In this article, Leonardo Quattruci discusses the issue of the European Commission’s competitiveness as an institution, pointing out a mismatch between its aspirations and capabilities. Despite an increase in the complexity and scope of the portfolios, the number of employees has remained the same since 2016, leading to challenges in handling technical policy areas such as digital policy. Quattruci emphasizes the importance of hiring technologists and lifting implementers to effectively handle the increasing demands of the AI age. He calls for the creation of state capacity within the Institutions as a political priority, rather than just a technical requirement.
Quattruci argues that building “state capacity” is essential for an institution to enforce its mission effectively. He suggests the need for a shift towards product management from project management to prioritize tasks and ensure successful implementation. The author highlights examples where flexible hiring of talent has led to significant improvements in government services, such as in Italy where a Senior Vice President from Amazon was appointed as the Extraordinary Commissioner for Digital Transformation. Quattruci stresses the importance of acquiring new skills and aligning institutional means with political ends to address the challenges faced by the European Commission.
The author discusses the need for a Commissioner for institutional capacity to provide political sponsorship for transformation projects within the European Commission. He points out that while DG Competition has a Chief Technology Officer to support policymaking, a policy-entrepreneur-in-chief with the highest political mandate is needed to drive digital transformation as a whole-of-government priority. Quattruci also highlights the role of DG DIGIT in enabling transformation for users and shares examples of successful innovation and regulation within the European Commission that are often overlooked.
Quattruci underscores the importance of recognizing the role of implementers within institutions and the need for operational excellence to drive innovation and meet customer expectations. Despite the high regard given to implementers in big tech firms, there is a lack of investment in institutional capacity within the European Commission. The author suggests that the Directorate-General for Reform could play a crucial role in assisting member states in growing state capacity in strategic areas, emphasizing the need for a modern and effective public administration within the European Commission itself.
The author notes a growing realization that transformation is not just for technology experts, as highlighted by the European Council’s emphasis on digital government driven by human-centric, data-driven, and AI-enabled transformations of the public sector. Quattruci calls on the incoming Presidency of the European Commission to focus on healing the institution itself and prioritizing the development of state capacity to effectively address the challenges faced by the institution. He concludes by encouraging individuals to share their views and be part of the conversation by contacting Euronews with pitches or submissions.
