WRITTEN QUESTION E-2900/01 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Procedure for recruiting staff for the Socrates Technical Assistance Office.
Date: 2001-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community body, EU statistics, administrative competition, job access, linguistic discrimination, mother tongue, official language

C 134 E/140

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

The approval of the natural resource management plan (PORN) of Marjal de Pego-Oliva on 4 May 1999 is
an important factor in ensuring that the site will be properly managed and conserved. The Plan protects
the whole wetland from drying out and allows rice to be grown on a number of hectares, which will also
help to conserve the area. Part of the park is designated as a special protection area where no crops may
be planted. The Spanish authorities have noted the efforts made to find a consensus solution involving the
landowners in the conservation of the natural park.

The area was visited by the Commission in connection with the above-mentioned Life project in order to
ascertain the impact of the illegal acts perpetrated and the feasibility of further land purchases jointly
funded by Life-Nature. The Life project covering the area on the conservation and management of the site
has produced very satisfactory results and met its objectives.

The Commission would point out that the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), mentioned by the
Honourable Member, is unknown in the area.

In this light, the Commission considers that the Spanish authorities have taken appropriate steps to
prosecute the illegal acts in this wetland and to conserve this Natura 2000 area. The various measures that
the Autonomous Community of Valencia has taken to protect the Marjal de Pego-Oliva have led to a
remarkable improvement in the situation over the past year. Therefore, after analysing the case the
Commission cannot conclude that Community environment law has been infringed.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2002/C 134 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2900/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 October 2001)

Subject: Procedure for recruiting staff for the Socrates Technical Assistance Office

The Commission has not answered the detailed set of questions in Written Question E-1681/01 (1)
concerning the procedure for recruiting staff for the Socrates Technical Assistance Office. Would it
therefore now provide answers to the following questions:

1. Who is responsible for the discriminatory notices of vacancy in The Bulletin (2)?

2. Will Socrates pursue a non-discriminatory personnel policy in future? If not, why not?

3. How many applicants were of English mother tongue?

4. How many applicants were of French mother tongue?

5. How many applicants were of neither English nor French mother tongue?

6. How many applicants had studied for more than one year at an English-language university?

7. How many applicants had studied for more than one year at a French-language university?

8. How many applicants had studied at neither an English- nor a French-language university?

9. How many of the applicants interviewed were of English mother tongue?

10. How many of the applicants interviewed were of French mother tongue?

11. How many of the applicants interviewed were of neither English nor French mother tongue?

12. How many of the applicants interviewed had studied for more than one year at an English-language

university?

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/141

13. How many of the applicants interviewed had studied for more than one year at a French-language

university?

14. How many of the applicants interviewed had studied for more than one year at neither an English-

nor a French-language university?

15. Of what mother tongues are the members of staff recruited?

(1) OJ C 93 E, 18.4.2002, p. 18.
(2)

’The Brussels based Socrates, Leonardo and Youth Technical Assistance Office, assists the European Commission …
At present the following opportunities (m/f) exist: Assistants … The major requirements are language knowledge
(English mother tongue, excellent French and German and another union language … Administrative Officer …
English mother tongue, excellent command of French and another union language.’ D Bulletin, 7/12/00, p. 66.
’Socrates, Leonardo & Youth Technical Assistance Office … assists the European Commission … has a vacant post
for a (m/f) Communications Officer … Excellent command of spoken English and French … mother tongue a plus.’
D Bulletin 01/03/01, p. 59.

Answer given by Ms Reding on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

Further to the joint answer given to Written Questions E-1681/01 and E-1682/01 on the same subject, the
Commission would point out that the Socrates, Leonardo and Youth Technical Assistance office is a
private-law body which, naturally, must comply with the national and/or Community rules applicable in
this area, but which conducts its recruitment policy under its own responsibility depending on language
needs, which can sometimes be very specific.

As far as the organisation of the recruitment procedure for the two job vacancies in question is concerned,
the Technical Assistance Office has informed the Commission that these vacancies:

D gave rise to 88 applications from 21 English-speakers, 25 French-speakers and 42 people whose

mother tongue is neither English nor French;

D led to the recruitment of five people: one English-speaker, one French-speaker and three people whose

mother tongue is neither English nor French.

These figures suggest that the expressions in question in the notifications of a vacancy did not have any
significant discriminatory effect. Moreover, the Technical Assistance Office has made it clear that it will
ensure that the forthcoming employment vacancies contain no expressions that may be considered to be
discriminatory.

More detailed statistics on these two recruitment procedures will be sent directly to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat of the Parliament.

(2002/C 134 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2901/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 October 2001)

Subject: Language discrimination by the Commission

In its answer to Written Question E-0779/01 (1), the Commission points out that use of the native speaker
criterion is discriminatory in the context of recruitment. According to Commissioner Palacio, the native
speaker criterion could be regarded as discriminatory and incompatible with the rules on the freedom of
movement of workers.

Laurette Onkelinx, a Belgian government minister, had previously acknowledged that issuing vacancy
notices which specify English-speakers violates the principle of non-discrimination and freedom of
movement of workers, and referred, with regard to recruitment in the federal state of Belgium, to collective
labour agreement no 38, the Vandezande decree and the decree of the French Community on social
relations between employers and employees.