Commissioner Kallas on administration, audit and anti-fraud

In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, Commissioner Kallas has
said that likely priorities for the next few years would be
simplifying the budget discharge, reconsidering allowances of
Commission staff, increasing transparency and promoting the use of
IT.

In the new Barroso Commission, Siim Kallas, as well as
being Vice-President also holds the brief of running
administration, audit and the fight against fraud. This is the
first time these three functions have been combined in one office.
He spoke to EURACTIV about the challenges of his new post.

The Estonian Kallas is likely to approach the brief rather
differently from his predecessor at administration, Neil
Kinnock.  Kallas, an economist, has been Minister of
Finance, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister in his own
country and has a strong background in public administration,
including IT. He is committed to reform but will take his time
before announcing specific changes.

On internal reforms, Mr Kallas clearly believes in more
transparency within the Commission, similar to what has been
achieved in Estonia and in Denmark. He said that reforms
to simplify procedures, increase transparency and pinpoint
responsibility at lower levels might be considered. At the
same time, he did not want to overburden officials with too much
monitoring of how they carried out their work. “We cannot have
people filling in forms […] instead of carrying out the Lisbon
agenda,” he said. The Commissioner
also favours encouraging different DGs to co-ordinate
their policies at an early stage.

On the EU budget, he also identified problems, particularly with
the way the Court of Auditors is required to analyse the accounts.
He said that there must be “some change in the system” and he would
like to have an idea as to what that should be before
the start of the 2005 budget discharge process.

On staff reforms, Mr Kallas would not take a view
on the question of whether the Commission should be seen
as a free-standing international organisation or the
“top-level” of government in Europe, and the implications on the
mobility and status of staff that this entails. On remuneration,
however, the Commissioner took a clear view: more clarity is
required. Salaries for responsible public posts must be
substantial, but should be shorn of the existing bonuses and
add-ons that muddy the current position. 

Coming from a country which is at the forefront of the move
to e-government, Kallas is very keen on this. He looks forward to
substantial progress in the use of IT within the EU within a year
but recognises that there are serious constraints regarding
security. 

Read the full interview with Commissioner
Kallas.

Read more with Euractiv

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