Ethics in Public Management (LV0034)

Raise awareness of values and ethics PUBLIC
MANAGEMENT
DEADLINE:
2017 2nd half - 2019 1st half
WHAT ARE THE STATE AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST ISSUES WHICH HELPS MEETING THIS
COMMITMENT?
MK 2013 February 6, approved by the State Administration of Human Development Concept 37
It was defined vision - an effective public administration, acting as a single employer and provides results-oriented
public management.
The Public Administration Act, the Administrative Procedure Law and several other laws and regulations set out in separate
public administration values and principles. Cabinet of Ministers on 9 January 2001 Instruction No. 1 "An official's Principles
of Conduct" 38 down the principles of conduct for civil servants. Public administrations at the level of the approved codes of
ethics and codes of conduct.
In 2011, the SC issued Competency dictionary 39 included in the public administration actual competence, what are the do's
and don'ts of action performance process. In 2013, developed by the State Administration of customer service guide 40 out
customer service values, attitudes, and basic principles of government relations with citizens and colleagues. At the same
time now we are missing one document gathering public administration values and ethical principles. It should be
applicable to a wide enough state-employed workers and an appropriate range of current and future needs of the public
administration. It is therefore necessary to continue the single values and code of ethics in public administration
employees development. Then it follows the practical implementation of measures, including discussions, methodology
and training.
A study of the role of public administration and future development states: "[..] organizations with strong value system
procedures, procedures and controls occupy less significant role in the conduct of employees led by values. [..] State
Administration employees face value conflicts and dilemmas
37 See: http://polsis.mk.gov.lv/documents/4231 38 View:
https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=1574 39 State Chancellery. "Competency
Dictionary". 2011th
View: https://nevis.mk.gov.lv/Uploads/CompetenceDictionary.6310fce38bd842a3b5a769030b30042a.pdf 40 State Chancellery. "State Administration
Customer Service Manual". 2013th
View: http://mazaksslogs.gov.lv/files/klientu_apkalosanas_rokasgramata.pdf
7th
COMMITMENT
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 35
where you can help the ethical principle of knowledge and skills of conflicts of interest. " 41 Such a framework could be used for a
common understanding and fostering a culture of public administration.
2017 On 26 January, adopted the OECD recommendation '' The integrity of the state and society '' 42
Member States put forward the following requirements:
• set high standards of behavior, such as work in the public interest, and to define a clear public
value;
• to promote the values specified in the public administration and society, including the calling to follow consultation with the public
administration;
• provide sufficient information on the ethical standards as well as training and guidance material and the opportunity to
receive advice in the workplace. For the public administration values and ethical principles to better understand and manage, as
well as to facilitate the proper conduct of everyday life, it is necessary to carry out the implementation of targeted measures.
WHAT IS COMMITMENT?
Carry out targeted implementation of measures to promote awareness of the public administration values and ethical principles:
• approve a single public administration values and ethics code;
• develop methodological materials for public administration values and ethical principles and to distribute it to the public
administration;
• organize all ministries, with the participation of their subordinate institutions, interpretative activities of the public
administration values and ethical principles;
• to develop e-learning course on public administration values and ethical principles;
• public administration employees to promote awareness and discussion of the values and ethical principles and
their proper conduct.
HOW TO COMMITMENT will be introduced and the solution to these problems?
The commitment will be achieved by the gradual introduction of the measures proposed, which are aimed at public administration values
and ethical behavior animation. Commitment will strengthen the common understanding and joint action will contribute to good
governance, public administration will raise the quality of work and will enhance public confidence in government.
41 "Baltic Institute of Social Sciences", Ltd. "ODA".
"Study on the role of public administration and development in the future." 2015th
View: http://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/petijums_par_valsts_parvaldes_lomu_un_attistibu_ nakotne.pdf
42 OECD. "C (2017) 5 Recommendation of the OECD Council on Public Integrity". 2017th
View: http://www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/recommendation-public-integrity.htm
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 36
HOW TO MEET COMMITMENT OGP VALUES?
OGP commitment to promote core values - openness, accountability and public participation in the public administration
values animation.
Commitment to comply with the OGP Paris Summit Declaration states: "Open management brings better results to
the public and stimulate our democracy to become more oriented to person and more open to citizens have
opportunities to more actively participate in decisions that affect their lives, and that public institutions really serve
the public." 43
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Compliance with international obligations
• OECD Council Recommendation "The integrity of the state and society '';
• UN Sustainable Development 16.6. Sub "Developing an effective, accountable and transparent
institutions at all levels."
INTERMEDIATE OBJECTIVES
1. Methodological material on public administration values and ethical principles and to distribute it to the public administration
01.01.2018. - 2018 2nd half
2. E-learning course on public administration values and ethical principles
01.01.2018. - 2018 2nd half
3. Explanatory activities on public administration values and ethical principles in ministries with subordinate
authorities in
01.01.2018. - 2019 1st half
RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
State Chancellery, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau and the School of Public Administration
43 OGP. "Paris Declaration. 4th Global Summit of the OGP ". 2016th
View: http://www.opengovpartnership.org/sites/default/files/OGP-Summit_PARIS-DECLARATION_EN.pdf
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 37
OTHER MEASURES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
INVOLVED
All ministries and their subordinate institutions
MEASURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RELEVANT PARTNERS
Society "Latvian Open Management Partnership" Center
for Public Policy "PROVIDUS"

7. Code of Ethics

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

Editorial Note: The Latvian government did not submit an official English translation of its 2017−2019 to OGP. Therefore, the original Latvian version as it appears in the action plan can be viewed below. For the full text of this commitment, please see the Latvia 2017−2019 action plan here: https://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/atvertas-parvaldibas-plans2017.pdf.

Veikt mērķtiecīgus ieviešanas pasākumus, lai veicinātu izpratni par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem:

• apstiprināt vienoto valsts pārvaldes vērtību un ētikas principu kodeksu;
• izstrādāt metodisku materiālu par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem un izplatīt to valsts pārvaldē;
• organizēt visās ministrijās, piedaloties to padotības iestādēm, skaidrojošus pasākumus par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem;
• izstrādāt e-apmācību kursu par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem;
• valsts pārvaldes iestādēs veicināt nodarbināto izpratni un diskusiju par vērtībām un ētikas principiem un tiem atbilstošu rīcību.

Milestones:

7.1. Metodisks materiāls par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem un izplatīt to valsts pārvaldē

7.2. E-apmācību kurss par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem

7.3. Skaidrojoši pasākumi par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem ministrijās ar padotības iestāžu līdzdalību

Start Date: 1 Jul. 2017

End Date: 30 Jul. 2019

Context and Objectives

This commitment continues from a previous action plan, which had a commitment that resulted in developing a code of ethics for public sector employees. The code addresses conflicts of interest and gifts, relations with lobbyists, and professional conduct for civil servants. It also contains guidance on operating ethics committees within public institutions and offers good practices for resolving difficult situations. This commitment aims to raise civil servants’ awareness of the code through a methodology, an online course and other educational activities.

Although a code of ethics can improve governmental integrity, this commitment is not directly relevant to OGP values because it is internal to the government.

As written, the commitment’s activities are verifiable, such as developing the methodology and e-course. However, the commitment does not specify how many events are planned and what is the targeted number of civil servants for raising awareness. If fully implemented, the activities could strengthen the integrity of civil servants by raising awareness of the code of ethics among Latvia’s public sector. While the code of ethics could provide an important foundation for a value-based culture in the public sector, without more details on the awareness raising activities and given the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism, the potential impact of this commitment is minor.

Next steps

Considering that this commitment lacks a public-facing element, the IRM researcher does not recommend carrying it forward to the next action plan. Additional efforts can be made to raise awareness about the code not only with civil servants, but also with journalists.

7. Code of Ethics

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

Editorial Note: The Latvian government did not submit an official English translation of its 2017−2019 to OGP. Therefore, the original Latvian version as it appears in the action plan can be viewed below. For the full text of this commitment, please see the Latvia 2017−2019 action plan here: https://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/atvertas-parvaldibas-plans2017.pdf.

Veikt mērķtiecīgus ieviešanas pasākumus, lai veicinātu izpratni par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem:

• apstiprināt vienoto valsts pārvaldes vērtību un ētikas principu kodeksu;
• izstrādāt metodisku materiālu par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem un izplatīt to valsts pārvaldē;
• organizēt visās ministrijās, piedaloties to padotības iestādēm, skaidrojošus pasākumus par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem;
• izstrādāt e-apmācību kursu par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem;
• valsts pārvaldes iestādēs veicināt nodarbināto izpratni un diskusiju par vērtībām un ētikas principiem un tiem atbilstošu rīcī

Milestones:

7.1. Metodisks materiāls par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem un izplatīt to valsts pārvaldē

7.2. E-apmācību kurss par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem

7.3. Skaidrojoši pasākumi par valsts pārvaldes vērtībām un ētikas principiem ministrijās ar padotības iestāžu līdzdalību

Start Date: 1 Jul. 2017

End Date: 30 Jul. 2019

During its second action plan (2015−2017), Latvia drafted a Code of Ethics for public sector employees to address conflicts of interest and gifts, relations with lobbyists, and professional conduct for civil servants. The government approved the Code of Ethics on 21 November 2018 during the implementation of the current, third action plan. [40] This commitment aimed to raise civil servants’ awareness of the code through a methodology, an online course, and other educational activities.

The State Chancellery, Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (CPCB), and the State Administration School held trainings on professional ethics for 5,662 public officials and for state-owned companies. The State Administration School developed a training course on ethics and training courses were conducted at universities for around 400 students. The CPCB conducted 48 educational seminars for 2,615 students from central and local government institutions. [41] Overall, the communication activities of this commitment marginally improved the regulation of lobbying in Latvia.

The Code of Ethics is a publicly available document regulating interactions between government officials and lobbyists and asking for disclosure of meetings with lobbyists in the public annotations attached to draft laws and regulations. It requires government officials to equally release to interested parties any information that is disclosed to lobbyists. It also includes guidance on operating ethics committees within public institutions and offers good practices for resolving difficult situations. [42] Not obeying the Code of Ethics can lead to disciplinary cases for civil servants.

While the Code of Ethics is a positive step toward better lobbying regulations, Latvia still lacks a publicly available lobbying register which would significantly improve transparency (explained in Commitment 4). Proposed legislative amendments for lobbying transparency were not passed by the end of the third action plan period, but this policy area is continued in Latvia’s fourth action plan (2019−2021).

[40] Parliament of Latvia, “Valsts pārvaldes vērtības un ētikas pamatprincipi” [Basic values and ethics of public administration] no. 2018/235.12 (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 21 Nov. 2018), https://likumi.lv/ta/id/303328-valsts-parvaldes-vertibas-un-etikas-pamatprincipi.

[41] CPCB, email exchange with IRM researcher, Oct. 2019.

[42] Zinta Miezaine, Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM): Latvia Design Report 2017−2019 (OGP, 2019), 32, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Latvia_Design-Report_2017-2019_EN.pdf.