Strasbourg, 13/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 13 December, the College of Commissioners officially adopted a package of proposed staff reforms, brought forward by Administration Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. The Commission says that these reforms will deliver €1 billion in savings by 2020, and more than €1 billion every year in the longer term. This will allow the EU to freeze operational expenditure for administration until 2020.
“The European institutions and their staff face great challenges. However, I am convinced that they can meet these challenges by working harder, longer and with greater efficiency. The proposal strikes the right balance between the necessary drive for economies and the ability of the institutions to deliver their policies”, the commissioner asserted. He said that the raft of reforms is “the politically appropriate and legally sound response” to member states' request to suspend this year's annual pay adjustment because of the crisis. It proved impossible to meet this request as the strict legal criteria for doing so were not met.
The proposals will increase retirement age from 63 to 65 and retirement conditions will be made tougher. In addition, there will be a 5% reduction of staff in all institutions, with no replacement of departing staff and an increase in the nominal working week from 37.5 hours to 40 hours without compensatory wage adjustment. The proposals will also reduce wages in some sectors, increase the special solidarity levy and simplify the method for adjusting salaries and pensions.
Trade unions will hold a demonstration in Brussels on Wednesday 14 December in protest at these proposed reforms (see related article). Discussions between the Commission and the European institutions' trade unions broke up on 16 November without reaching agreement and the proposal adopted by the College was not approved by the unions. The European Parliament and Council will now come to their respective positions on the proposal. (CG/transl.rt)