On Thursday, July 7, the Minister of Transformation and Public Service Stanislas Guierini declared that he would present a "new framework for regulating the use of ministries" to consult firms.
Stanislas Guerini added that "I will also take a position on this bill" which was presented in the Senate at the end June by Eliane Assassi, the rapporteur of the commission d'enquête (CRCE group with a majority communist) and Arnaud Bazin (LR).
There are 19 articles in the bill that have four main goals: to end opacity; to better regulate consulting firms' use; to strengthen ethical obligations of consultants; and to better protect data of the administration.
It provides, in particular, for the publication of the detailed list and prohibition of free services each year as an appendix of the finance bill. A declaration of interest would be required for consulting firms to submit under the control and supervision of the High Authority of Transparency of Public Life (HATVP).
Stanislas Guerini promised that he would meet with the senators who wrote the text. He said he takes the matter "very seriously". He said, "There are many proposals that I will accept." He said, "This is an area on which we can work together."
In mid-March, the Senate commission of inquiry submitted a report indicating that the State had "more then doubled" its contracts to consulting firms between 2018-2021. McKinsey was accused of tax optimization.
McKinsey was then subject to a preliminary investigation by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office.
During his intervention on Public Senate, the Minister of Transformation (and the Public Service) also stated that a decree would be published at the Council of Ministers' end on Thursday regarding the revaluation of index point. This is the basis for public officials' remuneration.
He stated that "no specific allocation would be made to local authorities" in order to pay civil servants. However, there would be a "budget discussion in the fall".
