A3-0267/93

Resolution on sex discrimination in Community recruitment procedures

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mrs Pollack and others on sex discrimination in Community recruiting procedures (B3-0027/92),

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Women's Rights (A3-0267/93),

A.whereas, when giving notice of competitions, the Community institutions specify an age limit (generally 35), while at the same time asserting the principle of equal opportunities for men and women,

B.whereas most other international organizations do not set an age limit or, if they do, set this limit at 50 or 55 years of age,

C.whereas, furthermore, the European civil service is organized on the basis of a specific step-by-step career system whose hierarchical structure would be upset were a relatively low age limit for recruitment not to be used,

D.whereas the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities authorize the setting of an age limit for recruitment procedures, subject to certain exemptions,

E.whereas, however, in many cases the existence of such an age limit has a dissuasive effect on women wishing to return to work after having attended to their family commitments,

F.whereas this therefore constitutes a barrier to the application - as, furthermore, has been stated officially - of Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment,

1.Calls for the age restrictions to be relaxed on the basis of an interinstitutional recruitment system enabling the Community institutions to demonstrate clearly their intention to apply the principle of equal treatment for men and women inside their own administrations, starting with the recruitment of staff;

2.Calls for this relaxation of the age restrictions to be achieved - while safeguarding the Community's special multi-lingual and multi-cultural features - by extending the scope of the existing exemptions, which do not make adequate provision for candidates who have completed their family obligations;

3.Proposes, furthermore, that the age limit be raised for anyone applying for very specific or highly specialized posts;

4.Calls, therefore, for the age limit - which is generally set at 35 - to be raised to 45 and for certain exemptions to be introduced;

5.Calls for exemptions to be granted for:

(a)years spent caring for family members (whether children, elderly or handicapped), with the number of years being calculated on a 'baby year' basis up to a maximum of ten years,

(b)the period of leave currently granted for bringing up a child, which should be extended from two to five years - which, furthermore, is the maximum period of leave on personal grounds granted for this purpose - thus constituting a 'parental exemption';

6.Proposes that consideration be given to a system modelled on that used by certain diplomatic services, under which the contract of employment of spouses of officials obliged to give up their jobs for a certain period may be 'suspended', without loss of the benefits - particularly pension rights -already acquired;

7.Calls on the Commission to produce a report on the procedures of those international organizations where no age limit is set in recruitment procedures and put forward proposals based on those findings;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council and to the other EC institutions.