The bill for the modernization of EFKA is submitted to the Parliament

The bill of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for the modernization of EFKA is submitted to the Parliament -after the completion of the public consultation within January-, which is the culmination of the initiatives that have already been taken for the better and more efficient operation of the most problematic public body. Administration, with which 2.5 million retirees and 4 million employees deal daily.

The initiatives so far have focused on accelerating the rate of outstanding pensions (and resulting in the issuance of 225,000 main pensions last year, which is a record number) and on better service to citizens, culminating in the Unified Citizen Service Number 1555 more than 1 million calls -of which about 80% concerned EFKA- that have been answered at the first level at a rate of over 85%.

The bill that will begin to be discussed in Parliament in the coming days is an even more substantial intervention on a more permanent basis, with which:

– The aim is to attract a high level of executives from both the public and the private sector

– An incentive system is established, as well as controls for employees

– Procurement is accelerated

– Arrangements are introduced for the utilization of the real estate of the Institution

The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Kostis Hatzidakis, stated: “The bill submitted today confirms our desire to transform EFKA from a protagonist of stories of daily madness and suffering into an insurance organization of European standards. In order to do this, we have to correct the pathogenesis of decades, eliminate bureaucratic entanglements, overcome outdated practices and perceptions. effective, able to fully meet the needs of both its citizens and its employees “.

The basic regulations of the bill

1. The possibility of hiring General Managers and Directors with a three-year term (and the possibility of one-time renewal) from both the public and the private sector is foreseen. The recruitment will be done through transparent procedures (public announcement by decision of the Governor of e-EFKA), partnership of ASEP and incentives to attract to the top ranks with high level executives, able to meet the size of the Organization and the challenges of.

2. A productivity reward system is defined throughout the EFKA. Starting from the functions of the settlement of pensions and the service of the citizens, the premium will be connected with specific objectives that can be set according to the needs per General Directorate, depending on the object and the priorities of the Institution. This system is accompanied by a corresponding control and accountability system as described below.

3. An Internal Investigation Unit is established for the more systematic treatment of complaints concerning EFKA. The Unit, which will be headed by a former senior judge (Attorney General of the Supreme Court) will be in charge of the immediate investigation of complaints and requests and the conduct of ex-officio checks (eg in case of excessive delays). If the conclusion of the Unit reveals the commission of a disciplinary offense, then the head will order the exercise of disciplinary proceedings, which will be binding on the competent disciplinary bodies.

4. The disciplinary procedures are accelerated, taking into account that the procedures in the Disciplinary Boards of EFKA currently have an average completion time of 2 years. In particular, the disciplinary action will be taken in one month (instead of 3 months) and will be completed in one month from the call for apology (instead of 2 months). As part of the strengthening of the impartiality of the audits, the SADs will be carried out compulsorily by an employee of another Ministry and will be completed in one month. The Disciplinary Council of EFKA will be composed of three members (judicial president, deputy Legal Council of the State and a permanent employee outside the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs), without the participation of elected representatives of EFKA employees. He will be responsible for all cases that start after the publication of the law and for the pending proceedings, as long as they have not been brought to trial. The purpose of speeding up disciplinary proceedings is to strengthen the accountability of employees, so that it is clear that along with the reward for achieving goals, they will be accountable for the execution of their work.

5. The procurement system becomes more flexible in order to put an end to phenomena such as the untimely supply of consumables, spare parts and the difficulty of replacing obsolete equipment (eg PCs, air conditioners, etc.). In the same logic of increasing speed and flexibility, a series of obsolete provisions are abolished, which provide for time-consuming approval procedures by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for EFKA-related expenditures (approval for the expediency of outsourcing computer services, maintenance work, etc.). the action of the administration.

6. The utilization of the real estate of EFKA is promoted through the establishment of a Special Purpose Company entitled “e-EFKA Real Estate Company” which will be subject to a strict corporate governance framework with increased guarantees of transparency and accountability, but also the possibility of utilizing good practices of the private sector. the management of its real estate portfolio. It is indicative that the Agency has 400 properties across the country, with a total objective value of over 1 billion euros and at least 20% – which concerns high value properties – remains completely unused, resulting in the loss of resources and revenues for the insurance system. The more active management of EFKA real estate through the new company can significantly contribute to the increase of the resources of the insurance system.

See the draft law in the “related files” column