Doc. 8078

21 April 1998

Improvement of Council of Europe staff careers

Reply to Recommendation 1226 (1993)

from the Committee of Ministers

adopted on 16 April 1998 at the 628^th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies

      The Committee of Ministers endorses the Parliamentary Assembly's opinion concerning the importance of the staff of the Council of Europe in maintaining and improving the efficiency and the image of the Organisation. In response to the specific suggestions put forward in Recommendation 1226 on improvement of Council of Europe staff concerns, the Committee of Ministers, after careful consideration of the matters raised makes the following comments:

ad Section a: “In respect of duties and grades”: the Committee of Ministers has considered proposals along the lines of the text of the Recommendation. These proposals, aimed at increasing flexibility and efficiency in staff management, were drawn up as a result of a joint consultation between the Administration and representatives of the staff. However, because of difficulty in reconciling the proposals with the requirements of the rules of the co-ordination system, the Committee of Ministers is continuing to examine these questions.

ad Section b: “In respect of staff assessment”: the Committee of Ministers informs the Assembly that it has adopted, for a trial period of 3 years, a new staff assessment system which, in the Committee's view, satisfies all the criteria put forward in the Recommendation.

ad Section c: “In respect of transfers and promotions panel …”: the Committee of Ministers informs the Assembly that panels are attended by two staff representatives, one woman and one man. The Equal Opportunities Adviser also takes part.

ad Section d: “In respect of training …”: the Committee of Ministers is convinced of the importance of training, not least in the implementation of staff policies such as the promotion of equality and effective management through the new staff appraisal system. Other major training initiatives are those associated with use of new communication and information technologies, management training for senior staff as well as a range of vocational and semi-vocational training effort. The training budget has to reconcile increasing demand with the budgetary limits required by governments.