30 January 2015
E-001611-15
Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)

Subject: Procedures adopted by the Commission regarding pre-requirement medical examinations

Question(s)
In view of the procedure adopted by EU institutions of requesting pre-requirement medical examinations:
1. Could the Commission indicate whether medical reporting is being used in the case of applicants to posts on offer by EU institutions in order to screen applicants on criteria related to the possibility of their being subject to long‐standing but now supposedly eliminated conditions (in Europe) like tuberculosis, or to sexually transmitted conditions (such as HIV) or to congenitally inherited conditions and/or disabilities?
2. If so in any of the above cases, could the Commission indicate whether there is a basis in European law for such an approach?
3. If, the answer is yes again, could the Commission publish the medical criteria being followed regarding applications received for posts in EU institutions?

Answer given by Vice-President Georgieva (18.6.2015)

Pursuant to Article 33 of the Staff Regulations and Articles 13 and 83 of the CEOS, which form the legal basis, all successful candidates have to undergo a medical examination prior to recruitment at the European Commission. That examination is designed to enable the Commission to avoid appointing a candidate unsuitable for the duties envisaged or to recruit him/her and assign him/her to duties compatible with his/her state of health. The medical examination also aims at determining the need for a medical reserve (i.e. with respect to the sickness concerned, the person is admitted to the benefits in respect of invalidity or death only after a period of five years from the date of his entering the service of the Union).

There are four tests as part of the pre-recruitment medical test:

– Laboratory tests – blood and urine (see annex with list);
– X-ray of the chest – test for lung disease;
– Electrocardiogram – test for heart disease;
– Ophthalmological examination – eye test.

Based on those tests and after examination of the applicant by a medical officer, the latter will decide whether the candidate is apt to perform the envisaged duties. In case the medical officer finds it is not the case, the applicant has a right to appeal in front of a medical committee.

Even if it is not considered to be an illness, the medical officer also has to determine whether an applicant has a disability within the meaning of Article 1 (4) (d) of the Staff Regulations. Pursuant to that provision, persons with a disability are considered fit to work if they can perform the essential functions of the job when reasonable accommodation is made.

Maltese Version

Suġġett: Proċeduri adottati mill-Kummissjoni dwar eżamijiet mediċi prerekwiżiti
Fid-dawl tal-proċedura adottata mill-istituzzjonijiet tal-UE li jitolbu eżamijiet mediċi prerekwiżiti:
1.
Il-Kummissjoni tista’ tindika jekk ir-rapportaġġ mediku huwiex jintuża fil-każ ta’ kandidati għall-postijiet vakanti mal-istituzzjonijiet tal-UE sabiex jeżamina l-kandidati bi kriterji relatati mal-possibilità li huma soġġetti għal kundizzjonijiet li ilhom jeżistu, iżda li huma meqjusa eliminati (fl-Ewropa), bħat-tuberkolożi, jew kundizzjonijiet trażmessi sesswalment (bħall-HIV) jew kundizzjonijiet u/jew diżabilitajiet konġenitali?
2.
Jekk inhuwa hekk fil-każijiet imsemmija hawn fuq, il-Kummissjoni tista’ tindika jekk hemmx bażi ġuridiku fid-dritt Ewropew għal tali approċċ?
3.
Jekk it-tweġiba għal darb’oħra hija iva, il-Kummissjoni tista’ tippubblika l-kriterji mediċi li qegħdin jiġu jintużaw fir-rigward ta’ applikazzjonijiet għall-postijiet mal-istituzzjonijiet tal-UE?

Tweġiba mogħtija mill-Viċi President Georgieva f’isem il-Kummissjoni
Skont l-Artikolu 33 tar-Regolamenti tal-Persunal u l-Artikoli 13 u 83 tal-Kundizzjonijiet tal-Impjieg ta’ Ħaddiema Oħra tal-Unjoni Ewropea (CEOS), li jikkostitwixxu l-bażi legali, il-kandidati kollha għandhom jgħaddu minn eżami mediku qabel ir-reklutaġġ fil-Kummissjoni Ewropea. Dan l-eżami huwa maħsub biex jippermetti lill-Kummissjoni li tevita taħtar kandidat mhux adattat għat-twettiq tad-dmirijiet previsti jew li timpjegah/a u tassenjah/a għal dmirijiet kompatibbli mal-istat tas-saħħa tiegħu/tagħha. L-eżami mediku għandu wkoll l-għan li jistabbilixxi l-ħtieġa ta’ riżerva medika (jiġifieri fir-rigward tal-mard ikkonċernat, il-persuna hija ammessa għall-benefiċċji fir-rigward ta’ invalidità jew mewt biss wara perjodu ta’ ħames snin mid-data ta’ meta jidħol fis-servizz tal-Unjoni).
Hemm erba’ testijiet bħala parti mit-test mediku qabel ir-reklutaġġ:
—It-testijiet fil-laboratorju — id-demm u l-awrina (ara l-anness mal-lista);
—X-ray tas-sider — test għall-mard tal-pulmun;
—Electrocardiogram — test għall-mard tal-qalb;
—Eżami oftalmoloġiku — test għall-għajn;
Abbażi ta’ dawn it-testijiet u wara eżami tal-applikant minn uffiċjal mediku, dan tal-aħħar jiddeċiedi jekk il-kandidat huwiex adattat biex iwettaq id-dmirijiet previsti. F’każ li l-uffiċjal mediku jsib li dan mhux il-każ, l-applikant għandu dritt għal appell quddiem kumitat mediku.
Anki jekk ma titqisx li hija marda, l-uffiċjal mediku għandu wkoll jiddetermina jekk applikant għandux diżabbiltà fis-sens tal-Artikolu 1(4)(d) tar-Regolamenti tal-Persunal. Skont din id-dispożizzjoni, persuni b’diżabbiltà huma kkunsidrati tajbin għax-xogħol jekk jistgħu jwettqu l-funzjonijiet essenzjali tax-xogħol meta ssir akkomodazzjoni raġonevoli.

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