WRITTEN QUESTION E-3050/96 by Francisco Lucas Pires (PPE) to the Commission (18 November 1996)

Subject: Dismissal of the Commission's Director-General for Fisheries

As the very widely publicized but mysterious dismissal of the Commission's Director-General for Fisheries has raised doubts as to both the reasons behind it and the involvement of national governments in such appointments and dismissals, can the Commission inform me of the rules governing such actions and the reasons for the dismissal in question?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (13 December 1996)

The Commission, in its role as appointing authority, decided to terminate the service of the Director-General for Fisheries under Article 50 of the Staff Regulations. This Article provides that an official holding a post in Grades A 1 or A 2 may be retired in the interests of the service by appointing authority which, on the basis of the rulings by the Court of Justice, enjoys a wide discretionary power with regard to the objective needs of the service.