A few comments on VP Sefcovic proposition contained in the everybody message sent by email on 29/06/2011 19:10 – Changes to the Staff Regulations –

1) VP Sefcovic promised to not propose cuts beyond those above outlined (but of course will not be able to avoid Council adding up further cuts/degradation of employment conditions)

2) Commission data show that Parliament (2000 staff and 750 EPs travelling between here and Strasbourg) represents 20% of administrative expenditures. Commission (with 27-30,000 staff) represents only 40% of admin expenditures. There’s no need to explain where cuts should be made if there was a real will to find savings.

3) You know that COM and MS happily agreed to substantial increases in staff salaries for EIB and EBRD both in 2009 and 2010. No voice has been heard recently by MS on salaries in the UN system (whose tens of thousands staff are paid essentially by EU + USA, Canada and Japan) . It is a matter of speculation why COM decided to make all savings on staff of EU institutions only (which in fact means mostly its own staff as Parliament has, since long, found its “own” way around the regulations).

4) Keep in contact wth your respective unions for possible further action to be decided (all unions are together in this fight)

5) Keep the morale and tighten the belt: the More for Less approach is here!