The chef's flick. An Ashton specialty? (shift)
(BRUXELLES2, exclusive) It's a European success story, but not so popular in the European district. Or very discreetly. The case seems so banal that we could have ignored it. A member of a commissioner's cabinet who takes the head of a division is rather classic, and almost normal after all. Except that the person concerned had for his career a sacred propellant. (Nb: we will not reveal his name).
After the European Parliament (where he was AD7), he made a short stint at the Commission which put him at an AD8 level. Short passage, which seems more justified by the fact of wanting to circumvent the rule of recruitment by three thirds (Council / Commission / Member States), according to the unions. Meanwhile he had made available to his government of origin, Spanish. Then he joined the cabinet of the High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, from the start. Integration that is done at an AD12 level. A post he left recently to be appointed Head of the "European Parliament and National Parliaments" Division, a directorate placed directly under the responsibility of the Deputy Secretary General for Institutional Affairs, the Pole Maciej Popowski.
An "armchair" promotion
This gradation at an accelerated speed - from AD7 in the European Parliament to AD12 in the European Diplomatic Service (EEAS) - in the space of a few years and three transfers is, to say the least, extraordinary, according to experts in personnel files. Ordinarily, it takes more than ten years for a particularly deserving civil servant. We could almost speak of an "armchair" promotion! Because the rank is accompanied by a hell of a salary flick. An AD7 earns at least between 5.500 and 6300 euros (gross, without premium, without family allowance and before social security contributions), an AD12 between 10 and 11.500 euros. Basically, the salary is doubled. Not bad... in these times of crisis where everyone serves the belt and tries to save the furniture of European budgets. (NB: It will then be very very difficult to come and defend before the Council or the European Parliament an increase in the European budget, even though the EEAS is one of the services most richly endowed with high salaries.)
Super fast recruitment
Recruitment was also very fast. Published on June 29 in the OJ, the deadline for entering applications was set for July 9 at noon. Taking into account the two weekends, this gives a short week to submit an application. Short... If it doesn't look like a tailor-made post, it's because my practice of administration is still imperfect 🙂 Especially since the rest was also rather fast if I judge the official calendar: 22 applications were received (12 from Member State services, 2 from the Commission and 8 from EEAS staff). 7 candidates were interviewed during a panel on July 20. And 2 candidates placed on the short list. After another interview, our man won. From the experience of the EEAS, we have seen recruitments that dragged on longer... (cf. the head of Eulex for example! but there are many examples, personnel management within the service is not yet really A model).
A pataques at the Capitals
Needless to say that the event is starting to get people talking in the European diplomatic Landerneau. At the brand new EEAS headquarters, the Capitals, as elsewhere, conversations are going well in the cafeteria... The unions have taken up the case and are threatening to file a lawsuit. A MEP, the German Ingeborg Gräßle (CDU / EPP) shot faster than her shadow and has already tabled a written question. By asking a question that seems relevant: the administration of the EEAS invokes "the use of a procedure other than that of a competition for jobs requiring special qualifications", but in this case one may wonder what special qualifications are required. The description of the tasks appears rather classic (*).
Embarrassed response
The Administrative Director of the EEAS, David O'Sullivan, does not seem to be moved by this agitation. Its reply dated October 23 (to the trade unions and the staff committee) came to us, unexpectedly. He recalls the appointment procedure, considers that everything was carried out correctly, in the rules, and that if the salary and grade is that of an AD 12, " this is the level at which the position was advertised. If another person had won, they would have been nominated at this level ". Simple as pie, isn't it. But rather short as an answer, lapidary even... Because it does not answer the relevant questions asked. In any case, this new affair comes at a more than awkward moment for the High Representative. If the file is not settled with less casualness than so far, because in view of the elements presented, we are very close to a case of favoritism, it could even taint the management of the European executive. After the painful "Dalli" episode, will Barroso have to manage a new sensitive case with his commissioner Ashton.
In the Office of the High Representative, it is believed that all recruitment has been carried out "it's clear","according to the rules" and that the nominated candidate is "really the best one could have for this position, having experience in several of the institutions".
To be continued...
(*) “ Placed under the direct authority of the Management Board and the Deputy Secretary General responsible for institutional relations in particular, the Head of Division responsible for the day-to-day management of the division and the general coordination of parliamentary matters within the EEAS. He/She represents the EEAS, serves as an interface between it, the European Parliament (EP) and the national parliaments, and contributes to the establishment of good working relations. The Head of Division monitors and reports on the EP's foreign affairs activities and the institutional aspects of the EEAS' relations with the EP. He/She provides professional support and advice to the High Representative/Vice-President and EEAS officials on all parliamentary matters and all institutional aspects of the EEAS' relationship with the EP. He/She contributes to the adequate and timely preparation of the parliamentary activities of the High Representative/Vice-President. And we add for good measure: “ The position involves some travel. Indeed Strasbourg is a city of all dangers. 🙂 As for Berlin, Madrid or Stockholm... to meet the national parliaments, it must be the total adventure. I will have a proposal to base this position: special envoy to Gao in northern Mali? Yes there it justifies an AD12 (even more)!
A note: the little leaflet made by Renewal and Democracy, full of humor which describes how C. Ashton decided to celebrate in his own way the 150th anniversary of Jules Verne with a Homeric journey. And asks to award the Nobel Prize in Physics to the SEAE "for his extension of Albert Einstein's work on relativity, applied to the promotion in a few months, after mutations, of an official / photon AD7 to AD12". To download here
