Brussels, 09/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The executive committee of the European Civil Service Federation (ECSF), European Commission section, has said that it is "appalled" at recent attacks levelled at civil servants by the vice-president of the European Commission, Günter Verheugen (EUROPE 9280). In a letter sent to Mr Verheugen on 9 October, which was copied to José Manuel Barroso, the President of the Commission, and to Siim Kallas, the Commissioner in charge of Administration, it voices its concerns.
The union to which Commission staff members belong criticises Mr Verheugen, in a letter which was signed by, amongst others, the President of ECSF-European Commission (Brussels), Jean-Louis Blanc, for doing a "great disservice to the European ideal" (our translation throughout), as well as to the other Commissioners, the Directors General and all staff members of the Commission. "What have you done since you joined the Commission in September 1999? What remedies have you proposed?", ask the representatives of the Commission civil servants, who state that they are unclear as to whom Mr Verheugen wished to target ("your inner circle, civil servants in the legal services, anti-cartel inspectors, researchers or translators?"). The ECSF claims that Mr Verheugen has had the opportunity, since 1999, to "appoint and promote in accordance with political codes, none too transparently" and feels that "a minimal level of transparency in the appointment of directors and cabinet members" would be desirable. "This would avoid criticism from the press, particularly the German press, about the reasons for the appointment of your close professional entourage", commented the authors of this letter. The ECSF also challenges Mr Verheugen's criticism that it is impossible for a Commissioner to appoint or change a Director-General, pointing out that article 50 of the staff regulations "allows you to sack a Director or Director-General without restraint. This is a permanent practice used to get rid of high-level civil servants". "The vast majority of the colleagues are devoted and loyal towards the Commission and the Commissioners. This loyalty will in no way suffer from the doubt cast on it", Mr Blanc concluded.
The Union Syndicale (Brussels), one of the main unionist and professional organisations tasked with serving and defending the interests of staff members of the European institutions, is "shocked" by Mr Verheugen's words. The Union Syndicale has also written to Mr Verheugen, asking him to explain his "attacks" on the two basic principles of European civil service, which are "independence and competence", Alan Hick, President of Union Syndicale-Brussels, explained to us. The organisation feels that it is "fairly shocking" that a Commissioner has "taken the liberty" of saying such things, Mr Hick added. (lc)