The UK staff presence in the EU institutions

The presence of UK nationals on the staff of the EU institutions is a potential source of UK influence in the EU. But the UK faces a serious problem with respect to its declining representation among EU staff. In relation to its share of the EU's population (12.5%), the UK remains significantly under-represented among the staff of the major EU institutions, and its presence continues to shrink.

The Committee welcomes signs that more UK nationals are becoming interested in embarking on careers as permanent EU officials. Yet the numbers of UK candidates for the entrance exam remain too low to compensate for the numbers of UK retirees at senior levels. The report welcomes the creation of an EU Staffing Unit in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) with a remit to increase secondments of UK civil servants into the EU institutions.

The FCO should report annually to Parliament on the numbers of UK nationals working for the main EU institutions, and the representation and performance of UK nationals in the EU staff entrance competition (the concours).

• Primary Source

UK: House of Commons: Foreign Affairs Committee: 2nd Report (2013-14)HC 219 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmfaff/219/219.pdf

UK: FCO: Government response to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee report HC 219 of Session 2013-14: The UK staff presence in the EU institutions https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-staff-presence-in-the-eu-institutions

UK: FCO: News, 03.09.13: Foreign Secretary welcomes FAC report on Government’s EU reform agenda https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-welcomes-fac-report-on-governments-eu-reform-agenda

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