Ursula von der Leyen's action for a comprehensive review of the European Commission moved to a new phase on Monday, as a group of external advisors submitted a report that will shape the largest administrative changes in this institution in two decades.
Report from External Advisors
This report, prepared by a high-level group led by Catherine Day, former Secretary-General of the Commission, marks a new phase in the extensive review known as the "Broad Review." The aim of this review is to increase the efficiency of the Commission, simplify its extensive bureaucracy, and make this institution a more attractive employer.
Von der Leyen said at the report handover ceremony: "We are now moving to the second phase," referring to the completion of the initial phase that included 15 internal work streams and the involvement of thousands of Commission staff. She added: "We need to be able to act effectively and quickly" and emphasized the need for simpler procedures and better collaboration between departments.
Key Recommendations
The advisory group, which includes Day and eight other experts with experience in national administrations and international organizations such as the OECD and OSCE, provided nine related recommendations aimed at increasing the agility and capacity of the Commission to face future challenges. One of the main suggestions is to move towards greater collaboration between different departments instead of working in separate silos.
This part of the reforms is politically sensitive. Behind this effort to modernize the Commission lies the possibility of a broad restructuring of its departments, which may change the responsibilities of powerful departments overseeing billions of euros from the EU budget.
The advisory group also called for strengthening the public secretariat as a strategic center to achieve better outcomes and a human-centered approach to artificial intelligence to simplify administrative processes and modernize the institution's operations.
However, the release of the report on Monday does not mean that structural decisions have been made. Day's report will enter a broader review conducted under the supervision of Piotr Serafin, the Commissioner for Budget and Public Administration. Serafin is responsible for providing final recommendations to von der Leyen by the end of 2026.
