The reform programme called "General Review of Public Policies" (Révision Générale des Politiques Publiques, RGPP), implemented at central government level in France in 2007, is a novel approach for OECD countries by its mode of governance, directly and continuously involving the highest state officials in France. In this publication, the results of the reform programme of the RGPP are analysed in relation to the original objectives, but also in the new current, economic and budgetary context of France. Lessons are drawn in terms of budget savings, implementation of a culture of innovation and improvement of services to citizens. They will be important for all OECD countries in their efforts to improve governance and the performance of public administrations. They are also essential for local authorities, who also have to innovate in their practices in order to provide better services at a lower cost.

Methodological elements
Acronyms and abbreviations
Summary of the evaluation and recommendations
Chapter 1. The overall context of government reform in France
-Introduction
-1.1. The need for government reform in France
-1.2. Leeway in the “model” for government expenditure and revenues in France
-1.3. Potential reforms of the machinery of government could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of general government
-1.4. The place of the RGPP in the context of government reform in France
-Bibliography
Chapter 2. Scope, methods and outcomes of the RGPP
-Introduction
-2.1. A favourable political, economic and demographic environment for reform
-2.2. The scope, fiscal impact and costs of reform
-2.3. Governance of the RGPP
-2.4. Relaunching and expanding the reform of government to embrace other fields and other players
-2.5. Summary of recommendations
-Bibliography
Chapter 3. The RGPP and the organisation of central government
-Introduction
-3.1. Defining features of central government organisation in France: a medium level of “administrative employment”, and many central government employees at the local level
-3.2. The programme for merging central government executive units at the central and deconcentrated levels
-3.3. Streamlining central government through the sharing of support services
-3.4. Standard setting for operational management
-3.5. Public non-profit institutions: “state operators”
-3.6. Summary of recommendations
-Notes
-Bibliography
Chapter 4. The RGPP and the quality of service
-Introduction
-4.1. Modernising services systematically by facilitating innovation
-4.2. An increasingly systematic way of taking into account user needs to improve quality
-4.3. Tackling the challenges of strategic governance of government information systems
-4.4. Building comprehensive strategies for transforming better services into better policy outcomes: the case of employment and business promotion services
-4.5. Summary of recommendations
-Notes
-Bibliography
Chapter 5. The RGPP and human resource management
-Introduction
-5.1. A step toward optimising public employment numbers and costs in France
-5.2. Towards a more flexible and responsive civil service
-5.3. Summary of recommendations
-Notes
-Bibliography
-Glossary
Annexes are available at the following address: www.oecd.org/governance/reviews