Co-production of public services is an increasingly popular tool in public management, although it is still a new phenomenon in Poland. Despite the attention researchers give to co-production, some significant gaps remain. In this article, the author attempts to examine the legal possibility of implementing co-production by the Polish local government by local initiative and Solecki Fund. The article aims to examine how major Polish cities gathered in Union in Polish Metropolises used local initiatives. The next step in research is to find out how Solecki Fund is spread among rural areas according to statistical data. It is proved that only a handful of local governments in Poland are truly engaged in co-production. However, Solecki Fund can be shown as an excellent example of citizens’ engagement. It is presented a possible agenda on what can be done to make co-production more popular and used on a regular basis not only in metropolitan but also rural areas.

The article considers the primary and secondary legislation of the European Community and normative legal acts of different European countries that regulate the provision of administrative services. Related concepts used in European Union law to define the scope of public services were distinguished. The practice of providing administrative services was analyzed on the examples of Poland, England, France and Sweden. Characteristics of the subject composition of public services were studied. The assessment of public service standards was made. The analysis of long-term programs of public administration reform in EU member states was carried out. The basic principles of functioning of state institutions and organizations that provide services to citizens, as well as the obligations of government agencies in the sphere of organization, distribution and provision of administrative services were determibed. In addition, various ways of improvement the quality of the provision of services, which the countries of the European Community are already using and are planning to use in the future, were considered. Obstacles to the introduction of new approaches to the improvement of the quality of public services were found. The analysis of formation of systems of various social services was carried out. The activity of state social services on needs assessment and planning of social services was considered. The concept and direct implementation of the principle of “mutual complementarity” were analyzed.

While reforming of the Ukrainian state, an important part of ensuring the social process is gender issues, providing equal opportunities for self-realization of a person regardless of gender, age, nationality or social origin. In accordance with the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the world community in 2000, one of the priorities of international development and indicators of social and economic development is ensuring gender equality. The implementation of gender equality ideas contributes to the effective use of human potential and, consequently, to the expansion of human development opportunities. Studying the processes of creation and implementation of gender policy in public administration is one of the new areas of research at the current stage of state formation. Its relevance is due to the processes of democratization of the Ukrainian society and search for ways to increase the effectiveness of public policy concerning equal rights and opportunities for women and men. Nowadays it is paid considerable attention to gender equality aspects by many international organizations. Thus, the United Nations (UN) has developed a number of global Sustainable Development Goals (CDGs) for 2015-2030, which were approved in 2015 at the UN Summit on Sustainable Development and which now all countries are committed to. The fifth of the seventeen CDGs is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. In 2017, the Government of Ukraine presented the “Sustainable Development Goals: Ukraine” national report, which addresses gender equality as an essential task. It is emphasized that in Ukraine it is necessary to create conditions for elimination of all women discrimination forms. In this regard the relevant objectives and basic indicators for their achievement have been identified. Despite the fact that the world pays more and more attention to research in the field of gender equality, in Ukraine this issue remains one of the marginal segments in the public administration science. Therefore a systematic study of the formation of a gender-balanced staff at local executive bodies is becoming important. It is the management staff of local executive bodies that is sharply criticized; its mistakes and misjudgments significantly affect the standard of living, the welfare of citizens of a particular administrative-territorial unit, and the image and authority of government and the state as a whole. In the article it is analyzed the principles and mechanisms of state gender policy in Ukraine in the social and labor area, in particular in the civil service, it is studied the latest changes in the legal framework on gender issues, and it is described the existing legal issues that slow the further development of gender integration in all spheres of public administration, it is developed proposals to improve gender policy legal framework at the current stage.

The quality of governance of public services, social capital and the socio-cultural diversity of the European Union

The aim of the paper is the analysis of impact of the historically shaped socio-cultural divisions of the European Union on social capital and quality of governance (EQI) in the context of the distribution of public services. Social capital is more important for quality of governance than financial resources. The highest level of social capital and quality of governance is observed in North-West Europe, the lowest in Central East Europe. Since 2010, the quality of public services and corruption have improved (except Poland and Hungary), and in South Europe it has worsened. In North-West Europe, the quality of services has deteriorated, most severely in France. Division East–North West is of greater significance for social capital and quality of governance than affiliation to catholic- protestant cultural circles and North–South division.

The remit of public service broadcasting includes the obligation of universal programming, which covers all kinds of programmes such as culture, news, entertainment and sport. Several European Union documents stress the special role of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) in society and acknowledge a far-reaching autonomy of Member States to define and finance their national system of public service broadcasting. All European countries have defined remits for their public service broadcasters. The definition of the mission of PSB in Poland is only related to the activity of the public radio and television. Also the way PSB gives account for its programme activities, and the control of the way PSB fulfils its remit. Theme channels are part of the remit of public service broadcasting. These channels are considered as important and almost self-evident activities of PSB. Nevertheless there is a need for such provisions to define the mission of PSB in Poland. This is necessary to further specify the criteria used to determine whether a service of theme channels which are transmitted by the public television is of an economic or a non-economic nature. This is the most important because of the requirements of state financing of public service broadcasters. These transparency requirements are internal accounts corresponding to different activities – public service and non-public service activities must be separated.

The remit of public service broadcasting includes the obligation of universal programming, which covers all kinds of programmes such as culture, news, entertainment and sport. Several European Union documents stress the special role of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) in society and acknowledge a far-reaching autonomy of Member States to define and finance their national system of public service broadcasting. All European countries have defined remits for their public service broadcasters. The definition of the mission of PSB in Poland is only related to the activity of the public radio and television. Also the way PSB gives account for its programme activities, and the control of the way PSB fulfils its remit. Theme channels are part of the remit of public service broadcasting. These channels are considered as important and almost self-evident activities of PSB. Nevertheless there is a need for such provisions to define the mission of PSB in Poland. This is necessary to further specify the criteria used to determine whether a service of theme channels which are transmitted by the public television is of an economic or a non-economic nature. This is the most important because of the requirements of state financing of public service broadcasters. These transparency requirements are internal accounts corresponding to different activities – public service and non-public service activities must be separated.

The Service-Providing Function of Public Administration in the Light of the Constitutional Principles of the Political System

Modern public administration is primarily an administration that provides services to citizens. The key role is played by local government units, to which the Constitution of the Republic of Poland has assigned important public tasks in the sphere of satisfying the collective needs of their residents. The article will analyse constitutional provisions in terms of identifying those systemic principles that serve the implementation of this function of the administration.

Co-creation of public services implies new roles and responsibilities that, at least potentially, change the balance of control. In this way, it aligns closely with democratic renewal. This paper draws on the outcomes of a collaborative innovation project Co-creation of Service Innovation in Europe (CoSIE) funded under Horizon 2020. CoSIE built upon the idea that public sector innovations can be best achieved by creating collaborative partnerships between service providers (public sector agencies, third sector organisations, private companies) and citizens who receive services directly or indirectly. CoSIE was implemented through ten real-life innovation pilots in different public services across Europe. Results showed how co-creative methods could promote democratic dimensions, increasing the civic participation of marginalised and often voiceless population groups (residents of depleted urban neighbourhoods, disabled people in remote rural areas, citizens adrift from the world of work, and non-EU migrants). Some CoSIE pilots were more successful than others in extending impact beyond their immediate localities and service contexts. The paper highlights common factors that helped share learning and evolve project innovations into the ‘modus operandi’ of institutions and societies.