WRITTEN QUESTION E-0625/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) and Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 March 2002)

Subject: Cedefop's methods

According to a report in the well-respected news bulletin Agence Europe (No 8131, 18 January 2002), the European Ombudsman has decided to investigate the phraseology used by Cedefop when communicating with the general public. The report gives a full description of the pejorative terms contained in official documents of this decentralised agency which it uses to convey its views to European citizens who have protested against its methods. The Centre's methods have raised concerns in the Community Institutions and the international press on numerous occasions, indeed, the Court of Auditors stated last December that many of the appointments made by Cedefop were insufficiently justified. The entire situation has a negative impact on Greece, the Centre's host, which does everything in its power to enhance its role and facilitate its tasks but which suffers the repercussions of the methods used by the Centre.

What is the Commission's view of Cedefop's policy in this regard? Who is responsible for the inappropriate language used in its documents? Who exactly is responsible for the irregularities detected in recruitment? In how many languages are Cedefop documents and information bulletins drawn up and which languages are they?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2002)

Cedefop is a decentralised body set up under Regulation (EEC) No 337/75 of the Council of 10 February 1975 establishing a European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training(1), article 7 § 4. It is autonomous as regards its staff policy, over which the Commission has no control, beyond being represented on its Management Board. Indeed according to its basic Regulation, it is the Director who is responsible for all staff matters and for engaging and dismissing staff(2). Written opinions to the Ombudsman are signed by the Director who is responsible for personnel matters.

On 7 January 2002, the Ombudsman started an own initiative inquiry and addressed a letter to the Chairman of the Management Board concerning language in correspondence used by Cedefop not with the general public but between Cedefop and the Ombudsman's office. On 6 March 2002 the Chairman of the Board replied on behalf of Cedefop.

In the reply it was stated that Cedefop regretted the language used in its opinions on complaints and that it had not anticipated that this correspondence would be published. Cedefop underlined that its services have always been very careful to be courteous and accessible in their dealings with the general public and complainants. This was also the case with the three plaintiffs involved in the cases referred to in the Ombudsman's letter. The Bureau invited the Director to take appropriate measures and give instructions to his staff to avoid any repetitions of inappropriate wording when providing written opinions on complaints in the future.

On 13 March 2002 the Ombudsman wrote to the Chairman of the Board that on the basis of his inquiries there appeared to have been no maladministration by Cedefop. The Ombudsman therefore closed the case.

The Commission would refer the Honourable Members to its previous answer to written question E-3675/01 by Mr Marínos(3) concerning Cedefop's recruitment policy and in particular the Court of Auditors statement in their report of December 2001 that many of the appointments made by Cedefop were insufficiently justified.

Hard copy and electronic information (http://www.cedefop.eu.int/) on Cedefop, its tasks, activities and products (Cedefop in brief) is available in all 11 official languages of the Community. Efforts are made to ensure that summaries of major Cedefop reference publications are published in all official languages (e.g. Training and learning for competence, Second report on vocational training research in Europe). The vast majority of Cedefop's information resources available in the European Training Village (www.trainingvillage.gr) are provided in English, French, German and Spanish as well as the European Journal Vocational Training(4)). Cedefop publishes quarterly an information bulletin (Cedefop Info) in English, French and German.

(1) OJ L 39, 13.2.1975.

(2) See also answer to written question E-2549/98, OJ C 118, 29.4.1999.

(3) OJ C 147 E, 20.6.2002.

(4) The European Journal exists also in Portuguese but this version is being undertaken by the Portuguese authorities.