Special leave and travelling time for elections outside the place of employment

This Administrative Notice concerns officials and other servants in active employment.

The Conclusion approved by the Heads of Administration on 11 December 2008 specifies the conditions and rules for the granting of special leave and/or travelling time for taking part in an election outside the place of employment.

COMMISSION INTERNAL DIRECTIVE

Subject Special leave and travelling time for elections outside the place of employment

At their 254th meeting, on 11 December 2008, the Heads of Administration approved Conclusion 251/08 (see Annex), which applies within the Commission from 1 January 2009.

Claude CHENE

Annex

Luxembourg, 15 December 2008

CONCLUSION 251/08

APPROVED BY THE HEADS OF ADMINISTRATION
AT THEIR 254th MEETING ON 11 DECEMBER 2008

Subject Special leave and travelling time for elections outside the place of employment

The Heads of Administration agree to the granting, under the conditions set out in the Annex, of special leave and/or travelling time to officials and other servants taking part in elections of the following types:

• presidential,
   
• parliamentary,
   
• European Parliament,
   
• referendum,
   
• regional (German Länder, Spanish Autonomous Communities, Italian regions, etc.),
   
• municipal, local, provincial, cantonal.

Special leave and/or travelling time is/are granted only on condition that the official or other servant provides the relevant service with an official document certifying that he/she has actually voted outside the place of employment. If no such document is issued, the official or other servant should submit to the service concerned any other supporting documents proving participation in the election.

This Conclusion shall apply from 1 January 2009.

It cancels and replaces the Conclusion of the Heads of Administration No 205/94.

By the Heads of Administration

Annex to Conclusion 251/08

Special leave/travelling time for elections

⁽¹⁾ (Special leave) Special leave of half a day is granted if voting must take place on a Commission working day.

⁽²⁾ (Travelling time) A set period of travelling time is granted as shown in the above table for the outward and for the return journey:

• If voting must take place on a working day, the journey is deemed to take place immediately before and after the half day of special leave; one of the two journeys is thus deemed to take place partly or wholly on the day of the election.
• If the election takes place on a non-working day, the journey is deemed to take place the day before and the day after the day of the election.

However, if the election takes place the day before or the day after a non-working day, travelling time will not be granted for the outward or return journey on the non-working day. If the election takes place on a public holiday which is preceded and followed by a working day, and if the distance is between 201 and 600 km, by way of an exception from the time specified in the table, half a day's travelling time will be granted for the outward and for the return journey.

If the election takes place in two rounds of voting, these will be considered as two separate elections for the purpose of these provisions, as long as the official or other servant provides supporting documents showing that he/she returned to the place of employment between the two rounds.

Special leave/the set period of travelling time may be combined with annual leave but this will have no impact on the set period of travelling time granted, which is deemed to be taken before and after the special leave or the day of the election.