WRITTEN QUESTION No. 778/98 by Freddy BLAK to the Commission. Age discrimination for EU employment
Date: 1998-03-18
Institutions: BLAK, European Parliament
Subjects: EU institution, admission to examinations, anti-discriminatory measure, competition (EU), job access, job vacancy, older worker, recruitment

21. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 323/73

(98/C 323/95)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0778/98

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(18 March 1998)

Subject: Age discrimination for EU employment

I was surprised to note that age discrimination still applies in the recruitment of EU staff: last week a number of
posts  were  advertised  in  Denmark  via  Ritzaus  telegram  bureau  for  which  one  of  the  requirements  was  that
applicants must not be more than 35 years of age.

1.  Why is there any age limit at all, and why 35 in this case?

2.  Does the Commission believe that over 35s are less suitable for employment in the EU institutions than the

under 35s?

3. 

Is the Commission aware that similar age limits are increasingly being be applied in other parts of the labour
market, and does the Commission believe this to be desirable?

4.  What plans does the Commission have for action to stop age discrimination in the labour market?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1998)

On 21 January 1998 (1), the Commission took a decision on the principle of dropping age limits from notices of
competitions. The principle will be introduced gradually in agreement with the other Community institutions.
As a first step, the age limit for competitions for recruitment to the starting grades will be raised to 45 years in
line with the formula decided on by Parliament(cid:146)s Bureau on 20 October 1997. This decision will be applied in
future for all competitions for recruitment in the starting grades.

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that it has not published any competition with 35 years
as the age limit since the beginning of this year.

The  practice  followed  by  the  Commission  and  the  other  institutions  of  including  age  limits  in  notices  of
competitions has been criticised by the Ombudsman and Members of Parliament. They maintain that age limits
are discriminatory and arbitrary. The application of age limits should be treated in the same way as any another
form of discrimination.

The matter of age limits must now be viewed also in the light of the new Article 6a inserted by the Amsterdam
Treaty  which  states  that  (cid:145)the  Council,  acting  unanimously  on  a  proposal  from  the  Commission  and  after
consulting the European Parliament, may take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or
ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation(cid:146).

(1)  SEC(97) 2416.
SEC(97) 2417.

(98/C 323/96)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0781/98

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(18 March 1998)

Subject: Street children in Guatemala

Could the Commission please provide a brief evaluation of its programme of assistance for street children in
Guatemala, which has been in operation since January 1996?

Does it consider that any further measures should be taken to deal with this serious problem?