Summary

In 2019, the law "On the Transformation of the Civil Service" (La loi de transformation de la fonction publique) initiated the reform of social dialogue, the purpose of which is to focus on a more strategic and contractual approach in relations between the state and civil service. As part of the reform, it is planned to simplify bureaucratic procedures and optimize the work of government agencies. For the first time since 2019, SAI France conducted an audit of the implementation of this reform and found that social dialogue measures were not fully implemented, and the effectiveness of existing programs remains low. Thus, in a number of regions, a large number of highly specialized government agencies remain, which contradicts the goal of the reform to reduce the number of departments and integrate them in common areas of activity. In addition, the deadlines for the implementation of the reform were violated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then due to social unrest related to pension reform. SAI recommended that the Government, among other things, improve IT systems and databases in the field of social dialogue, ensure respect for trade union rights, reduce the number of indicators and improve the quality of strategic planning.