Hard life for expatriates

Date: 01/05/1997

The EU's civil service has mounted a comprehensive defence of its existence to counter “certain political forces” which are out to rubbish it.

A paper by the institutions' staff committees warns that some political elements, and even some member states, are determined to reduce its independence and effectiveness, not least by slashing operational budgets, taking on more temporary staff and national officials on secondment, and cutting staff salaries.

So seriously do they take the threat that the document includes a point-by-point rebuttal of complaints about their high salaries, which are justified by the high standards of the job, the need to attract high-class candidates and the problems of being an expatriate. “Expatriation ... is an uprooting for which the change to new surroundings can only compensate to some extent, since the European milieu is relatively artificial and integration in the host country is not easy: it can ultimately be the source of serious personal and family problems.”

That should help staff recruitment no end.