The organisation and management of EC development co-operation is embedded within the broader, and more political, external relations framework. Current reforms include more strategic and streamlined approaches, reorganisation in headquarters, and "deconcentration" of implementation authority to the field. These reforms are more sharply defining the vision, responsibilities, and processes of European aid institutions. It will be a challenge to ensure that these organisational and management reforms are increasingly results-oriented. The transition to this new form of management culture has only begun and will require a longer-term political commitment from European leadership to be successful. To implement this more strategic and developmentally oriented mandate also requires more human resources.