Brussels, 30/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission finalised its proposals for radical modernisation of the human resources policy in the institution. At the heart of the new staff policy will be a more rigorous and transparent system of performance appraisal for all officials, creating a much closer link between objective annual assessment and promotions. As a result (see EUROPE of 15/16 October, p.12), the career structure which currently places a premium on length of service will be modified so that career and salary advancement will primarily depend on proven ability and performance. The new career structure will also facilitate more continuous career progression. The staff categories will be cut from four (A, B, C and D) to two, "Administrators" and "Assistants". Advancement from one to the other will be possible through new training and qualification opportunities.
Without challenging salary levels (felt to be "appropriate" and "reasonable") the "changes will help to bring out the very best in the highly able staff of the Institution", said Vice-President Neil Kinnock when he presented his proposals to the press, adding that it should help in managing human resources in the most effective way in a competitive labour market, ensure staff motivation and reward high performance. The big changes to the career structure that have been proposed will play a key role in helping the Commission to meet the above aims since in the current system (where seniority determines pay rises to such a point that automatic pay rises of up to 38% are possible over 16 years without any improvement being necessary in performance, added Mr Kinnock). The new system would continue to take account of the need for experience in a public service but increases based on time served would be less than 20% and all other advances would relate to performance determined promotion. The new career system will therefore cut the number of "seniority steps" and increase the number of promotion-earned pay grades and also smash the "glass ceilings" which mean that 25% of all Commission staff currently reach the highest grade they can hope for (particularly A4, B1 or C1) by their mid-forties or early fifties, and then see their progression blocked by the existence of the category system. By offering more opportunities for promotion, spread out over an entire career, the new system will increase incentives and motivation.
Mr Kinnock explained that the career structure proposals along with salary, pensions, contributions and recruitment proposals, will require a change in the Staff Regulations. These proposals will now be translated into a legal text before being sent to the Inter-institutional Staff Regulations Committee which will deliver a non-binding opinion. The Commission hopes that a revised set of Staff Regulations can be adopted by the Council by the end of 2002 so that implementation can being in 2003. Proposals relating only to the Commission's staff policy (internal mobility, training and middle management) will be rapidly implemented.
A resume of the other aspects of the reform package: 1) maintaining professional standards: the introduction of an improved annual appraisal system will provide new means of early detection of cases where performance is not meeting expected standards. If performance fails to improve after a considerable time, the formal procedure for dealing with professional incompetence will be launched, which may result in downgrading or dismissal; 2) recruitment: while retaining the principle of recruitment by open competition, the Commission wants to improve the effectiveness of its procedures. A rolling 3-year programme will take account of the future skills and qualifications needs of Commission services (possibly using computer-based testing at specialised test centres in Europe). It was also agreed that an Inter-institutional European Recruitment Office (ERO) would be set up, coming online in 2003; 3) middle management: using the new appraisal system, the Commission will identify potential managers early on and give them priority for training and opportunities for practical experience in junior management positions. Young officials will have the opportunity to become Head of Unit when they reach a grade corresponding to an intermediate level between current grades A6 and A5; 4) pay and pensions: in general the streamlined allowance package maintains, and for some officials slightly improves, compensation levels. In addition, it is proposed to formally apply the "Method" linking European Civil Service pay changes to those of Member State civil services for the annual changes to salaries and pensions and to permanently include this in the Staff Regulations. The Commission is proposing to modify the rules covering early retirement to make it more strictly neutral and ensure it complies with EU case law on migrant workers.
Like several Member State administrations, it will make it possible for some officials between the ages of 55 and 60 to retire early; 5) social policy: the Commission is planning to introduce parental leave that can be taken until a child reaches the age of 12, the right to work part-time to care for a child up to the age of 8, and the extension of statutory benefits to all legally recognised stable partnerships, whether hetero or homosexual. A multiannual action plan will provide for an extra EUR 5 million for improving childcare facilities; 6) training: by 2005 provision will be taken to increase the annual training activity of officials from the present 2 days to 10 days and the training budget will rise from the present EUR 4.1 million to EUR 20 million; 6) discipline: the possible duration of suspension with reduction in salary will be extended from 4 to 6 months.
Trade unions divided over reform package
The trade union and staff organisations are very divided over the proposals. Union syndicale (US) and the Confédération/Syndicat des fonctionnaires européens (SFE) which represent most of the Commission's staff (59%) believe that the more continuous career structure was both important progress for staff and a decisive element in the overall package's coherence and credibility as long as the necessary budgetary and statutory guarantees are given.
The President of Union syndicale, Alan Hick, indicated in a press release that the new structure would be more continuous, merit-based and accompanied by statutory and budgetary guarantees, asserting that it was both ambitious and realistic. The other four trade unions (R&D, FFPE, SFIE and TAO/AFI) slammed the entire package, along with Mr Kinnock's attitude whose "demagogic" aim was, they felt, to win over public opinion by carrying out a revolution behind the backs of European civil servants. They believe that officials' careers and more particularly their progression to higher grades should not depend on a single arbitrary, discretionary power but should be subject to objective criteria since they alone can provide the necessary guarantees of qualification, fairness and motivation. The trade unions may soon be announcing their intention to strike.