COMMISSION DELEGATIONS TO ANSWER TO A SINGLE DIRECTORATE.

The European Commission approved a Communication on December 11 on the =administrative reform of a unified External Relations Service, in order =to improve the functioning of this structure in accordance with the =general process of internal administrative reform within the College. =The Commission recommends the consolidation of the External Relations =Service to create a genuinely unified service. One of the weaknesses of =the current system is the administrative scattering of officials among =delegations that answer to different Directorates General, External =Trade, Development, Enlargement or External Relations. The report =proposes grouping together all staff in delegations under the authority =of DG Relex from January 1, 2002.Regarding the allocation of delegation posts, the Commission proposes =introducing calls for expressions of interest for each rotation, open to =all staff but granting priority to DG Relex officials: candidacies from =other services would only be examined where a post cannot be filled by a =Relex official.In addition to staff careers, the report also looks...