WRITTEN QUESTION E-0144/02 by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Job vacancy rate in the Commission staff.
Date: 2002-02-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, administration of the Institutions, personnel administration

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/81

In the same conclusions the importance was underlined of a constructive dialogue between the organisers
of public demonstrations and the authorities of the host country and the importance of close international
contacts, particularly among the Member States’ law enforcement authorities, to ensure that legitimate
demonstrations are not exploited or abused for the purpose of committing acts of collective or individual
violence.

(2002/C 205 E/091)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0144/02

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

(1 February 2002)

Subject: Job vacancy rate in the Commission staff

What is the current vacancy rate in the Commission staff?

Could the Commission give results DG by DG?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 2002)

At the end of 2000, 480 Commission posts were vacant. This represented 2,8 % of the total number of
permanent and temporary posts in the establishment plan of the operating budget of the Institution. It was
the lowest rate over the past six years and obviously near to the 2 % which the Commission considers to
be the lowest possible vacancy rate on the basis of current recruitment procedures.

The conclusions of the extensive Peer Group review exercise 2 which had the purpose of enabling the
Commission to match tasks with human resources more effectively and efficiently 2 the Budgetary
Authority granted to the Commission 400 new posts in 2001 and 317 new posts in 2002. For this reason
alone, the Commission has been faced in 2001 and will still be faced in 2002 with an unusually high
number of vacant posts. Since there are not enough successful candidates on reserve lists to fill these posts
immediately, a large number of competitions were launched in 2001.

The number of vacant posts decreased significantly in 2001: it went from 1 062 on 1 January 2001 to
660 on 31 December 2001. This represents 3,7 % of the total number of permanent and temporary posts
in the establishment plan of the operating budget, which is lower than the objective (695 vacant jobs) set
by the Commission at the beginning of 2001.

For the year 2002, as the Honourable Member will know, the Budgetary Authority agreed to 317 new
posts for the Commission and also to the transformation of 60 temporary posts into permanent posts. 25
extra posts also became available by transforming credits into posts. As a result, in 2002 the establishment
plan increased by 302 permanent A posts and by 100 permanent B posts.

The allocation of new posts led to a marked increase in the rate of vacant posts, mainly in the A and B
categories:

Vacant posts in the establishment plan of the operating budget

Authorised posts 2002 budget

Vacant posts 4 February 2002

17 906

1 017

100 %

5,7 %

During 2001 the Commission launched 16 competitions to fill vacant posts,
in particular to select
candidates with specific profiles and competencies as described by the Peer Group (1). Another 6-10
competitions are still underway or are in the preparatory stages.

C 205 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

In the A category, these competitions will yield 225 new candidates in taxation, customs, audit and human
resources in the first part of 2002. Between November 2002 and January 2003, a second wave of
competitions will result in 960 candidates in the External Relations and Aid to third countries, Audit,
Justice and Home Affairs/civil & criminal
logistical and operational management,
law, building policy,
economics/statistics and legal affairs.

In the B category, recent competitions yielded approximately 410 candidates on the reserve lists in
Accounting, Financial Management, Audit and Informatics. In the first part of 2002, 65 candidates will be
available in Customs. At the end of 2002/beginning 2003, another wave of competitions will result in 500
candidates in Human Resources and in Financial Management, as well as for posts of archivist/
documentalist and proofreader.

Since most of the competitions will be finalised in 2002, it will be possible to significantly increase the
occupancy rate of the establishment plan by the end of 2002. The Commission has set itself a target of
only 400 vacant posts as soon as the candidates from these competitions have been recruited (late 2002,
early 2003). As a transitional measure the Commission will hire temporary staff to occupy vacant
permanent posts until qualified candidates from competitions become available.

The detailed breakdown of vacant posts per Directorate-General as of 4 February 2002 will be sent directly
to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s secretariat.

(1) Communication from the Commission of 26 July 2000.

(2002/C 205 E/092)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0145/02

by Christine De Veyrac (PPE-DE) to the Council

(5 February 2002)

Subject: Freedom of worship in Vietnam

On 5 July 2001, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on religious freedom in Vietnam, calling on
the government to guarantee the right of all Vietnamese to practice their religion of choice, including the
right of freedom of worship and freedom to meet.

On 19 October 2001, Fr. Nguyen van Ly, a Roman Catholic, was sentenced in camera and with no lawyer
to 15 years’ imprisonment for having practised his religion in spite of the ban enacted by the Vietnamese
authorities. The Venerable Thich Huyên Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of
Vietnam has been under house arrest, in solitary confinement and much police surveillance since he was
arrested in 1994. Although seriously ill, he is not allowed to be given treatment. On 31 May 2001, as he
was about to fetch Thich Huyên Quang and bring him to Saigon for treatment, the Venerable Thich
Quang Dô, Secretary General of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam was arrested and placed under
house arrest.

These respected and well known religious figures are not alone; the Vietnamese authorities have taken
similar and equally regrettable action against many individuals for practising their religion. The authorities’
decisions fly in the face of human rights, the European Parliament’s resolution of 5 July, and numerous
appeals from the European Union and the international community on behalf of Fr. Nguyen van Ly, the
Venerable Thich Huyên Quang and the Venerable Thich Quang Dô …

What steps does the Council intend to take to ensure that the European Parliament’s resolution of 5 July
2001 is respected?