Statement by President von der Leyen with Commissioner Serafin and Catherine Day, Chair of the High-Level Group on the Future of the Commission's Civil Service, on the occasion of the handover of the report by the external advisers on the Large-scale review

We live in a world that gives little time to adapt. We face growing external and internal challenges to our security, to our economy, and to our societies. And increasingly, these challenges converge. Rising to the task requires clear political choices. But it also requires an administration that turns these choices into action. The Political Guidelines are calling for a Europe that is faster, simpler and more focused. Therefore, the Commission must of course also lead by example.

This is why I asked Commissioner Serafin in his mission letter to undertake a large-scale review of our organisation and operations. This work brings together three perspectives: the experience of colleagues across the Commission; benchmarking against comparable organisations; the advice of the High-Level Reflection Group, our external sounding board. Today, I welcome the Group's report, which brings an independent, external perspective to the modernisation and the reform of the Commission. It is drawing on the experience of its members from other national and international public administrations' reforms. I really want to thank Catherine Day and all its members for the remarkable work and the important contribution.

We have strong foundations to build on. Through successive crises, our European civil service has shown its dedication, professionalism and its capacity to deliver. Our colleagues helped secure vaccines. They put our recovery plan into practice. They organised support for Ukraine. They stabilised the energy market and shielded consumers from high prices and energy shortages. They brough assistance to communities struck by natural disasters. They responded to migration pressures and hybrid threats. They took on new responsibilities. And they found solutions – often under impressive pressure. Their dedication has been extraordinary. So, we can be really proud of our European civil service.