WRITTEN QUESTION P-2537/01

by Roberto Bigliardo (TDI) to the Commission

(13 September 2001)

Subject: The number of Italian directors-general at the Commission

What binding rules does the Commission intend to adopt in respect of the appointment of directors-general, which, according to existing practice, should reflect the geographical balance within the EU?

When the most recent appointments were made, France was given seven directors-general and the United Kingdom six, while Italy a country of the same importance, the same population and the same number of representatives within the EU was given only two, together with four deputy directors-general.

How does the Commission explain this conspicuous geographical imbalance?

How does it intend to ensure that such posts are allocated in a more equitable manner, showing due respect for Italy's rights as a major Member State?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2001)

Appointments to senior positions in the Commission are not made in the manner inferred in the Honourable Member's question. No Member State is given a Director Generalship or a Deputy Director Generalship.

The Commission fills its vacant posts in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Staff Regulations, Article 27 of which provides that recruitment shall be directed to securing for the institution the services of officials of the highest standard of ability, efficiency and integrity, recruited on the broadest possible geographical basis () and that no posts shall be reserved for nationals of any specific Member State.

Accordingly, no nationality is entitled to a fixed quota of posts at any level whatsoever. However, to reflect the essential and valuable cultural diversity of the Union, the Commission aims to maintain a broad geographical balance in order to ensure the presence of all Member State nationalities at all levels within the Institution.

In 1999, the Commission reviewed the procedures for appointing senior staff with a view to selecting, on the basis of transparent procedures, those candidates who show themselves to be the best qualified for the post to which an appointment is being made. In the decisions which it adopted at its first meeting, held on 18 September 1999, the Commission emphasised inter alia that the nationality of the outgoing post-holder should not be a factor in the appointment of the new occupant of the post. It also adopted rules of conduct for appointments to posts in grades A1 and A2, improving the procedures followed by the Consultative Committee on Appointments (CCA). This Committee is responsible for the technical selection procedure, which is based on the principle of excellence, its role being to make available to the Appointing Authority (the Commission) a list of the candidates who, on the strength of their merits, are qualified to fill the published post. The Appointing Authority, after comparing the respective merits of the qualified candidates, then makes a selection, complying with the principle that officials of all ranks should be recruited on the broadest possible geographical basis, and adhering to a policy of equal opportunities for men and women, as enshrined in the Amsterdam Treaty.

In this context, it is noted that in addition to two Directors General and four Deputy Directors General, two Heads of Services at A2 level are currently Italian nationals. Furthermore, the Commission has recently nominated an Italian national as Deputy Director General (who has not yet taken up the new function, this date is to be fixed).