WRITTEN QUESTION E-2746/99 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) and Christos Folias (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Appointment of a Greek Director-General at the Commission.
Date: 2000-01-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, administration of the Institutions, discrimination on the basis of nationality

C 303 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

24.10.2000

The Czech Republic is not eligible for support for Interreg II, as this Community initiative only finances
expenditure incurred within Member States. Measures funded under this initiative are however closely co-
ordinated with PHARE activities. An indirect benefit is therefore derived by the Czech Republic, e.g.
through a reduction in pollution levels in its rivers, forests or air, through action taken under Interreg II on
the German or Austrian side of the border.

Finally the Czech Republic has benefited from various multi country programmes in the area of the
environment,
in particular the Black Triangle projects which focused mainly on small demonstration
projects aimed at improving the quality of the environment in the Czech and Polish part of the Black
Triangle.

(2000/C 303 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2746/99

by Ioannis Mar(cid:237)nos (PPE-DE) and Christos Folias (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Appointment of a Greek Director-General at the Commission

(18 January 2000)

The Commission is responsible for 36 Directorates-General and departments. Following the recent changes
nationals of the following Member States have been appointed to head them: United Kingdom (eight),
France (seven), Germany (six), Italy (four), Denmark (three), Spain (two), Netherlands (one), Sweden (one),
Finland (one), Belgium (one) and Luxembourg (one). As of 1 January 2000 there will be no Director-
General or Head of any of these 36 important departments from Greece (or two other small countries),
although there was Greek representation until the only Greek Director-General, Mr Spyros Pappas, was
removed (cid:129) somewhat unjustifiably, as it turns out.

Can the Commission explain this unfair treatment, which discriminates against Greece, Portugal and
Ireland and favours certain large countries, particularly the United Kingdom? Can it state whether there
will be a Greek Director-General or Head of any of its Directorates-General or departments in the
immediate future, and if so, to which of them the person concerned will be appointed?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2000)

The Commission has taken note of the concern expressed by the Honourable Members, although it would
not be accurate to say that any treatment of the issues raised in their question has been unfair or
discriminatory.

The Commission reaffirms its ambition, reflected in its decision of 8 December 1999 on appointments to
senior management posts in the Commission, to make appointments on merit whilst maintaining a broad
balance of all Member States(cid:146) nationalities at all levels of staff within the Institution in order to ensure the
essential cultural diversity and cohesion of the European public service. To this end, the Commission has
specifically stated its desire that suitably qualified civil servants from each Member State nationality are
appointed at Grade A1 level as Director-Generals, Heads of Department or similar.

In the very nature of civil service appointments systems in all Institutions, the Commission is never in a
position to state which person from which nationality will be appointed to which head of service position
before the conclusion of the appropriate appointments procedures.

(2000/C 303 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2754/99

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Support for action to combat drug dependence amongst young people

Rural east Northamptonshire is a relatively prosperous area of the East Midlands but it has a substantial
problem with youth drug abuse. The British Government has chosen not to include the county in its