ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM: COMMISSION BIDS TO CONTRACT OUT MANAGEMENT OF WAGES AND PENSIONS.

The Commission's first proposal foresees the creation of the legal framework for a new type of Office which, whilst remaining under the responsibility and supervision of the Commission, would benefit from a significant degree of management autonomy. These Offices would be headed by a Commission official (reporting to a Board representative of their main clients in the Commission), who will be responsible for setting their operational targets, controlling the implementation of their functions, and reporting to the College of Commissioners. The Offices would employ a limited number of EU officials - who will retain all of their current rights and obligations - as well as new public law "Contract Agents" who will be recruited for a fixed period of time specifically to carry out the technical tasks transferred to the Office.The Commission's second proposal would apply this model to many of the services currently provided to staff by the Directorate-General for Personnel and Administration:- a "Paymaster's Office" would be responsible for determining, calculating and paying out individual staff entitlements (pay, mission expenses, sickness and accident insurance, pensions, reimbursement of experts). This Office would manage a budget of roughly Euro 1.95 billion (2001...