Brussels, 20/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - By adopting the report by Manuel Medina Ortega (ESP, Spain), the European Parliament approved without modification, on Tuesday, a proposal foreseeing measures, some of which derogate provisions in the statute of civil servants of the European Communities, in view of the next EU enlargement. Given the complexity of the process, the derogations to the statute will be extended until 2010. As was the case for the accession of Spain and Portugal, then Austria and Finland and Sweden, the proposed regulation foresees the organisation of competitions reserved to persons from the present member states and competitions reserved to those from the new member states. The transition period is a little longer than that for the previous enlargement (seven years instead of five), experience having shown the five yeas was insufficient.