The European Commission has today adopted a draft proposal amending the Staff Regulations in view of the establishment of the External Action Service. The changes, which were discussed intensively with the staff unions, are aimed at ensuring equal treatment between the Service’s three sources of staff – from the Council, the Commission and the national diplomatic services.

The main purpose of the proposed amendments is to assure the main human resources requirements needed to set up the EEAS, by organising the transfer of Commission and Council officials to the EEAS together with the recruitment of national diplomats.

Once the Decision on the establishment of the EEAS comes into force, large numbers of staff will be directly transferred from the Commission and the Council to the Service, either on an individual basis or as part of a unit. All vacant posts will be published and open to candidates from national diplomatic services.

In addition, in order to guarantee adequate representation of staff from national diplomatic services, the High Representative may decide that, until 30 June 2013, priority may be given for certain posts in the EEAS to candidates from those services in case of substantially equal qualifications. After this first phase, equal access would also be extended to officials of the European Parliament and other EU institutions.

In addition to open selection procedures, the proposals would give equal treatment to all staff in terms of working conditions. Successful candidates from national diplomatic services would be employed as members of temporary staff, giving them the same conditions of employment as officials. These temporary agent contracts could be renewed beyond the current limit of six years.

Background

The Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, created the office of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, and specified that this person would be assisted by the European External Action Service (EEAS).

The establishment of the EEAS requires an Establishment Decision, which was submitted to the Council on 22 April, amendments to the Financial Regulation and the Staff Regulations, as well as the adoption of an amending budget. Article 27 of the Treaty states that the EEAS shall comprise officials from the relevant departments of the Council, the Commission, and staff seconded from national diplomatic services of the Member States.