Brussels, 19/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission adopted new guidelines on the reform of human resources policy, which should allow to complete the negotiations by the end of the year. This document is based on the wide ranging consulation of personnel and the services over the "reform package" presented last 28 February by the Commission, and whose results have been the object of a report by the negotiation body (see EUROPE of 9/10 July, p.13/14 and 5 July, p.12). The next two important stages will take place in October, with the assessment of the negotiations over reform, then in December with the adoption of the Commission's formal proposals.
A chapter from this document is dedicated to "firm" guidelines for the continuation of negotiations over points of disagreement concerning the reform (remuneration, pension, recruitment…), the Commission's aim being to propose a global group of measures by October. Concerning remuneration, the Commission undertook to clarify the revision of the system for allowances over two points: - the reimbursement of annual travel costs (it would be suitable not to disadvantage civil servants from the peripheral regions of the EU); - study the possibility of authorising a limited transfer of a share of the remuneration to the country of origin in order to ensure necessary family expenditure (children's education, maintenance payments). The improvements to be brought in the field of pensions are mainly related to invalidity pensions: the Commission accepts that no payment should be required from persons receiving an invalidity pension for professional sickness (but this will be the only exception). As for the theme intermediary support, the Commission is proposing to examine several options allowing it to work more closely with personnel representatives in the whole of the assessment and control process in the framework of the procedure for the nomination of Heads of Unit. In terms of recruitment, the Commission will present, as quickly as possible, its proposal instituting the creation of an interinstitutional office for competitions and selection (which is the object of a wide ranging consensus).
In another chapter covering the crucial theme of the career structures, the Commission is merely proposing to authorise a prorogation of the talks until the month of October on the basis of two new models (since the two options that it had proposed at the beginning have been dismissed). These models should be based on the following guidelines: (1) improve the career prospects through a better taking into account of merit in the progression, which notably entails guaranteeing hard working civil servants a regular career development and without barriers and to increase the weight of training and professional experience; (2) simplify the career system in order to guarantee better transparency; (3) simplify category changes; (4) maintain the principal of granting and accumulating points on an annual basis until the earning of a sufficient capital enables civil servants to request a promotion.
Finally, a chapter broaches the issues of lesser importance whose negotiations are already well advanced. The technical talks on themes such as equal opportunities, measures in favour of the handicapped, holiday for family events and supple work formulas have permitted to reach operational conclusions that reduce the number of difficulties. One of the main elements to take into consideration is the issue of moral harassment over which it is necessary to foresee a precise framework for conflict resolution. Over the issue of training and mobility, a certain number of sensitive issues, notably those of external mobility, remain pending.