Legal provisions of COM(2015)67 - Use of contract staff in 2012 and 2013

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dossier COM(2015)67 - Use of contract staff in 2012 and 2013.
document COM(2015)67 EN
date February 23, 2015

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS


1. Introduction 3

2. Trend in contract staff numbers in the Commission since 2004 4

3. Breakdown of Commission contract staff by gender and by function group 5

4. Breakdown of Commission contract staff by nationality 7

5. Breakdown of Commission contract staff by DG 16

5.1. Breakdown by gender and by DG 17

5.2. Breakdown by contract type 19

5.2.1. 3a contract staff 19

5.2.2. 3b auxiliary contract staff 21

6. Breakdown of contract staff in the other institutions and agencies 23

6.1. Breakdown of contract staff in the other institutions 24

6.1.1. Breakdown by gender and by function group in the other institutions 26

6.1.2. Breakdown by nationality in the other institutions 27

6.2. Breakdown of contract staff in the agencies 28

6.2.1. Breakdown by gender and by function group in the agencies 29

6.2.2. Breakdown by nationality in the agencies 32


1. Introduction

This report fulfils the obligation arising from Article 79(3) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS), which provides that ‘the Commission shall provide a yearly report on the use of contract staff including numbers of staff, level and type of posts, geographical balance and budgetary resources per function group’. It offers a detailed snapshot of the contract staff employed at 31 December 2012 and at 31 December 2013.

The budgetary data (sent each year with the draft budget to the Council's Budget Committee - Working Document, parts II and III) show contract staff numbers at the time when the draft budget is presented (including contract staff recruited using assigned revenue), i.e.: a statement of the position at 1 April of year N-1 (where N is the year of the draft budget), budgetary implementation in year N-2 and requests for appropriations with estimates of full-time equivalents (FTE) for year N.

This explains any differences in contract staff numbers between the two sources of data.

This report includes data for all the European institutions (including the European External Action Service (EEAS), in operation since 1 January 2011) and agencies as defined in the Staff Regulations. The data for the Commission are more detailed and include staff financed from operational and research lines, plus staff working in administrative offices, delegations, representations and the Joint Research Centre (JRC).

Article 80 of the CEOS establishes a link between each function group (FG) and the duties that contract staff may perform:

Function groupGradeTasks
IV13 to 18Administrative, advisory, linguistic and equivalent technical tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff
III8 to 12Executive tasks, drafting, accountancy and other equivalent technical tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff
II4 to 7Clerical and secretarial tasks, office management and other equivalent tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff
I1 to 3Manual and administrative support service tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff.


3


The category of contract staff was created in 2004 as part of the reform of the Staff Regulations. Since then contract staff have made a useful contribution to the work of the institutions by carrying out administrative support activities at a lower cost and by bringing in skills which were not always available within the institution.

This is particularly true of FG I staff, who have replaced Category D officials since 2004. Since then no competitions have been organised to recruit officials for work as messengers or drivers or for any other typical FGI duties (except for the Parliament). In the Commission only FGI contract staff have been recruited for these duties since 2004 and FG Is may apply for contracts of indefinite duration subject to certain conditions set out in the CEOS and in the general implementing provisions for contract staff.

2. Trend in contract staff numbers in the Commission since 2004

At the end of 2012, the total number of contract staff across all the institutions and agencies stood at some 10 000 for the first time. About 60 % of them are employed by the Commission, against two‑thirds in 2011. Given that the number of contract staff at the Commission has remained relatively stable, this relative drop in the share of Commission contract staff is attributable to the increased numbers in other institutions and agencies.

The breakdown between institutions and agencies is examined later in this report.

The trend within the Commission since 2004 is as follows:


The rise in contract staff numbers at the Commission, now stabilised at around 6 000, is attributable in part to the gradual replacement of auxiliary staff (who numbered nearly 3 000 in 2003) by auxiliary contract staff (Article 3b of the CEOS), to the replacement of the former Category D by contract staff (Article 3a of the CEOS) and to the conversion of permanent official posts into appropriations for contract staff in the administrative offices. Contract staff were also taken on as temporary replacements for permanent staff, as provided for in Article 3b of the CEOS.

Contract staff numbers grew each year up to 2009 before dipping slightly in 2010. This reduction is largely explained by the delay in obtaining the results of the new CAST selection procedures in 2010.

The Commission's figures appear to show a stabilisation in 2011, but this is in fact the result of two contrasting events. On the one hand, the creation of the EEAS led to the transfer of 277 contract staff from the Commission’s staff (working for DG RELEX in delegations and at headquarters)1, while on the other, the Commission recruited 275 contract staff between 2010 and 20112. Without the departure of contract staff to the EEAS, there would have been a 4.6 % increase between 2010 and 2011, matching the average rate of increase recorded in 2008 and 2009.

In 2012 and 2013 the number of contract staff fell slightly (-1 % and -2 % respectively), mainly as a result of overall staff reductions and the fact that new staff regulations were due to come into force in January 2014.

The issuing of a call for expressions of interest (CEI) addressed to 3b contract staff in September 2013 created a pool of new candidates for the DGs. Given the timescales for selection and recruitment, the real impact of this CEI will be felt in 2014 above all.

3. Breakdown of Commission contract staff by gender and by function group

The breakdown of contract staff by FG is shown in the table below.

Breakdown by gender and by function group in 20123

2012FMAll%
FGIVFGIV181139.3%1760.7%281.7%
FGIV172230.1%5169.9%734.4%
FGIV167445.7%8854.3%1629.8%
FGIV1521250.2%21049.8%42225.5%
FGIV1437954.1%32245.9%70142.3%
FGIV1316560.7%10739.3%27216.4%
FGIV86352.1%79547.9%1 65828.0%
FGIIIFGIII12956.3%743.8%161.6%
FGIII112942.0%4058.0%696.7%
FGIII1011853.4%10346.6%22121.5%
FGIII0927359.5%18640.5%45944.6%
FGIII0816763.0%9837.0%26525.7%
FGIII59657.9%43442.1%1 03017.4%
FGIIFGII074992.5%47.5%532.2%
FGII0646784.8%8415.2%55123.1%
FGII0588181.3%20218.7%108345.3%
FGII0457782.1%12617.9%70329.4%
FGII1 97482.6%41617.4%2 39040.4%
FGIFGI0302100.0%20.2%
FGI0221235.5%38664.5%59870.9%
FGI019940.7%14459.3%24328.8%
FGI31136.9%53263.1%84314.2%
All3 74463.2%2 17736.8%5 921100.0%


At 31 December 2012 5 921 contract staff were serving in the Commission. At 31 December 2013 there were 5 807. The largest function group is FG II, accounting for 40% of them. Staff in this group carry out secretarial or similar duties, while others are responsible for childcare. Next come contract staff in FG IV and FG III.

Breakdown by gender and by function group in 20134

2013FMAll%
FGIVFGIV181443.8%1856.3%322.0%
FGIV172430.8%5469.2%784.9%
FGIV167941.1%11358.9%19212.1%
FGIV1522749.1%23550.9%46229.0%
FGIV1436457.0%27543.0%63940.1%
FGIV1310756.6%8243.4%18911.9%
FGIV81551.2%77748.8%1 59227.4%
FGIIIFGIII121052.6%947.4%191.9%
FGIII113649.3%3750.7%737.4%
FGIII1012953.5%11246.5%24124.5%
FGIII0927360.3%18039.7%45346.0%
FGIII0811558.1%8341.9%19820.1%
FGIII56357.2%42142.8%98416.9%
FGIIFGII076291.2%68.8%682.9%
FGII0650283.9%9616.1%59825.2%
FGII0591981.5%20818.5%112747.4%
FGII0447180.7%11319.3%58424.6%
FGII1 95482.2%42317.8%2 37740.9%
FGIFGI032148.8%2251.2%435.0%
FGI0221534.6%40665.4%62172.7%
FGI017841.1%11258.9%19022.2%
FGI31436.8%54063.2%85414.7%
All3 64662.8%2 16137.2%5 807100.0%


Overall, the balance between men and women has remained stable: women made up 63.2% of all contract staff in 2011, against 63.2% in 2012 and 62.8% in 3013.

There are still slightly more women than men in FG IV. They accounted for 52.1% of staff within this function group at 31.12.2012 and 51.2% at 31.12.2013. The gender breakdown in the other FGs has remained stable since 2011 We find a much larger proportion of women in FG II (82.6% in 2012 and 82.2% in 2013) and, to a lesser extent, in FG III (57.9% in 2012 and 57.2% in 2013). In FG I, in contrast, men predominate (63.1% in 2012 and 63.2% in 2013).

This reflects the traditional breakdown by type of duties performed: FGIIs are mainly secretaries or childcare workers, while the majority of FG Is work as messengers.

4. Breakdown of Commission contract staff by nationality

It is noteworthy that the rise in the numbers of contract staff was similar for most Member States between 2005 to 2012 with the notable exception of the Hungarians, Bulgarians and Romanians (attributable to these latter countries’ recent accession to the EU): the number of staff of these nationalities rose more sharply.

The best represented nationalities among the 5 979 contract staff were, in order, Belgians, Italians, French, Spanish and Romanians, followed by Poles and Greeks. The representation of the first four nationalities has been the same since 2005. The UK and Germany, like Poland and the Netherlands, are rather under-represented in relation to their population. Conversely, Belgium and Italy have a high representation in relation to their population.

Following the accession of Croatia to the European Union on 1 July 2013, 87 Croatian contract staff had joined the Commission by 31 December 2013.

Breakdown of Commission contract staff by nationality and by gender in 20125


The breakdown of Commission contract staff by nationality is influenced by a combination of factors, including the location of the European institutions and duration of the proposed contracts.

As most recruitments are for a limited duration, candidates are more likely to accept a post if they are resident at or near the site of the institution offering them a job. It can be hard for candidates to leave their country of origin (especially if they have a family) and to move to the institution’s offices for just a short period.

Most contract staff at the Commission are recruited under Article 3b of the CEOS for an initial period of one year, followed by a two-year extension, making a maximum of three years (note that the new Staff Regulations that came into force in 2014 provide for a maximum of six years for such contracts).

This role played by geographical proximity is also reflected in the composition of the lists of candidates that the Commission can draw on. We should stress, however, that there is no quota per nationality: recruitment is carried out on the basis of the required profile and the applicants' abilities and language knowledge.

The same trend of linkage to the place of residence is apparent in the table showing the breakdown by nationality in the other institutions and agencies.


Breakdown of Commission contract staff by nationality and by gender in 20136

2013FMAll%
AT2758.7%1941.3%460.8%
BE79064.7%43135.3%1 22121.0%
BG13776.5%4223.5%1793.1%
CY1052.6%947.4%190.3%
CZ3173.8%1126.2%420.7%
DE9553.1%8446.9%1793.1%
DK1760.7%1139.3%280.5%
EE2069.0%931.0%290.5%
EL13956.3%10843.7%2474.3%
ES34461.9%21238.1%5569.6%
FI4277.8%1222.2%540.9%
FR42557.5%31442.5%73912.7%
HR6574.7%2225.3%871.5%
HU7274.2%2525.8%971.7%
IE1864.3%1035.7%280.5%
IT56553.3%49546.7%1 06018.3%
LT2955.8%2344.2%520.9%
LU466.7%233.3%60.1%
LV2767.5%1332.5%400.7%
MT872.7%327.3%110.2%
NL2849.1%2950.9%571.0%
PL18779.2%4920.8%2364.1%
PT11465.1%6134.9%1753.0%
RO29978.3%8321.7%3826.6%
SE3479.1%920.9%430.7%
SI2374.2%825.8%310.5%
SK4372.9%1627.1%591.0%
UK4449.4%4550.6%891.5%
XX960.0%640.0%150.3%
All3 64662.8%2 16137.2%5 807100.0%


Breakdown of contract staff by gender and by function group7

These tables give an analytical breakdown by FG, nationality and gender. In 2012 and 2013 all the Member States were represented in FGs IV and II. In 2012 there were no Luxembourgers in FGIII and no Austrians or Maltese in FGI. In 2013 there were no Luxembourgers or Irish in FGIII, nor Austrians or Croatians in FGI.

FGIV

FGIII

FGII

FGI


5. Breakdown of Commission contract staff by DG

In the following section the data on contract staff have been broken down by Directorate-General (DG). There are differences between the DGs, largely because of the different nature of their work. DG DEVCO, for example, employs mostly FGIVs responsible for aid and international cooperation both at headquarters and in the delegations, while the OIB employs mostly administrative assistants and childcare workers in FGII.

The appropriations allocated for the policy of replacing absent staff allow for a continuity of service that would not be as satisfactory without such temporary replacements.

5.1. Breakdown by gender and by DG8


5.2. Breakdown by contract type9

5.2.1. 3a contract staff

2012FGIVFGIIIFGIIFGIAll
FMTotalFMTotalFMTotalFMTotal
SG8111919
COMM2621475725821342716163036326
BEPA111
ECFIN2466
ENTR1071717
COMP291111
EMPL22112082831
AGRI951414
MOVE941313
ENER751212
ENV4377
CNECT8152323
RTD118223031
JRC7495656
MARE1341341721
MARKT941313
REGIO369571221
TAXUD1122
EAC1131414
SANCO6399
HOME111
JUST1455
FPI148223325
TRADE12311561115
ELARG485098257229514121
DEVCO2943666602031511114923735
ECHO4155
ESTAT5499
HR17314848
DIGIT4155
BUDG1772424
IAS111
OLAF281010
SCIC5212626
DGT4121616
OIB173202729564306049051138189755
PMO1149358420748255153651391
OIL119716771895174158170
EPSO1122175224429
All40646386916713229986915810273115328433 038

2013FGIVFGIIIFGIIFGIAll
FMTotalFMTotalFMTotalFMTotal
SG8122020
COMM2812406726931363116783139339
BEPA111
ECFIN2355
ENTR1171818
COMP291111
EMPL12311111982732
AGRI951414
MOVE941313
ENER851313
ENV4266
CNECT8142222
RTD11118233133
JRC7525959
MARE1561541925
MARKT841212
REGIO3811571223
TAXUD1122
EAC1141515
SANCO731010
JUST2577
FPI131326113330
TRADE331145913
ELARG535010346107189615136
DEVCO299345644183250151025719
ECHO5166
ESTAT5388
HR17314848
DIGIT5166
BUDG1672323
IAS111
OLAF281010
SCIC5212626
DGT5101515
OIB143173331644305948949141190760
PMO1145347921551266143953399
OIL11811198724111164056187
EPSO22185234429
All41444285618014032089517110663145408543 096


5.2.2. 3b auxiliary contract staff

2012FGIVFGIIIFGIIAll
FemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotal
SG2241561261828
SJ134331011118
COMM11213851317
BEPA11334
ECFIN22474111121328
ENTR102131136194254797
COMP9413128201842255
EMPL129211811292863484
AGRI1312251051520143474
MOVE549107172152652
ENER5383471611732
ENV617332632939
CLIMA3322911015
CNECT201939442367871097203
RTD6755122646212616539204452
JRC18203825376215242194294
MARE12921641062839
MARKT4155381552033
REGIO124161410243343777
TAXUD1342135512
EAC751265111121336
SANCO181230158233794699
HOME336331311423
JUST774481431732
FPI4598111951634
TRADE554371621830
ELARG45246927154221728139
DEVCO856515074311058021101356
ECHO459116171531844
ESTAT101020129213453980
HR1142653177077
DIGIT426821016
BUDG1165111231527
IAS11123337
OLAF11141415
SCIC1541919
DGT652590224461763157
OP336391151628
CdP-OSP1011111
All4573327894293027311 10525813632 883

2013FGIVFGIIIFGIIAll
FMTotalFMTotalFMTotal
SG22145771421
SJ112131211317
COMM213551013
BEPA444
ECFIN5386612101030
ENTR1321341682438846104
COMP9716116171231548
EMPL108182011312883685
AGRI1310231141526113775
MOVE426126181732044
ENER24646101211329
ENV66442532838
CLIMA1231011114
CNECT202343321648841296187
RTD5458112456010515439193410
JRC25194430417116743210325
MARE1081862871834
MARKT2687291462037
REGIO8412139222963569
TAXUD13411338
EAC64105491511635
SANCO22729151025431053107
HOME2351162814
JUST426448101024
FPI6397111861734
TRADE223141411521
ELARG3332652092916622116
DEVCO696813775301058021101343
ECHO43797161932245
ESTAT771497162993868
HR31431451126371
DIGIT32572914
BUDG1124371431726
IAS1123257
OLAF221922123
SCIC1431717
DGT592079112341347128
OP123235931220
CdP-OSP666
All4013357363832816641 05925213112 711


6. Breakdown of contract staff in the other institutions and agencies

The total number of contract staff in the other institutions and agencies was 3 983 in 2012 and 4 179 in 2013, compared with 3 702 in 2011. This is a rise of 7.6% between 2011 and 2012 and of 4.9% between 2012 and 2013.

Trends in the breakdown of contract staff
in the other institutions and agencies since 2010


*The creation of the EEAS on 1 January 2011 and the transfer of 313 Commission staff to the EEAS on that date largely explains the rise in the number of contract staff between 2010 and 2011. More details can be found in the Commission's reports to the Council on the use of contract staff in 2011.

6.1. Breakdown of contract staff in the other institutions10

The number of contract staff in the other institutions rose by 11.3% between 2011 and 2013 and showed a steady pattern of growth: + 5.8% between 2011 (1 488 contract staff) and 2012 (1 575) and + 5.2% between 2012 (1 575) and 2013 (1 657). This increase is largely explained by a rise in the number of contract staff in Parliament between 2011 (743 contract staff) and 2013 (874), an increase of 17.6% over the period 2011-2013.

Having reduced its contract staff between 2011 (116 contract staff) and 2012 (107), the Court of Justice then added 30 contract staff members between 2012 and 2013; this accounted for more than a third of the increase of contract staff in all other institutions combined.

Breakdown of contract staff in the other institutions in 2012


Breakdown of contract staff in the other institutions in 2013


6.1.1. Breakdown by gender and by function group in the other institutions


6.1.2. Breakdown by nationality in the other institutions


6.2. Breakdown of contract staff in the agencies11

The number of contract staff in the agencies has been rising steadily, from a total of 1 933 in 2010 to 2 214 in 2011, to 2 408 in 2012 and to 2 522 in 2013.

Based on the classification established by DG BUDG, the available information is grouped into three categories of agency: decentralised agencies, joint undertakings and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and executive agencies.

Breakdown of contract staff in the agencies since 2010


*Detailed information on 2010 and 2011 can be found in the Commission's reports to the Council on the use of contract staff in 2010 and 2011.

The addition of 114 contract staff between 2012 and 2013 was due in large part to 30 additional contract staff at the Research Executive Agency (REA), 20 at the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) and 14 at the European Aviation Safety agency (EASA). Numbers increased despite the reduction in contract staff at a number of agencies, notably at the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMA), down 14 FTE, and the European Body for the Enhancement of Judicial Cooperation (EUROJUST), down 10 FTE.

Half of all contract staff in agencies are employed by executive agencies (49% in 2012 and 48% in 2013), about 44% are employed by decentralised agencies, and the rest are employed by joint undertaking and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Two new agencies were set up in 2013: eu-Lisa, the European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice, based in Tallinn, and BEREC Office, the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, based in Riga. The impact of the creation of these two new agencies has been limited, with five contract staff recruited to eu-Lisa and two to BEREC Office.

6.2.1. Breakdown by gender and by function group in the agencies

The breakdown by function group is relatively uniform across the three categories of agency and remained the same between 2012 and 2013.

Breakdown by function group in the agencies in 2012


Breakdown by function group in the agencies in 2013


6.2.2. Breakdown by nationality in the agencies

The location of the agency plays a major role in determining the nationality of its contract staff.

Accordingly, the geographical breakdown in the executive agencies, which are located on the same sites as the Commission, reflects the same trends as the Commission, and the most represented nationalities are Belgians, Italians, French and Spanish.

Similarly, the location of other agencies and joint ventures is reflected in the composition of their contract staff. Thus, in 2012 and 2013 the vast majority of contract staff at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, based in Thessaloniki, were Greeks, the contract staff of Frontex, based in Warsaw, were Polish, the contract staff of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, based in Lisbon, were Portuguese, the contract staff of Artemis, based in Brussels, were Belgian, and so on.

Breakdown by nationality in the agencies in 2012


Breakdown by nationality in the agencies in 2013


1Source: Sysper2:

2Source: Sysper2:

3Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

4Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

5Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

6Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

7Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

8Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

9Source: Commission Statistical Bulletin.

10Source: Eurostat

11Source: Eurostat

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