SECRETARY GENERAL'S PROPOSAL TO AMEND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION STATUTE SHOULD NOT BE PURSUED, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD

Press Release
GA/AB/3326

SECRETARY GENERAL'S PROPOSAL TO AMEND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION STATUTE SHOULD NOT BE PURSUED, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD

Committee Continues Discussing Commission Report

The Secretary-General’s proposal to amend the International Civil Service Commission’s (ICSC) statute, so that heads of United Nations agencies could seek advisory legal opinions from an ad hoc panel before implementing the Commission’s decisions, should not be pursued, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was told this morning, as it continued its discussion of the annual report and functioning of the International Civil Service Commission. Given that the proposed panel’s opinion would be non-binding, it would not necessarily deter further litigation.

Regarding the Geneva post adjustment, the status quo should be maintained, the representative of the Philippines added. As the Commission had recommended, the issue of this post adjustment should no longer be pursued given the complexity of the issue and the legal and administrative difficulties associated with it.

The representative of Canada, however, stated that the Commission’s response to the Geneva post adjustment was unsatisfactory. The Commission had refused to conduct the review requested by the General Assembly. Geneva was the largest United Nations duty station, he said, and the Commission’s inaction on the issue of post adjustment was leading to higher costs for Member States. That a different method was used in calculating the post adjustment in New York and Geneva was what the Commission must consider.

[The post adjustment is the means by which the United Nations adjusts the salaries of Professional staff to ensure that the purchasing power of salaries paid to staff on the same level is equal, irrespective of their place of work. It does this by factoring the costs of living that apply at each duty station into the salary scale for that station.]

The representatives of the Russian Federation, Japan and Finland (for the European Union), also spoke.

The Committee intends to meet again at the conclusion of the General Assembly plenary meeting this afternoon, when it will continue its general discussion of the proposed programme budget for 2000-2001.

Programme of Work

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to continue its general discussion on the United Nations common system, in particular the annual report of the International Civil Service Commission and related notes from the Secretary-General.

[For background on the common system, see Press Release GA/AB/3324 of 28 October.]

Statements on Common System

NIKOLAI LOZINSKY (Russian Federation) said he was satisfied with the fact that the participation of the staff representatives in the Commission’s work had resumed –- at least partially. A constructive dialogue was important not only for better efficiency in the Commission’s operations, but also for obtaining a more complete picture of the existing conditions of service in the United Nations system.

The Russian Federation did not in principle oppose the proposed changes in the base/floor salary scale on a no-gain, no-loss basis, he said, but it continued to believe that the question of firm linkage between base salaries and mobility and hardship payments should be revisited. It also believed that a rational combination of fixed term and permanent contracts would be the most acceptable form for recruitment and retention of staff. Further consideration of the introduction of appointment of limited duration was one of the priority areas of human resources management.

He said his delegation had expected the General Assembly to be provided with detailed information on such matters as the rationale behind the idea of the “initiate ICSC review” –- why the ICSC and not any other body had been chosen to be reviewed and what the substantial problems were that would justify such a full scale review. His delegation had also expected that Member States would discuss the information in a detailed manner. The reality, he said, had been totally different.

MARY JO ARAGON (Philippines) said she attached great importance to the common system, and therefore attached importance to the dialogue between the International Civil Service Commission, executive heads of the system, and the staff representatives. The Philippines welcomed the return of Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System (CCISUA) to participation in the Working group on Human Resources Management. She generally supported the Commission’s conclusions and recommendations, she said, particularly the proposed adjustment to the base/floor salary scale for Professional staff. She would like to be informed as to whether the financial implications of the Commission’s recommendations had been incorporated into the Secretary-General’s proposed programme budget for 2000-2001.

Regarding the Geneva post adjustment, the status quo should be maintained, she said, and she supported the Commission’s conclusion that the issue of this post adjustment should no longer be pursued, given the complexity of the issue and the legal and administrative difficulties associated with it. In addition, the Philippines held the view that all staff should have equal opportunity for upward mobility.

The proposal to amend the Commission’s statute to allow advisory legal opinions from an ad hoc panel should also not be pursued, she said, given the Commission’s observation that any such non-binding opinions as might be made by the panel would not necessarily deter further litigation. Regarding the proposed review of the Commission, the Philippines remained open-minded. Such a review should have, as its purpose, to strengthen the Commission’s role and to maintain its independence. The Commission itself should be able to comment on any review group’s work, and she looked forward to further discussion on that matter. Finally, she urged others to ratify the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, as the Philippines had done.

JOHN ORR (Canada) said the Commission’s response to the question of the Geneva post adjustment was unsatisfactory. The Commission had refused to conduct the review requested by the General Assembly, and Canada found it extraordinary that the Commission would respond in such a fashion to a direct request from the General Assembly.

The Commission’s observation that the post adjustment between New York and Geneva had practically been closed missed the point, he said. The reduction in the post adjustment was the result of the strong United States dollar and faster rising costs in New York. The issue had never been the differential in the post adjustment; rather, it was the different method in calculating the post adjustment between New York and Geneva.

Geneva was the largest United Nations duty station, Mr. Orr said, and the inaction of the Commission was leading to higher costs for Member States.

KOJI F.X. YAMAGIWA (Japan) said the review of the Commission was one of the most important elements in the Secretary-General’s reform proposals. As often pointed out, all Organizations were dependent on the quality and competence of their staff, and therefore the functioning of the Commission, which bore primary responsibility for the conditions of the staff, was a matter of interest.

At its fifty-second session, the General Assembly had asked that the modalities of the review be considered by the relevant legislative bodies, he said. Although the Secretary-General’s note on the matter had been issued one year ago, the note had never been introduced to the Assembly. As a consequence, Member States were considering the approval of membership of a review group without having first discussed and agreed upon the establishment of the group and the functions it would be entrusted with. Japan therefore doubted the Fifth Committee was in a position to act on the matter at this stage.

He would also like to receive clarification on the criteria applied in making the selection of proposed members of the group, he added. In any review, the Commission, including its Secretariat, should be involved in the entire process, so that the review would be constructive and productive, and based on accurate and adequate information.

KRISTINA TRONNINGSDAL (Finland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said she considered the review of the Commission to be an important part of the modernization process of the Organization’s staff management practices. The Union firmly believed that the review should be conducted as openly and effectively as possible, consulting as widely as necessary. It therefore viewed the terms of reference of the group as useful for reviewing the Commission's mandate, membership and functioning.

The European Union wished to maintain an independent Commission, so as to be able to respond effectively to the changing demands in human resources management across the entire United Nations system.

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