Struggle to install key staff from the EU10

By Ariel Alexovich

Date: 27/10/05

Recruitment of staff from the ten new EU states to the European Commission is almost up with the targets for non-management staff but significantly lagging behind for management posts, according to data from the European Commission.

So far, the Commission has recruited 1,503 non-management officials and temporary agents - mostly linguists - from the new member states, which is just shy of the target of 1529 for 2004 and 2005 combined. Among the EU10, Poland has the most non-management representation with 399 Commission employees, followed by Hungary with 255 and the Czech Republic with 202. Cyprus and Malta have the fewest non-management personnel with 41 and 55 respectively.

For the most senior management posts, at director-general (DG) and deputy director-general level, recruitment is below the Commission's stated goal of one from each new member state. So far two deputy DGs from each of the Czech Republic and Hungary have been recruited, one each from Cyprus and Slovenia and none from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland or

Slovakia. The Commission said more of these appointments were likely to be announced this year.

Recruitment of directors and principal advisers, excluding heads of cabinet, is lagging behind, with decisions on only 18 nominations against a target of more than 40. Cyprus and Estonia each have two representatives, one more than their target. Poland has four staff in this category, far below its target of 16. Hungary has the most directors and principal advisers with five, just below its target of six. Malta has no representation in this category.

In middle management, the Commission wanted to have 189 head of unit posts filled by new member state representatives by 2010. So far, only 26 posts have been filled, with six each from Hungary and Poland, which have long-term targets of 27 and 74. Neither Estonia nor Slovenia has any middle management representatives.

In all, 3,441 establishment posts are to be filled by new member states by 2010. So far, the largest number of new member state employees are linguists. The Commission added that competitions had not provided an adequate number of infor-matics experts or auditors.

Article reports that recruitment of staff from the ten new EU Member States to the European Commission had almost reached the targets for non-management staff but was significantly lagging behind for management posts.