This shows that there is a huge interest for a working group on this topic. Furthermore, in 2008 alone, 20 proposals were received for papers to be presented in this panel. However, because of lack of financial means, only 5 paper givers could actually attend the conference. This underlines the need for financial support for people who would like to participate in such a working group.

Overview of papers topics:

• 2008 Bratislava: five papers were presented and over thirty attendees participated to the discussion. The papers addressed the following issues: monitoring and evaluation, assessment of excellence, provision of technical assistance, the introduction of the position of public manager through a training programme, as well as an overview of the decentralization process.
• 2007 Kyiv: Five papers were presented. The topics were on Implementation and technical assistance support issues in Russia; sustainable state reform; core group circle as an approach to PA reform in Russia and Ukraine; governance innovation through networks, case of Saudi-Arabian investment authority; and politicians’ views behind awarding technical assistance to CEE countries.

This variety of interests suggests that the richness of the theme can be explored in a structured way through expanding the work of the Panel in a Working group.

The proposed working group aims to continue and develop the activities that took place in 2007-2008 within the framework of the Work Panel of Getting Public Administration Reform to Work.

Because of the need and interest this proposal for establishing a working group is written. We are sure it will fulfil on its promises and will – if accepted – make it possible for participants from CEE as well as CIS countries to exchange knowledge about bad, good enough, good and best practices of Public Administrative Reform in their countries and for the PA community to develop its knowledge about factors supporting and inhibiting Public Administrative Reform.

The activity of this Working group aims to provide a structured forum on the dynamics of public administration reform in the NMS and Central Asia. Public administrative Reform is described as any restructuring of the administrative part of the public sector in order to solve organizational and/or societal problems associated with this structure and intended as promoting a professional, merit-based and neutral civil service.

The new established WG met for the first time at the 17^th NISPAcee Annual Conference, Budva, Montenegro, May 14-16, 2009.