Concòrdia proposes governance law to standardise public entities and merit-based leadership

Concòrdia has presented a framework law on governance and transparency for public companies and parapublic entities, seeking to standardise operations, curb revolving-door appointments and ensure merit-based leadership selection.

The proposal, tabled by the opposition group, targets entities under general administration, such as the CASS social security agency, SAAS telecommunications regulator, Andorra Telecom and FEDA development agency. It initially excludes those linked to communes, a decision Concòrdia attributes to focusing on more mature structures and limited time for coordination.

Cerni Escalé, the parliamentary group president, criticised the creation of 15 new entities in recent years, many duplicating government structures. He stressed the need for uniform criteria, open processes and common governance principles to promote good management and prevent interest capture. "The best-prepared people must lead these entities to function as effectively as possible," Escalé said.

Jordi Casadevall, the general councillor who detailed the bill, outlined internationally recognised principles inspired by Council of Europe and OECD recommendations, as well as Andorran private sector practices. These include legality, public service orientation, value creation, professionalism, meritocracy, transparency, integrity, financial sustainability, performance evaluation and accountability. He highlighted public value creation as a novel emphasis, enabling assessment of public policies and entity management.

Leadership selection would involve public calls managed by a committee of two government appointees and two independent experts from a new registry. Candidates must meet qualification requirements and present a strategic project aligned with the entity's guidelines. The committee proposes shortlisted options—potentially a single name or a shortlist of three—to the government, which can appoint any but must justify deviations from top scores with objective reasons tied to entity needs.

Appointees receive five-year terms, renewable once consecutively, after which they can reapply via open process. Within three months, they must submit a performance contract with quantitative and qualitative indicators for ongoing review. Provisions address conflicts of interest, executive evaluation and dismissal.

Casadevall cited the recent FEDA director appointment of Sílvia Calvó as an example of current heterogeneity, noting she could compete under the new system. Escalé framed the bill as a vision for Concòrdia's governance approach, with processes now open for parliamentary discussion.