Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2013)772 - Weightings applicable from 1 July 2013 to the remuneration of officials, temporary staff and contract staff of the EU serving in third countries

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1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Articles 11, 12 and 13 of Annex X to the Staff Regulations lay down provisions on payments of remuneration to officials serving in a third country. Under Articles 10 and 118 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, those provisions apply by analogy to temporary and contract staff serving in third countries.

Remuneration is payable in euros in Belgium, however upon request of an official, a member of temporary or contract staff, all or part of it may be paid in the currency of the country of employment. In that event, it is subject to the weighting for the place of employment and is converted on the basis of the corresponding exchange rate.

In order to ensure as far as possible that officials, temporary and contract staff of the Union enjoy equivalent purchasing power irrespective of their place of employment, the Council should adjust the weightings once a year. To establish the purchasing power equivalence of the remuneration paid in Brussels, as the reference city, with that paid in the other places of employment Eurostat calculates the economic parities.

The weighting is the factor obtained by dividing the economic parity by the exchange rate. The exchange rates used are established in accordance with the rules for the implementation of the Financial Regulation and correspond to the date of application of the weightings.

The initial weightings applicable from 10 October 1987 were laid down in the Council Regulation (ECSC, EEC, Euratom) No 2175/88 of 18 July 1988. The most recent weightings, which took effect on 1 July 2012, were laid down by the Council in Regulation (EU) No 679/2013 of 15 July 2013.

1.

RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS



The elements of the proposal have been discussed with the staff representatives in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

2.

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL



Article 13 of Annex X to the Staff Regulations constitute the legal basis.

The attached proposal for the Council Regulation adjusts the weightings applicable from 1 July 2013 to the remuneration of officials, temporary staff and contract staff of the European Union serving in a third country.

The Council should, by the written procedure within one month, act on a proposal from the Commission by the qualified majority provided for in Article 16 i and (5) of the Treaty on European Union. Should a Member State request formal examination of the Commission proposal, the Council should act within two months.

The Annex to the proposed Council Regulation sets out the weightings derived from the parities communicated by Eurostat for July 2013 for all places of employment outside the European Union.

3.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION



The budgetary impact is small (in percentage terms); see the Financial Statement.