91997E2749

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2749/97 by Ludivina García Arias (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997)

Subject: Access by Spanish technical engineers to the A category within the European civil service

Can the Commission explain why Spanish candidates with a technical engineer qualification have not been admitted to competitions for the selection of category A officials? Is it true that candidates with similar qualifications from other Member States have been admitted?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (24 September 1997)

The Commission manages its recruitment policy in accordance with the provisions of the Staff Regulations (in particular Article 27) which specify that the recruitment system must secure 'for the institution the services of officials of the highest standard of ability, efficiency and integrity ...'. In doing so it avoids any discrimination and takes into account the different educational systems in the Member States.

The Commission requires candidates in category A competitions to hold a degree or equivalent diploma, i.e. a qualification giving access to doctoral studies. Moreover, notices of competitions contain a 'guide for candidates' which, in the section dealing with education, states that the level of studies completed by the candidate is checked and assessed by the selection board and, where necessary, by specialists in the education system of the candidate's country.

The Spanish diploma of 'technical engineer', the subject of the Honourable Member's question, is a diploma obtained on completion of a short university course which does not give access to doctoral studies and for that reason, candidates holding such a diploma are not admitted to Commission category A competitions. This rule applies to candidates from all the Member States holding equivalent diplomas, who are thus treated in the same way with regard to participation in Commission category A competitions.

While fully aware that the Community public service and the Member States' civil services are quite separate and independent, the Commission would draw the Honourable Member's attention to the fact that the diploma in question does not give access to category A in the Spanish civil service, for which a degree (licenciatura o equivalente) is required.