WRITTEN QUESTION P-3883/00

by Claude Desama (PSE) to the Commission

(4 December 2000)

Subject: Management of WEU staff

Staff at the WEU are facing an uncertain future. New bodies have been set up under the second pillar, without taking into account the skills available in the WEU. As a result of these decisions, a large number of staff have been made redundant and new staff recruited, many people have been moved and EU and WEU buildings have been restructured: all this has cost the taxpayer a great deal of money.

In a climate in which Europe is increasingly mindful of its social dimension, I am concerned about the wisdom of these dismissals and wonder whether resources have been soundly managed.

Does the Commission agree that, before recruiting new staff, it would be wiser to make optimum use of the human resources available in the WEU? If so, what prospects does it intend to offer the officials concerned?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 2001)

The recruitment of staff for the institutions of the Community is regulated clearly by the Statute. In accordance with Article 29 of the Staff Regulations, other than in a limited number of cases (A1 and A2 officials and, in exceptional cases, for recruitment to posts which require special qualifications), recruitment of permanent officials can only take place following the successful participation in a competition, which is open to all nationals of Member States.

The Commission shares the Hon Member's view that the skills and the experience of staff of the Western European Union (WEU) who are affected by the organizational changes within the WEU can be of value to the Institutions of the Community. Therefore, the Commission has already entered into a dialogue with the WEU General Secretariat and with WEU staff representatives in order to explore the possibilities for recruitment of WEU staff in conformity with the Staff regulations.