Hunt is on for referee to settle CoR dispute

Date: 21/12/1995

By Rory Watson

THE Committee of the Regions has been forced to turn to outside arbitration in a bid to end an increasingly bitter dispute over its controversial recruitment policy.

The CoR is searching for an independent ombudsman to resolve the dispute after the Court of First Instance took the unusual decision of suspending its latest competition for 'A' grade officials.

The move followed a complaint from a potential candidate who was not allowed to sit the examination for A7 posts. It is the latest incident in the lengthy battle between the CoR and the staff unions of its sister advisory organisation, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC).

The dispute has led to strikes and a work-to-rule by key ESC staff which have severely disrupted CoR activities over the past two months.

The staff unions claim that the CoR, by holding competitions limited to its existing temporary staff, is breaking the EU's long-established practice of recruiting officials through open concours.

The CoR, established less than two years ago, retorts that every EU institution operated in such a manner when it was first created and insists its recruitment procedure is designed to find suitably qualified officials for the new forum of local and regional authorities.

The issue was discussed by EU ambassadors last week and, according to the minutes of their meeting, “recruitment practices at the CoR were criticised by several delegations”.

The search for an ombudsman reflects a clear change of policy by CoR President Jacques Blanc, who had earlier refused to entertain the idea and had continued with his recruitment policy despite the criticism it was attracting.

But there has been growing disquiet among CoR's members at the damage being done to the new institution's public image.