Restructuring of DG XII and DG XIII
After three years of evaluation of the management mechanisms and methodology used at the various stages of administrative procedures for Community research, the Commission decided on 15.07.1992 to undertake a major restructuring of Directorates-General XII and XIII and to reform administrative procedures. A package of measures aim to increase the efficiency and improve the running of the departments responsible for the administrative management of Community RTD policy. The task is considered necessary and urgent, principally because the rapid increase in the volume of research and technological development activities since the early 1980s has been matched by significant growth in human resources but without a corresponding fundamental reorganization of existing structures or comprehensive examination of rationalization and efficiency. At the beginning of the 1980s there existed no more than the initial core of the Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development (DG XII). An information technologies task force was then set up which in 1986 was to fuse with DG XIII (until October 1992 named "Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation"), whose task, in Luxembourg, was to disseminate and exploit the results of research further downstream. As tasks and programmes multiplied the structure of the two Directorates-General developed in response to immediate needs. However, the Community has seen enormous changes in the volume and quality of its research activities: during 1980-1992 appropriations grew from ECU 280 million to ECU 2500 million; in 1984 all research activity was brought within a single multiannual framework (the Framework Programmes for research and technological development); the goals of RTD policy have also been broadened and reinforced by the Single Act and by provisions contained in the Treaty on European Union. The administrative machine is therefore under adaptation to correspond to the range of new programmes and the aims of the Treaty, and especially the unity of the legislative framework and the method of implementation. One set of Commission measures deals with changes to the organizational plan of DGs XII and XIII, grouping common administrative tasks together as far as possible and creating specializations in programme management. A new organigramme illustrating these changes is available. In addition to the organizational plan, it has been decided to introduce several innovations into the work methodology. This will first of all mean continuing to improve programme management techniques and internal decision-making procedures. Once these provisions are approved, measures will be taken internally to introduce simple and effective rules on coordination and cooperation to overcome the cumbersome nature of the earlier system. Lastly, measures are planned concerning human resources (e.g. on-going training) and programme management. Efforts have been stepped up in the last two years to simplify project management procedures, improve the interoperability of computing supports and introduce decentralized management methods. Major steps forward will now be taken in these areas.