WRITTEN QUESTION E-3706/98

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(11 December 1998)

Subject: Commission competition for Greek-language interpreters

The tests in the Commission's competition for Greek-language interpreters were scheduled to be held on 12 October 1998 in Brussels and on 15 and 16 October 1998 in Athens. The Brussels tests took place, whereas those in Athens were cancelled without informing all the examiners or, more particularly, the candidates.

All the necessary arrangements had already been made (premises rented, officials posted, etc.) and all the related expenditure disbursed. Candidates have complained to me that it took a great deal of effort to find out what exactly happened. I am also informed that the unduly cancelled part of the competition (which should have been held in Athens) will finally take place in Brussels, probably in December.

Will the Commission say:

(a) who signed the cancellation order and on what grounds,

(b) whether it believes that this manner of organising events, which results in a waste of money and a loss of public confidence in the Commission, is appropriate, and

(c) what measures it intends to take to mete out exemplary punishment to those responsible?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(15 February 1999)

The open competition COM/LA/1052 for the recruitment of Greek interpreters is organised by the Commission. The selection board consists of conference interpreters, working in the Joint interpreting and conference service (JICS), with the exception of the chairman, a university professor and high-level counsellor at the Greek ministry for foreign affairs.

After the admission procedure and the obligatory written tests, 28 candidates were admitted to the oral tests which consist of two parts: consecutive interpretation and simultaneous interpretation. Out of these, seventeen live in Brussels, ten in Greece and one in the United States.

As the chairman could not take successive days of leave from his post at the ministry he requested that part of the tests take place in Athens. It was therefore decided to invite the seventeen candidates who live in Brussels for oral tests in Brussels, but to hold the consecutive part in Athens for the other eleven. The intention was to invite only the candidates who were successful in the consecutive part subsequently to Brussels for the simultaneous part (due to lack of suitable premises it was impossible to conduct the simultaneous part in Athens).

At the beginning of September 1998 it appeared that, taking into account the language combinations of the candidates in Athens, apart from the four members of the selection board, six other interpreters would be absent for two days, plus the additional days of travelling to and from Athens, due to these oral tests. Taking into account all the implications in terms of functioning of the JICS, in particular the need to keep the staff interpreters in Brussels, it was decided to organise both parts of the oral tests in Brussels.

The secretary of the selection board duly informed all the candidates. No candidates turned up for the oral tests, and no complaints were received. The candidate who had arranged to travel from the United States had to pay a fee for the cancellation of her ticket, but will be reimbursed by the Commission for the expenses incurred. The test centre in Athens was informed of the cancellation beforehand and has not billed the Commission. The oral tests were held on 20-22 January 1999 in Brussels.

The Commission regrets that these tests had to be postponed.