The National Strategic Reference Framework for 2007-2013 (NSRF) encloses an innovative initiative aimed at improving quality and availability of public services provision of key importance for the well-being of citizens and relevant for regional policy action.
The achievement of adequate standards in areas such as the quality of education, child and elderly care, urban waste management and water service is the parameter used to judge the effectiveness of cohesion policies, as these are essential quality-of-life services that help determine a Region's level of development.
The baseline level in these areas was marked by persistent regional disparities, especially between Southern Italy and the rest of the country. The NSRF makes specific reference to the ultimate goals of development policies through the establishment of appropriate indicators with binding targets to be met in 2013 by the regions of the South. A mid-term assessment, assigning a share of the incentive funds, takes place in 2010 on the basis of the progress made in closing the gap between baseline level and targets.
The mechanism also rewards local excellence: where a region has not achieved the target by 2013, part of the incentive will be assigned to local governments in charge of delivering or managing services that have improved their performance levels with respect to the service indicators, within the framework of a formal incentive mechanism established by the region.
The performance-based mechanism on public services provision requires the involvement of a range of administrations, with diversified responsibilities and duties:
- The regions of the South and the Ministry of Public Education participate directly in achieving the service targets.
- Sectoral Central administrations (Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Health, Ministry for Social Solidarity and Department for Family’s Policy) participate through systemic actions and technical assistance initiatives.
- A Central Technical Support Group is established to coordinate the mechanism. It is composed by the Department for Development and Economic Cohesion, the National Statistical Institute (Istat) and representatives of the participating administrations.
- The economic and social partnership contributes at the territorial level
Constant monitoring of progress in the indicators and the appropriateness of the policies implemented to achieve the targets set by the mechanism is an essential condition for the success of the initiative. See the Database and DPS eXplorer
Documentation is prepared by the participating administrations to track progress in achieving the policy objectives on public services provision: Action Plans and Reports prepared by the regions of the South and the Ministry of Public Education; materials on the progress prepared by the Central Technical Support Group. See the Action Plans and the Reports (available in italian)
More about the mechanism
