重新审视代理机构化:欧洲中央政府行政机构整合的趋势

Agencification revisited:trends in consolidation of central government administration in Europe

代理机构化是20世纪80年代和90年代欧洲新公共管理改革的主要支柱之一。行政机构数量的大幅增加及其自治机构(特别是独立监管性机构)的扩大极大地改变了政府的组织架构。然而,对欧洲行政体系过去20年实施的组织改革进行检视表明,其行政机构的发展格局呈现出合理化和整合的趋势。本文研究了机构整合的主要形式和模式,包括全面性、跨部门的机构合理化举措,以及特定政策领域或政府职能类型相关的更具选择性的改革。本文还探讨了机构整合改革的背景,证实了在紧缩时代,政府面临的经济压力在很大程度上重新定义了机构在政府组织结构中的地位。

Agencification was one of the main pillars of the New Public Management reforms in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s.The strong increase in the number of agencies and the extension of their autonomy(especially with regard to independent regulatory agencies)significantly changed the organizational architecture of governments.However,the review of organizational reforms implemented over the past two decades in European administrative systems demonstrates a trend towards the rationalization and consolidation of the agency landscape.This article provides insight into major forms and patterns of consolidation,including comprehensive,cross-sectoral agency rationalization initiatives and more selective reforms regarding specific policy areas or types of government functions.It also explores the background of the consolidation reforms,confirming that economic pressures affecting governments in the era of austerity played a crucial role in redefining the position of agencies in governments'organizational set-up.