Recommendations of the Joint Appraisal and Promotion Committee for the AST function group

This administrative notice serves to communicate the recommendations and observations of the Joint Appraisal and Promotion Committee to the Directorates-General and DG HR regarding the allocation of performance levels and promotion points to officials of the AST function group.¹

These recommendations are based on an analysis of the statistics of the appraisal and promotion exercise. The Committee's recommendations and observations are the following:

1. Treatment of beginning of career grades and of career paths C and D

• The Committee notes that variations persist in:

• the appraisal rate of performances in level IA in grades AST1, AST2 and AST3 in comparison with other "AST" grades;
   
• the appraisal of performances in level IA in C and D career paths in comparison with "AST" grades without career restriction;

• The Committee recommends that all Directorates-General assure a balanced treatment of all the officials belonging to the AST function group whichever their grade or career path;
   
• Moreover, the Committee invites DG HR to take into account this element when assessing the appraisal exercise as foreseen by the relevant rules²;

2. Treatment of end of career grades

• The Committee observes that the rate of allocation of performance levels IA and IB is, in general, significantly less than 8% and 22% in the case of officials belonging to grades AST11, AST7.C, AST5.D. Despite the absence of impact in terms of promotion (within the meaning of Article 45 of the Staff Regulations) for these grades, the Committee notes that this situation can lead to a negative impact for those officials wishing to participate in the certification and attestation procedures;
   
• The Committee invites DG HR to take into account these elements when assessing the appraisal exercise as foreseen by the relevant rules2;

3. Use of performance level III

• The Committee notes that the rate of usage of performance level III has decreased from 1.4% to 0.8% in 2010 but that differences exist between Directorates-General (16 DGs have not used performance level III);

4. Use of 4 points in performance level II

• The Committee observes a certain convergence between Directorates-General in the percentage of officials who are allocated 4 promotion points in performance level II;
   
• The Committee invites the Directorates-General to make sure that the comparative examination of merits which results in the allocation of the points has been carried out well;

5. Non-use of points quotas

• The Committee observes that, in certain Directorates-General, the quota of points available per performance level, has not been exhausted. The remaining number of points is, nevertheless, very low as regards the total number of points allocated during the exercise;

6. Treatment of promoted jobholders

• The Committee observes that in several Directorates-General, the number of officials promoted during the 2009 exercise who could have been allocated performance level II in 2010, is more considerable (higher that 90%) than that normally expected (70%);
   
• The Committee invites the Secretariat-General and DGs BUDG, EMPL, OP, RELEX (DEL) and TAXUD to pay particular attention to the appraisal of the performance of officials promoted in 2009 and to ensure that the performance level allocated is the result of an actual appraisal of the performances demonstrated during the previous exercise and the comparison of merits within the grade in question;

7. Rotation rate

• The Committee observes that the rate of rotation in the allocation of the different performance levels enables the average promotion objectives set in the relevant rules³ to be reached.

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Footnotes

⁽¹⁾ In line with Article 7(8) of the general provisions for implementing Article 43 of the Staff Regulations, and Article 5(3) of the general provisions for implementing Article 45 of the Staff Regulations.
⁽²⁾ Article 10 of the general provisions for implementing Article 43 of the Staff Regulations.
⁽³⁾ Article 10 of the general provisions for implementing Article 45 of the Staff Regulations