One of the roles of the EU Staffing Unit within the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels is to assist Seconded National Experts (SNEs) and their sponsoring organisations in arranging secondments to the EU Institutions. At present it is only the European Commission that regularly uses SNEs, although the European Parliament and the Council have similar "exchange" schemes. The Commission has about 900 SNEs from all Member States and approximately 140 are from the UK. SNEs bring to the Institutions specific experience in fields where it cannot be found from within the permanent staff. A minimum of three years work experience is stipulated as a requirement to become a SNE.

Most of the Commission's SNEs are civil servants seconded from the national administrations of the Member States, but a small proportion are seconded from the private sector, academic organisations or NGOs. Most SNEs will work in Brussels though some work in the Commission's offices in Luxembourg and some elsewhere, such as in Ispra in Italy. Almost without exception, the salary costs for the duration of the secondment are met by the sponsoring organisation. This includes any necessary NI and superannuation contributions. The Commission pays a tax free Daily Allowance to meet the additional expenses of living outside the UK (currently EUR 107 per day). Secondments are for a minimum of six months and a maximum of four years.

Secondments to the Commission are usually arranged through Directorate-General Personnel and Administration (DG Admin), and funded from the Central Budget. If secondments are to be funded by the Commission's Research Budget then the arrangements are usually made directly with Directorate-General Research. Occasionally secondments are funded by project or "mini" budgets, in which case the arrangements will usually be made directly with the Directorate-General which is funding the secondment.

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There are a number of ways in which secondments may be obtained:

1. Directorates-General notify DG Admin of their vacancies and in turn DG Admin notifies all the Permanent Representations of the Member States of the vacancies they wish to fill. The Permanent Representations are invited to nominate candidates. We send details of the vacancies to the European Staffing Branch of the Cabinet Office in London who circulate them to all relevant departments inviting applications in the form of a CV. Candidates put forward to the Commission may then be called for an interview with the DG concerned and, if successful, offered the post.

2. Personal contact. During the course of their work staff in the Institutions will come into contact with officials from the Member States. In cases where a requirement for a specific SNE arises, Heads of Unit may, from personal experience, have a clear idea of a candidate for a post and make direct contact. In this case the vacancy does not need to be advertised to all Member States as in 1. above.

3. Lobbying. Occasionally Government Departments or individuals lobby for a post in a specific area or DG where the UK has relevant expertise or interest. In such cases Desk Officers in the UK Permanent Representation may be able to offer advice on where vacancies might be, or which areas and individuals might be most appropriate to contact.

All secondments involve a formal contract (an exchange of letters) between the sponsoring organisation and the Institution. In almost all cases the Permanent Representations are used as the conduit between the two, and act behind the scenes to negotiate mutually convenient start dates and lengths of contract. The EU Staffing Unit in the UK Permanent Representation is happy to offer advice on all relevant issues to prospective SNEs, and those in post.

Working in Europe is a practical handbook for those involved in secondments and loans to UKRep and the European Union.

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If you have any questions or would like any further information please contact us:

EU Staffing Unit (E-mail: eustaffing@fco.gov.uk)

UK Permanent Representation to the EU
Avenue d'Auderghem 10
B-1040 Bruxelles

Tel: (0032) 2 287 8207
Fax: (0032) 2 287 8247