Council conclusions on the European Court of Auditors special report on the implementation of staff reform package

Met dank overgenomen van Kroatisch voorzitterschap Europese Unie 1e helft 2020 (Kroatisch voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op dinsdag 9 juni 2020.

After several months of negotiations with the Member States, the Croatian Presidency (HR PRES) has succeeded in aligning different policy views on the issue of promoting geographical representation within EU institutions.

The Working Party on the Staff Regulations, which includes the representatives of the Ministry of Public Administration, has unanimously adopted the Council Conclusions on the Special Report No. 15/2019 of the European Court of Auditors i: ‘Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission - Big savings but not without consequences for staff.’

In its conclusions, the Council stressed the importance of balanced geographical representation in a wider scope in terms of function groups and grades within all EU institutions, agencies and bodies in order for the EU to meet its goal of being close to all EU citizens, as well as to reflect the diversity of its Member States. In the conclusions, the Council of the EU stated its policy view and comments to the problems identified in the thematic report of the European Court of Auditors.

The Council considers the European Court of Auditors' Special Report as the first step towards establishing the effects and impact of the 2014 reform of the Staff Regulations; however, it states that the Court’s report alone cannot be the basis for introducing further reforms of the Staff Regulations, but rather that a comprehensive analysis in other EU institutions, bodies and agencies is required.

Furthermore, it stresses the significance of savings in the implementation of 2014 staff reforms as well as achieving efficiency of EU institutions through further digitalisation of the European Public Administration, which should be user-oriented and data-driven.

“I am pleased that our Presidency of the Council has succeeded in reaching an agreement and aligning policy views with regard to promoting geographical representation in EU institutions. The reciprocity of representation in institutions is equally important for the Union as it is for the Member States, because it’s a way to strengthen institutions and create better public policies."

Ivan Malenica, Minister of Administration

The European Union employs about 60 thousand staff in EU Member States and beyond, on both permanent and temporary employment contracts. The terms and conditions of their employment are regulated by the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (‘Staff Regulations’).