Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Research staff policy changes in the context of the reform of the Commission's human resources
Date: 2001-12-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Commission, European official, administrative reform, personnel administration, recruitment, research staff

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 27.12.2001
COM(2001) 792 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Research staff policy changes in the context of the reform of the Commission’s human
resources

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Research staff policy changes in the context of the reform of the Commission’s human
resources

The White Paper on Commission Reform has called for the “integration of  research staff into
the  mainstream  of  the  Commission’s  personnel  policy”  (Chapter  4,  point  8).  This  objective
was  confirmed  in  the  “Non-Permanent  Human  Resources”  document  adopted  by  the
Commission on 28 February 2001.

On  the  one  hand,  a  convergence  objective  of  this  kind  reflects  the  desire  to  strengthen
Commission staff management procedures through the creation of a unified framework based
on  clearer  rules.  On  the  other,  it  takes  account  of  the  growing  trend  towards  stability  and
permanence in the area of Community research policy. Indeed, since the 1970s this policy has
been  considerably  strengthened,  in  particular  as  a  result  of  the  successive  Framework
Programmes.  The  Single  Act,  followed  by  the  Treaties  of  Maastricht  and  Amsterdam,  have
served to confirm this political trend at the highest level.

Convergence, as far as the research Directorates-General are concerned, means that the latter
are under an obligation to adapt their management rules in line with the new reform realities.
It also involves the ending of certain arbitrary management practices which nowadays make it
increasingly difficult to ensure the efficient management of research staff, particularly in the
area of recruitment. It is imperative, after all, that the Directorates-General responsible for the
research sector should be able to recruit staff under the same conditions as apply in the other
Directorates-General of the Commission .

In  the  context  of  reform,  the  Commission  is  therefore  proposing  amendments  to  the  Staff
Regulations and to the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, with a view to placing
research  staff  on  the  same  footing  as  operating  staff  as  far  as  recruitment  and  careers  are
concerned.

Furthermore, in order to  complete the  convergence process, the Commission has  decided to
recruit  to  permanent  research  posts  successful  candidates  from  competitions  as  officials,
thereby  distancing  itself  from  the  following  statement  noted  by  the  Council  at  its  245th
session  on  4  June  1973:  “As  regards  occupying  vacant  posts  involving  research  and
investment  appropriations,  and  in  particular  the  recruitment  of  nationals  from  the  new
Member States, the Commission undertakes ... to recruit staff under fixed-term contracts”.

In  taking  these  measures,  the  Commission  is  sending  out  a  clear  message  that  it  is
modernising  research  staff  management  procedures  in  an  atmosphere  of  openness  and
transparency  and  that  it  is  taking  all  reasonable  steps  to  lay  the  groundwork  for  the
forthcoming  new  Framework  Programme  for  Research,  Technological  Development  and
Demonstration.

2