Central Government Inspectorates

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Basic development principles From outside to inside: Good public service delivery from a business perspective. Measurable standards: quantitative or qualitative. Fixed standards: sufficient and excellent public service delivery. Sense and simplicity. Noticeable improvement of public services. But also: Businesses’ own responsibility to ensure good public services.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Results The Mark of Good Public Services implies: A system of 10 standards of public service delivery for businesses. A measurement method to assess to what extent these standards are met. An improvement plan including the targets of governments to improve their public services.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 The System of 10 Standards I. Time limits and periods 1. Waiting times within legal limits 2. Quick response if legal limits are exceeded 3. Requests are formally correct II. Professionalism 4. Government officials have sufficient expertise 5. Inspections are well coordinated & integrated III. Company orientation 6. Response to questions within 3 days 7. Available information is up to date 8. Businesses are satisfied with public services IV. Reliability 9. Few objections and appeals 10. Reduction of Administrative Burdens

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Measurement method 10 most important products to businesses. Audits: File audits: recent files (< 6 months) Client audits: 70 – 100 entrepreneurs with a recent experience (< 6 months) Issue audits: factual

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Measurement results in a spider diagram

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Improvement plan Shows the weaknesses in public services. Improvements for: Government organization overall. 10 most important products (specific). Not just “another” plan: it structures and incorporates all existing initiatives to improve public services. Action planning: results within 2 years. Consensus within management team.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Certificate of Good Public Services A realistic declaration of intent of governments to improve their public service delivery to businesses: measurable noticeable accountable transparent The Ministry of Economic Affairs issues the certificates after assessing the improvement plans. Period of validity: 2 years. Better communication between governments and businesses.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Goal and state of play Goal Cabinet period: 200 Municipalities 12 Provinces 25 Regional Water Authorities 10 most important government organizations to businesses State of play since 2010: Local governments: » Municipalities: 90 certificates and 60 in implementation phase » Provinces: 1 certificate » Regional Water Authorities: 6 certificates 10 most important government organizations to businesses: » 6 certificates » 4 in implementation phase

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 (Financial) Incentives Financial Incentive Program for Municipalities, Provinces and Regional Water Authorities: Vouchers with a maximum of € for external support by consultants. The voucher is intended for the developing process, the measurement and the development and implementation of the improvement plan. The Financial Incentive Program is valid up to December 31, The Financial Incentive Program for government organizations for the developing process was valid up to January 1, From now on: The Mark of Good Public Services has to prove its added value.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Burning questions?

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 Further information:

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013 The MGPS Step by Step Selectie van producten i.o. bedrijfsleven 1 Collecting information for the audits 2 Executing the File-, Client- and Issue-audits 3 Processing & analysing the results in the MGPS-model 4 Draft MGPS Improvement Plan 5 Coordinating the Draft MGPS Improvement Plan with - Current initiatives in the organisation - The stakeholders (internal and the organisation) 6 Insight into the present situation of the public service delivery Overview of the possibilities where to improve the quality of the public services Anchoring the MGPS in the organisation Selecting the 10 most important products and getting support from the decision makers 1 Selectie van producten i.o. bedrijfsleven 1 Final MGPS Improvement Plan 7 Defining and preparing the implementation of the Improvement Measures 8 File-audits, Client-audits and Issue- audits Overview of the Improvement Measures