Dear colleagues,

Regarding parachuting

Since our positions on parachuting and subsequently the appointment of the new Secretary General cf dossier parachutage), we have recorded a never before seen amount of support and strong encouragement to continue relentlessly our efforts that fall under the respect for the general interest.

We once again sincerely thank the hundreds of colleagues who have shown us their support in the difficult task of calling on our institution to be more lucid about the events and their potential consequences.

In this context, we undertook to keep the staff informed about the development of the file, in particular the European Parliament’s positions.

Please find below the official text of the resolution which was adopted by an overwhelming majority in the EP-Plenary session.

Regarding the appointment of the new Secretary General

The EP, while recalling that the revocation of a favourable administrative act is generally not possible, due to legal constraints,  asks the Commission to reassess the procedure of appointment of the new Secretary-General in order to give other possible candidates within the European public administration the possibility to apply and hence allow for a wider choice among potential candidates from the same function group and grade.

On the in-depth reform of appointment procedures

The  EP resolution highlights the critical elements we have mentioned in our positions and also adopts clear and operational proposals to ensure greater transparency in the appointment procedures and thus preserve the excellence, independence, loyalty and motivation of the European civil service.

In particular, the EP stresses in the interests of transparency, integrity and equal opportunities that the Staff Regulations need to be applied in letter and spirit by ensuring that all posts are published and that this obligation of transparency also needs to be respected for transfers under Article 7 of the Staff Regulations, apart from in very exceptional and duly motivated cases, as recognised by the Court of Justice.

On the urgency of ending “parachuting” practices

The EP  calls on all EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies to put an end to the “parachuting” and “elevator” practices, which runs the risk of damaging procedures and thus the credibility of the EU by stressing that political influence must not undermine the application of the Staff Regulations.

It must also be remembered that Mr Selmayr himself had already stressed the unacceptability of these practices and their detrimental effects on the motivation of the staff.

Concerning the need to involve the Staff Representation

Recalling that staff representation has always requested transparent procedures for appointments to all management positions, the EP proposes that staff representatives be involved in the selection procedures for management posts.

Finally, the EP calls on the Commission to review, before the end of 2018, its administrative procedure for the appointment of senior officials with the objective of fully ensuring that the best candidates are selected within a framework of maximum transparency and equal opportunities, thereby also setting an example for the other European institutions.

The first reaction of the Commission

Here you can consult the text of the first reaction of the Commission ( lire …)

Without prejudice to the somewhat emotional reaction to the appointment procedure of the new Secretary-General, we particularly appreciate the commitment of Mr Oettinger to consult widely with the other institutions in order to follow up the invitation of the EP and to make as common as possible proposals for improvements to the procedures for appointing managers.

Indeed, it is absolutely necessary:

• To ensure greater transparency of these procedures,
• To guarantee equal access to these jobs,
• To put an end to the widespread use of Article 7 in order not to publish these positions, to the political control of the cabinets and thus preserve the excellence, independence, loyalty and motivation of the European civil service.

On its part, R&D requests that, as the EP mentions in its resolution, the staff representation be associated with these analysis and we will not fail to present specific proposals in this respect.

Thanking you once again for your extraordinary support, we will not fail to share with you our detailed political analysis, our proposals as well as the response that our efforts will receive.

Cristiano Sebastiani

President