Brussels, 11/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is calling for, next year, at least EUR 44 million to finance the reform of its human resources policy. This letter of amendment for the draft 2001 budget, adopted last Friday, formally presents supporting figures, the demands announced at the end of July, namely: 400 additional posts for 2001; progressive dismantling of Technical Assistance Offices (TAOs), compensated on a transitional basis by temporarily employed agents. To these measures, the Commission adds: the transfer to 100 new permanent posts, of credits until then dedicated to external personnel (personnel with a contract); training actions; a reinforcing of telecommunications means in the delegations.
The EUR 44 million called for are in addition to other credits dedicated to personnel expenses. In its preliminary draft budget for 2001, the Commission had called for EUR 2.56 billion for its personnel (excluding pensions). This demand did not take into account the 76 new posts for the Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The Council, in its first budget reading, in July, had reduced these credits by close to 40 million.
The letter of amendment will now be examined by the Council, then by the Parliament, so that the MEPs, in their plenary session at the end of October, may examin the budgetary proposal for 2001 as a whole, the Council should vote before this session.
Let us recalls that the request for 400 additional posts is part of the proposals from the report by the "Steering group" on the Commission personnel needs, drawn-up at the end of July by the College. In this report, the Commission says it lacks 1,254 posts for its "essential activities". While 537 would be found within the Commission itself (internal redeployment, reform…), the Commission foresees creating 400 posts in 2001 and 317 in 2000. Furthermore, the report foresees that 600 civil servants would leave on early retirement as of 2002, of which 342 would not be replaced, which would reduce by as must the net creation of positions (see EUROPE of 27 July, p.7).
This letter will be followed by a second letter of amendment, mainly dedicated to the revision of the credits for the agricultural sector, made in relation to the development of the various markets. This second letter is expected for the end of October.