EUROPEAN COMMISSION: NEW PAYMASTER'S, INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS OFFICES.

• Position: Government agency restructuring - Brief Article

The initiative is a direct result of the significant reorganisation effort undertaken by the Commission as a result of the Peer Group Review in 2000. The new Offices, due to begin work in January, will lead to annual savings on overall operating costs of up to Euro 12 million, roughly 14% of the current cost of providing these services. The decisions adopted follow exhaustive consultations with the Commission staff unions.

The Offices will carry out a number of tasks currently provided to staff by the Directorate-General for Personnel and Administration (DG ADMIN):

- A Paymaster's Office will be responsible for determining, calculating and paying out individual staff entitlements (pay, mission expenses, sickness and accident insurance, pensions, reimbursement of experts).

- Two Infrastructure and Logistics Offices (in Brussels and Luxembourg) will deal with the building policy and management of...