Administrative simplification – Performance of the Belgian Agency for Administrative Simplification and implementation of the federal action plan

general assembly on April 22, 2020

In its report to the Federal Parliament, the Belgian Court of Audit analysed how the federal administrative simplification policy has been piloted. It also examined the federal action plan for administrative simplification as an instrument and verified whether the goals have been achieved. The Court’s audit demonstrated that the concept of administrative simplification has not been sufficiently developed and translated into well-substantiated and coordinated goals. Combined with poor regulatory and political support, this explains the lack of impact of the Belgian Agency for Administrative Simplification’s actions. Although the successive federal action plans have evolved, they have not been assessed. The ten guidelines provided for in the fourth federal action plan (2015-2019) have hardly been implemented due to a lack of decisions and resources, scattered responsibilities and merely binding actions.