Administrative systems and reforms across the European Union - towards sustainability?

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the particularities of the administrative systems across the European Union. With more and more countries becoming members of the Union, legal and administrative harmonisation becomes more important than ever. Both internal and external aspects may trigger changes, whose scale will be dependent of many factors. It must be realised that administration in this case does not just mean dealing with bureaucratic red tape and obtaining documents, but rather it largely refers to the communal services provided by administrative units to their citizens. These will naturally have an effect on the socio-economic status of the served area, but lest one forget that there is also an environmental aspect to it. This paper will present an overview of the key aspects of administrative divisions across the European Union, and highlight the most important recent changes in the structure, and considering their sustainability aspects too.