WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2974/98 by Luciano VECCHI to the Commission. Serious irregularities in connection with Commission competition COM/A/8-9-10-11- 12/98
Date: 1998-09-28
Institutions: European Parliament, VECCHI
Subjects: European Commission, European official, administrative competition, competition (EU), equal treatment, examination, recruitment

29.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 118/165

(1999/C 118/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2974/98

by Luciano Vecchi (PSE) to the Commission

(28 September 1998)

Subject: Serious irregularities in connection with Commission competition COM/A/8-9 › 10-11 › 12/98

It is clear from documentation sent to my office by a candidate sitting open competition COM/A/8-9 › 10-
11 › 12/98 that (as the candidate comments in his covering letter) the full set of logical and mathematical
test papers (with the corresponding answers) was available and in circulation off the Commission(cid:146)s
premises before the day on which the competition was held.

According to information in my possession, the candidate entered a complaint in the invigilator(cid:146)s report;
whilst the invigilator(cid:146)s conduct was exemplary, the same could not be said for other staff present on the
premises where the tests were being held.

Will the Commission therefore investigate the source of these serious irregularities and implement all the
necessary procedures to identify those responsible?

In the light of these serious allegations, does the Commission not also agree that it should cancel the
competition?

(1999/C 118/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3053/98

by Mair Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Alleged irregularities during recruitment competition COM/A/8-9 › 10-11 › 12/98

On the basis of the available information, it would appear that the proceedings of the recruitment
competition which recently took place in all 15 Member States were severely affected by several
irregularities. Apart from the wrong address given to the candidates attending the examinations in Milan,
the insufficient number of test-papers prepared for the Rome competition and the use of portable phones,
which was apparently allowed in several locations, the most astonishing episode occurred in Brussels. A
candidate who reported to the invigilators that draft questions and answers were available to certain
candidates before the competition was threatened with exclusion from the competition instead of being
helped to prove his allegations.

Does the Commission consider that, on the basis of the abovementioned data, an inquiry should be carried
out in order to ascertain the responsibilities of the officials involved both in the leaks and in the
maladministration of the competition proceedings?

Does the Commission believe that, if these allegations prove to be true, the competition should be
considered null and void and consequently held again?

(1999/C 118/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3079/98

by Ursula Stenzel (PPE) to the Commission

(9 October 1998)

Subject: Selection procedure

Following requests by Mr Caccavale, Member of the European Parliament, and at the suggestion of
Mr Liikanen, the EU Commissioner responsible for staff matters, the Commission has decided to halt the
competition begun on 14 September. Approximately 30 000 candidates in 38 EU centres took this
competition. The first test in the competition was annulled on the ground of numerous irregularities which
have already been acknowledged by Commissioner Liikanen.

Some of the candidates who sat this competition have incurred heavy expenditure because, for the first
time, the Commission has not reimbursed candidates(cid:146) travelling and lodging expenses.