The Murcia delegation presents a good practice on detecting training needs in local administration

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia participates on June 10 and 11 in Ķekava and Riga, Latvia, in the fifth interregional meeting of the European project AdCap4GoodGov – “Administrative capacity, an essential lever for good governance”, financed by the Interreg Europe 2021-2027 program.

The project aims to strengthen the administrative capacity of public administrations as a key driver for improving governance, public service delivery, and local development. Within this framework, the meeting, organized under the title "Human Resources Management and Training," brings together representatives from local and regional administrations and specialized entities from various European countries to exchange experiences on public sector training, talent management, digitalization, skills assessment, and internal process improvement.

During the conference, the Region of Murcia will present a best practice focused on the system for identifying training needs in local government. This experience demonstrates how to identify, organize, and adapt public employee training to the real needs of local entities, contributing to a more efficient, prepared administration that is better aligned with the current challenges facing municipalities.

The meeting also includes the presentation of European best practices related to human resource management and strengthening administrative capacity. These include models for incorporating new municipal staff, innovative training pathways for public managers, collaborative work experiences, professional competency frameworks, urban development in rural areas, and initiatives aimed at aligning vocational and dual training with the needs of the labor market.

The Spanish delegation comprises representatives from the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, and EuroVértice. Those attending the meeting include Manuel Pato Melgarejo, Director of European Projects, Environment, and Training at the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia; José Fernández Cano, Head of the Training and IT Departments at the Federation; Gloria Llor Sánchez, Head of the Selection Service at the School of Training and Innovation for Public Administration; Javier Martínez Gilabert, Director General of Digital Transformation for the Region of Murcia; Diego Pedro García, Deputy Director General of Digital Infrastructure; María José Simón Martínez, technician at the School of Training and Innovation for Public Administration; and Raquel Galarza Ruiz, senior consultant and co-founder of EuroVértice.

In addition to presentations of best practices, the program includes a presentation on global and European trends in human resources and learning, a practical workshop on systemic thinking applied to the challenges of public administrations, a project follow-up session, and joint working spaces to analyze the progress achieved and prepare the next steps in the interregional cooperation process.

The project involves the Romanian Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration as the lead partner; the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia; the City of Sint-Niklaas, Belgium; the City of Viechtach, Germany; the Local Government of the Municipality of Ķekava, Latvia; the Development Agency of Langhe Monferrato and Roero, Italy; and the Association of Municipalities of Romania as an advisory partner.

AdCap4GoodGov has a budget of 1,68 million euros, of which 1,35 million come from European funds, and runs from April 2024 to June 2028. Through this initiative, the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia seeks to capitalize on European methodologies, experiences and best practices that contribute to improving local administrative capacity and strengthening the role of municipalities in regional public policies.

The Digital Agenda of the Region of Murcia is the public policy instrument on which this project is based. In this regard, the shared best practices contribute to expanding knowledge about the use of digital tools in public administration and to moving towards more prepared, innovative, and citizen-focused local governments.

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia participated as a jury member in the second edition of the Good Governance, Administrative Modernization and Citizen Services Awards, which were presented yesterday in Murcia.

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM) has highlighted the importance of continuing to promote transparency, institutional integrity and good governance as essential pillars to strengthen citizens' trust in public administrations, local entities and organizations that provide services of general interest.

The FMRM participated as a member of the jury in the second edition of the Good Governance, Administrative Modernization and Citizen Service Awards , convened by the Ministry of Economy, Finance, Spokesperson, European Funds and Digital Transformation, through the General Directorate of Quality, Administrative Simplification and Inspection of Services.

The Federation maintains an active line of work in governance, transparency, participation, and institutional improvement thanks, among other areas, to its involvement in the ADCAP4GoodGov project and its work within ELoGE , as an accrediting body for the European Governance Excellence Award . This work allows the FMRM to support local governments in implementing more open, ethical, efficient, and citizen-oriented management models.

In this edition, which received over thirty entries, the University of Murcia , the Murcian Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research and Development (IMIDA) , and the Archena City Council were awarded first prizes . The latter won first prize in the Good Governance category for the project 'Archena, Energy Paradise ,' a local energy community based on a democratic, inclusive, and transparent governance model.

The FMRM (Murcia Region Municipalities Federation) particularly highlights the presence of local government in these awards, as three city councils from the Region of Murcia were recognized for their projects. In addition to the Archena City Council, the Lorca City Council received third prize in the Citizen Services category for 'Tecno-mayores. Digital Inclusion Program for Older Adults' , while the Cartagena City Council received an honorable mention for 'Cartagena, a transparent, collaborative, and participatory city. A model of good governance'.

For the Federation, these awards demonstrate the commitment of local governments to a more open, accessible, participatory, and results-oriented administration. Municipalities are the level of government closest to citizens and play a key role in implementing public policies based on transparency, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

The FMRM congratulates all the awarded and recognized entities, and reaffirms its commitment to continue supporting the municipalities of the Region of Murcia in the development of good governance policies, administrative modernization, citizen participation and transparency, in line with its work in the field of democratic governance, the ADCAP4GoodGov project and the European Seal of Excellence in Governance ELoGE.

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM) held a meeting today, March 27, with entities interested in the training and digitization processes of the public administration within the framework of the European Interreg AdCap4GoodGov project.

The event began with a presentation by Manuel Pato of the FMRM, who emphasized the importance of continuing to promote best practices, especially those focused on citizen services and digital skills training. The content of various projects was also updated, and their objectives and expected results were detailed. Diego Pedro García, from the General Sub-Directorate of Digital Infrastructure, shared the latest developments in the Digital Agenda, which is about to become a foundation with the aim of strengthening support for municipalities, particularly smaller ones, in their digital transformation.

The initiatives undertaken with ELOGE were also presented, an important step that allows municipalities to be accredited for three years, with the aim of boosting their transparency. In this context, the municipalities of Santomera and Molina were mentioned as potential candidates for this year's ELOGE accreditation process, with the goal of further promoting certification in the region by replicating the methodology already implemented and the experiences of Romania, specifically from an association of municipalities that previously implemented this methodology.

One of the highlights was the proposal for a pilot training program on the assessment and training of municipal employees, designed to support municipalities in the steps required for ELOGE certification. The FMRM aims to create an exchange to deliver this training through a pioneering working group.

The meeting also addressed digital services, a key issue for municipalities taking steps in their digital transformation. Discussions focused on a proposal to replicate Belgium's competitive bidding model, offering a private cloud service from the Regional Government of Murcia (CARM) for projects in smaller municipalities. This would allow local councils to access high-level resources without requiring local infrastructure.

Regarding the next meeting, to be held in Latvia in June, a visit to this partner is planned to discuss best practices in employee training needs. In the case of FMRM, the protocol for identifying local training needs, which was formalized this year in the region, will be shared as a best practice.

Attendees
The event was attended by representatives from key institutions, including Micaela Martinez Costa, Director General of Public Service; Diego Pedro García, from the Deputy Directorate General of Digital Infrastructure of the Region of Murcia (CARM); María José Gil, from the Santomera City Council; Caridad de la Hera Orts, Director of the School of Training and Innovation in Public Administration (EFIAP); Lola Vargas, from the Deputy Directorate General of Planning of the CARM; Santiago Domínguez, from the Murcia City Council; and Raquel Galarza, from EuroVértice. The session was moderated by José Fernández and Manuel Pato, from the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia.

During the meeting, the main European projects in which the Federation participates were discussed, as well as new funding and collaboration opportunities. The FMRM, which represents the 45 municipalities of the Region of Murcia, plays a key role in representing local interests at the regional, national, and European levels.

The meeting involved the exchange of information on initiatives related to sustainable development, social cohesion, innovation in public administration and adaptation to climate change, areas in which the Federation maintains an active participation through various European programs.

Municipal priorities were also analyzed within the European context, highlighting the importance of strengthening local administrative capacity, promoting digitalization, and fostering inclusive policies that improve the quality of life for citizens.

This visit reinforces the FMRM's commitment to Europe and its role as a key interlocutor in conveying the needs of the municipalities of the Region of Murcia to European institutions, promoting strategic alliances and the exchange of knowledge.

With the celebration of this ceremony, the FMRM and its associates place themselves at the forefront of good local governance in Europe.

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM) today held the ceremony for the awarding of the European Seal of Excellence in Local Governance (ELoGE) corresponding to the 2nd edition of this award, to the municipalities of Alcantarilla and Cartagena, who revalidate this prestigious recognition granted by the Council of Europe.

This organization, which includes the 45 municipalities of the Region, is working on this certification within the framework of the European project Interreg Adcap4GoodGov.

The event, held at the FMRM headquarters, was attended by the representative of the Council of Europe, Conrad Zellmann, as well as the mayor of Alcantarilla, Paqui Terol, and the councilor for Transparency of the Cartagena City Council, Diego Lorente, who received the award on behalf of their municipalities.

Also participating in the ceremony were the mayor of Los Alcázares and president of the Transparency Commission of the Federation of Municipalities, Mario Pérez Cervera, and Fernando Jiménez, professor of Political Science and Administration at the University of Murcia, along with regional authorities, councilors, municipal technicians and institutional representatives.

The ELoGE Seal is the highest European recognition in terms of good democratic governance and assesses compliance with twelve fundamental principles such as transparency, citizen participation, public ethics, accountability, administrative efficiency and the sustainability of public policies.

During the event, the president of the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, Víctor Manuel López Abenza, highlighted that “this seal is not just an award, but a tool for continuous improvement that promotes more open, efficient administrations that are closer to the citizens.”

López Abenza also emphasized that this distinction goes even further: “Today we recognize two municipalities that are among the best in Europe in transparency and good public management. The ELoGE Seal is the highest European distinction for good local governance and demonstrates that in the Region of Murcia we have municipalities committed to democratic excellence.”

The FMRM is an entity accredited by the Council of Europe to evaluate and award this distinction in the Region of Murcia, making it one of only two organizations in Spain with this responsibility. In recent months, the Federation has developed awareness campaigns, training workshops, and technical advisory processes to support municipalities in improving their public management.

With this certification, Alcantarilla and Cartagena have solidified their position as benchmarks for good governance in the Region of Murcia and at the European level, and the Federation of Municipalities encourages other city councils to join this model of institutional excellence in future editions. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that only 23 other municipalities in Spain had obtained this seal by 2025, which would bring the total to approximately 25 municipalities with this recognition nationwide, if we include Alcantarilla and Cartagena on this exclusive list.

The Federation of Municipalities is already working to advise those municipalities that want to obtain this seal, as several have expressed great interest in achieving it. 

FMRM participates, together with the Romanian Ministry of Public Administration and other European administrations, in policy improvement workshops

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM) actively participated in the international conference of the AdCap4GoodGov project , funded by Interreg Europe, held in Bucharest, Romania. This event brought together experts and representatives from various regions of Europe to discuss administrative capacity as a key to efficient governance.

The event was opened by Martin Tole, State Secretary at the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration of the Romanian government, who marked the start of the workshops on redefining the indicators for evaluating administrative capacity to respond to the new social and technological demands of public service. In his words, “it is the responsibility of the public administration to provide the best possible service to citizens.” This was followed by a presentation from Diana Gheorghe, the national contact point for the Interreg Europe Programme, who highlighted the willingness of Romanian entities to participate in European projects and contribute proposals at the European level.

The sessions have focused on rethinking public policy instruments and the assessment of administrative capacity, fundamental aspects for realistic strategic planning and impact financing. The FMRM, in its role as a partner in the project, will have the opportunity to share its experience and learn about best practices at the European level. One day of the event has also been dedicated to study visits to successful examples in the Brasov area, and the third day will focus on good practices.

Furthermore, within the framework of these conferences, the Federation of Municipalities explained that the organization has become a certifying entity for the ELoGE Seal of Transparency and Good Governance awarded by the Council of Europe, and that it is therefore already advising and tutoring the municipalities of the region to obtain this important distinction.

 The Region of Murcia, the main stakeholder involved in contributing to the Digital Agenda, shared a best practice regarding the use of GLPI, an incident tracking system designed to improve the efficiency of IT service delivery and monitoring. This system is applicable to other areas of public administration. Diego Pedro García García, Deputy Director of Digital Infrastructure, presented this initiative on behalf of the Region. The Spanish delegation also included Manuel Pato and José Fernández from the Federation of Municipalities, along with Raquel Galarza Ruiz from EuroVértice, which provides technical support to the team.

The FMRM's participation underscores its commitment to the continuous improvement of public administration and its interest in strengthening the capacity of local governments to provide quality services to citizens.

The Federation of Municipalities becomes an accredited regional platform to implement the ELoGe Seal in Murcia's municipalities within the framework of the AdCap4GoodGov project.

To announce this, local representatives from more than twenty municipalities met at the FMRM for the first meeting on the ELoGE label, to learn how to achieve this European distinction.

The FMRM is about to take the first steps. The Federation of Municipalities has organized an informational session attended by the members of three working committees related to Transparency and Good Governance. This session was chaired by Víctor Manuel López Abenza and the leaders of these internal working groups, the mayors of Mula and Las Torres de Cotillas.

A presentation was given on the basic principles, methodology, and work program that the Federation of Municipalities will implement, led by its general secretary, Antonio Moreno.
Also participating were the mayor of Alcantarilla, Paqui Terol, as a councilor of one of the two municipalities in the region that have this seal, and the Councilor for Transparency of Cartagena, Diego Lorente, since the municipality of the port city is also accredited with this important distinction from the Council of Europe.

On the other hand, and from a more technical perspective, the FMRM invited Fernando Jiménez, Professor of Political Science and Administration at the University of Murcia and one of the leading experts in the field, to explain the details of the seal and the work required to obtain it.
To close the session, the director of the transparency consultancy firm, which will be responsible for providing the tutorials to the municipalities, provided some useful information so that those interested in obtaining the seal can begin working on the documentation.

The AdCap4GoodGov project aims to strengthen administrative competencies as the foundation of good governance and local development, analyzing how these competencies impact the quality of public services and the lives of citizens.

Funded under @interregeurope with funds hashtag#FEDERThe project facilitates the international exchange of experiences, the validation of good practices, and the creation of cooperation networks between European municipalities.

Its approach combines human resources, digitalization, and innovation in public management, seeking a more efficient, inclusive, and people-oriented administration.

In this context, the third stakeholder meeting was held in Murcia, dedicated to analyzing potential knowledge transfers derived from this month's visit to Sint Niklaas. This meeting identified potential initiatives of interest to the Region of Murcia's Digital Agenda. This event provided an update on the project's progress, which includes three international meetings and the validation of innovative experiences: ZukunftsVIT in Germany, focused on revitalizing areas at risk of depopulation; the comprehensive digitalization of the Romanian municipality of Sadu with smart platforms and IoT; and the "citizen card," which has transformed the management of local payments and taxes.

Cases presented in Belgium, Latvia, and Piedmont were also presented, related to bringing digital services closer to citizens and the ICT observatory for decision-making. The Region of Murcia, together with the EFIAP, presented its training accreditation system. The digital strategy of the Province of Flanders was highlighted, with nine key priorities for evolving toward a digital government, focusing on security, interoperability, and the use of quality data, and the DigitaalMe project for digital inclusion.

The next meeting will be in Bucharest, where the performance of local governments in digital skills will be analyzed, a crucial step in continuing to measure and strengthen public governance in Europe.

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM) participated in the third interregional event held in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, framed within the project «Administrative capacity–an essential lever for good governance (Adcap4GoodGov)» , on September 9 and 10, 2025.

This project, funded by ERDF funds and part of the Interreg Europe program, aims to improve administrative performance and capabilities. In particular, the event focused on digital transformation and the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as key drivers of administrative improvement.

International good practices and exchange of experiences

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to foster the exchange of best practices among public administrations across Europe, reinforcing the commitment to improving public services through digitalization and the efficient use of resources. Furthermore, during the visit, international best practices were presented by the participating partners. For example, Italy showcased the Digital Observatory of ICTs implemented by the Piedmont Region to address the lack of systematized information in a fragmented territory and the lack of regional data access for decision-making. Latvia presented its Unified Service Centers, a joint initiative between the state and municipalities, which provide services from both levels of government. This model responds to the need to both facilitate digital transformation and make it accessible to citizens. It is worth noting that four parallel workshops were held on various topics, including designing

Inclusive digital services, structuring digital transformation projects, developing data literacy skills, and strengthening citizens' basic digital skills, reducing barriers and supporting their integration through collaborative actions. Finally, it is worth mentioning some initiatives in Belgium, such as the Flemish Digital Strategy , which fosters collaboration across the entire region for digital services for citizens, government, and businesses, and the actions of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Province of Flanders, which has awarded €32 million to innovative digital transformation projects in municipalities using Next Generation EU funds.

The role of the delegation led by the FMRM

During the sessions, the FMRM collaborated with key organizations in the Region working on the project's theme. At the regional level, Micaela Martínez Costa , Director General of Public Service and Social Dialogue for the Regional Government of Murcia, and Caridad de la Hera Orts , Director of the School of Training and Innovation in Public Administration (EFIAP), attended to present two best practices: Form@carm and Certificarm . At the local level, María José Gil Carrillo , First Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Citizen Security, Human Resources, Digital Administration, and Heritage for the Santomera City Council, participated in the sessions to study the presented experiences and assess their potential adaptations to her municipality. Also participating in the event were Manuel Pato, Director of European Projects at the FMRM, and José Fernández, the FMRM's training officer, who, along with Raquel Galarza, Senior Consultant, Partner, and Co-founder of EuroVértice, completed the Spanish delegation.

The sessions concluded with a consortium meeting and an exchange of information on the project's progress in the regions of Romania, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Latvia, and Spain where it is being implemented. Following the closing ceremony, the Spanish delegation visited the Murcia Region Office in Brussels, where they discussed the progress of this and other Federation of Municipalities projects and worked to identify new opportunities at the European level.

The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM) participated in the interregional event held in Viechtach (Germany) on February 26 and 27, 2025 , within the framework of the European project "Administrative capacity–an essential lever for good governance" (AdCap4GoodGov) , funded by the INTERREG EUROPE 2021-2027 program.

The event brought together representatives from public administrations across various European countries with the aim of strengthening administrative capacity and improving human resource management in the public sector , a fundamental pillar for the efficient delivery of services to citizens. Joining this second study visit from the Region of Murcia were the European projects team from the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, led by Secretary General Antonio Moreno García, and accompanied by Diego Pedro García, Deputy Director General of Digital Infrastructure for the Regional Government of Murcia (CARM); Gloria Llor Sánchez, Head of the Selection Service for the CARM; and Dolores Vargas Sánchez, Deputy Director General of Planning.

Murcia brings its experience in digitalization and talent attraction

During the sessions, the delegation from the Region of Murcia presented strategies and tools used in human resource management, with a particular focus on the digitalization of public administration and attracting young talent. Among the initiatives highlighted were the CARM-SOCEL project , aimed at improving cybersecurity in small municipalities, and the RELEVO program , which promotes the integration of new generations into the public sector.

A key forum to improve public management in municipalities

The meeting facilitated the exchange of best practices and experiences among European regions , identifying concrete actions to strengthen the professionalization of local government . In this regard, measures such as digital modernization, training for public employees, and adaptation to the new governance challenges of the 21st century were discussed.

In addition, the Murcia delegation participated in technical visits to local initiatives in Viechtach , such as the Zukunfts VIT project , focused on urban resilience, and the "Door Opener" initiative , which facilitates access to public services through innovative strategies.

Commitment to excellence in public administration

The participation of the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia in this European forum reinforces its commitment to improving local public management and incorporating innovative practices to optimize the provision of services in the region.

This event has allowed us to identify opportunities for international collaboration and adapt innovative solutions to the reality of Murcia's municipalities in order to transfer this knowledge and good practices, with the aim of building a more efficient, digitalised administration prepared for the challenges of the future.

Knowledge transfer

Antonio Moreno , the Secretary General of the Federation of Municipalities, emphasized that, "it is interesting to learn about the efforts of administrations in various countries to improve their administrative capabilities and provide better service to citizens. We are therefore very pleased with this study visit and consider it an opportunity to share best practices developed regionally." Moreno added that, "it is also an opportunity to transfer the knowledge gained during these sessions to the other municipalities in the region, which is a primary objective of our participation in European projects."