13/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - Following its rapporteur, the member of the Partido Popilar, Ana Palacio Vallelersundi, the European Parliament (consulted on a single reading) last week approved the draft regulation aimed at enabling Community institutions to employ auxiliary agents for a maximum period of three years, instead of one. The report stresses that the European Commission's requirements in auxiliary agents stems in particular from the gradual abolition of technical assistance bureaux, and that this change of system is "bridging measure", while awaiting the more general revision of the statue of officials and other agents.