Public decision support

The Institute for Public Decision Making offers its expertise in the analysis of the political consequences of the application of legal rules in institutional terms, for local, provincial, regional, community and federal governments. Training is also offered to local officials and agents on the functioning of municipal institutions and on the decision-making process. Finally, the Institute is closely involved in many recruitment or promotion juries, both for general and financial directors as well as for administrative agents.

Example of expert reports:

Self-service electric scooters in Liege. Proposal for a legal framework (2020)
Opinion on draft executive orders on the appointment and evaluation of statutory grade holders, first reading (2018)
The Grand-Théâtre of Verviers. Political note (2018)
Comparative study in terms of human resources. The municipalities of the Province of Luxembourg (2017)
Opinion on the draft bill amending the law of July 30, 1981 to punish certain acts inspired by racism or xenophobia (2015)
Reforming the budget, changing Europe (2008)

Contact : Geoffrey Grandjean.

Trade in sensitive goods

The European Studies Unit has developed an expertise in the control of trade in certain goods and technologies motivated by reasons of non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, for security reasons (terrorism), for reasons of defense of European Union values (capital punishment and the fight against torture) and for reasons of preservation of heritage (national treasures).

Contact : Quentin Michel

Context of fragility and democratic transition

The CAPAC was initiated during the Congolese political transition in 2004. Its objective is to accompany countries in transition or post-conflict in Africa and the Caribbean towards the consolidation of the rule of law.

Contexts of fragility and democratic transition call for specific approaches and intervention modalities. Our expertise in this sector includes the development and implementation of capacity building programs for state and non-state actors, as well as studies, context analyses, risk analyses and program evaluations.

Contact : Bob Kabamba, Geoffroy Matagne, Pierre Verjans

Evaluation of public policies

Spiral has assembled a multidisciplinary team with extensive expertise, both empirical and theoretical, in the analysis and evaluation of public affairs. C. Fallon co-directs the Inter-University Certificate in Public Policy Evaluation for policy professionals.

The evaluation of a public policy consists of measuring the effects of a policy in order to judge its value: has the action of the public authorities contributed to achieving the objective set, in whole or in part? At what cost? Evaluation processes are a means of informing political decision-makers, whoever they may be: parliamentarians, partners or ordinary citizens can use the knowledge mobilized to form a judgement on the actions of a state whose complexity tends to make public management increasingly opaque. The mobilization of scientifically validated methods makes it possible to professionalize and clarify the evaluation framework. When an evaluation is carried out in a pluralist, transparent and reproducible manner, public discussion of its results can only improve the quality of democratic debate and the functioning of its institutions, and reinforce the legitimacy of the State and its interventions.

Example of evaluations conducted in recent years:

2018-2019 with IWEPS for the Walloon regional authority: Evaluation of migrants integration patterns
2018-2018 with IBEFE (Brussels) : Evaluation des projets pilotes du Pôle de Synergies AlphaFleVal
2017-2018 with Brussels Regional employment administration (Actiris) : Evaluation of the anti-discrimation services
2017- 2018 with Brussels regional authority : Evaluation de l'organisation du pilotage et de la coordination du dispositif bruxellois de Garantie pour la jeunesse
2017-2018 with the community authority FWB : evaluation of the policy for « alphabetisation »
2016-2017 with IWEPS: INSEP – Analysis of Innovation in public service SPW
2016- 2017 with federal authority (SPF Interior) : Benchmarking priorities for research and investments by the SEVESO fund, in charge of external emergency planning
2016- 2017 with the regional authority (SPW DG06) : Evaluating the IDESS policy impact (local social development systems)
2016- 2017 with the regional authority (SPW DG06 - Economy) : performance analysis of the social economy (SECOIA)

Contact : Catherine Fallon

External relations of the European Union

Analysis of the European Union's foreign policy decision-making process, the EU's international relations strategies and the EU's relations with international organizations, regional blocs and state actors with a particular focus on relations with Latin America.

Activities: Drafting of documents for the European institutions, diplomatic training for young diplomats and executive training for senior diplomats in Latin America.

Contact : Sébastian Santander