Ombudsman attacks Commission ‘sexism’

Date: 31/05/01

By John Shelley

THE European Ombudsman has condemned the Commission for sexism over its rules for taking temporary staff on secondment from EU member states.

Jacob Söderman says the EU executive is discriminating against women by refusing to allow experts who are temporarily posted to the institution to work part-time.

His findings come following a complaint from a British civil servant who had applied for a posting to the Commission.

The UK had agreed to support the move and pay her salary during her time away, but the young mother was forced to withdraw her application because the Commission insists that seconded national experts must work full time."The Ombudsman upheld the complainant's claim that the Commission's regulation amounted to sex discrimination," said a spokesman for Söderman. "He therefore recommends that the European Commission should abolish its rule prohibiting national experts on secondment to the Commission from working part-time."

The Commission has agreed to implement the Ombudsman's recommendations under the general revision of its staff regulations.

Söderman, though, says women should not have to wait, potentially for years, until these changes come on line. He is demanding the full-time-only rule is axed by 30 September this year.

Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said the institution was considering the Ombudsman's latest request.

The European Ombudsman has condemned the Commission for sexism over its rules for taking temporary staff on secondment from EU Member States.