Transcript Slide 1

Seconded National Expert
Scheme
Peter Lawrence – Vice President and Director
of Human Resource Department
13/06/2008

SNEs are officials or staff of National Offices (NO) sent to work at OHIM for 2-3
years (flexibility on duration but not less than 1 year and not more than 3 years)

SNEs continue belonging to the pay scheme of their NO. They continue to receive
their salary, pension & sickness contribution, etc. in their own countries

SNEs receive from OHIM a non-taxable allocation (approximately 3,000€/month)
comprising:
 daily allowances (81,13€/day in 2008), updated each year and
 monthly travel expenses (lump-sum) to/from their place of origin
 OHIM pays an accident insurance for SNEs

If the gross salary + allowances of the SNE are less than 4,602,86€/month (2008
rates), OHIM pays an additional flat-rate amount (that may be taxable, depending
on the country of origin)

The NO receives from the Office full reimbursement of the SNE’s salary (gross
salary, excluding social charges) with a top limit of:
EXPERIENCE
MAX REIMBURS.
2008 (€/year)
<9YEARS
51,207
9-12 YEARS
62,975
>12 YEARS
76,333
SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERTS (2)
SNE
SNE’s net salary
Net salary plus 
3,000€/month.
Guaranteed
gross income:
4,602,86€/month
OHIM
NO
Benefits of programme:

outstanding development opportunity for staff

promotes mutual understanding of practice

builds working contacts between OHIM and NOs

important native language resource for OHIM

helps balance workloads across offices

SNEs perform tasks of AD (administrator) or AST (Assistant) level (not
clerical tasks) at the same level as any OHIM official or TA

Profile: experienced Trade Mark examiners, on absolute or/and relative
grounds, with thorough written EN or DE plus a second language

SNEs enjoy the majority of the rights to which OHIM officials and TA are
entitled, with slight modifications (e.g.: holidays, flexitime, social benefits
[unless they imply direct payment] and free European School)

The secondment is officially made via an exchange of letters between the
President of the Office and the president of the NO. These letters are also
copied to the permanent representation of the Member States in Brussels.
There is no contract between the Office and the SNE him/herself
The usual procedure:
starts with an informal agreement between OHIM (HRD/TM
Departments) and the NO on how many SNEs should come from that
NO. TMD define the profile (usually an examiner of absolute or/and
relative grounds with a certain combination of languages)
The NO carries out an internal selection procedure, with the aim of
proposing a number of CVs to OHIM (usually 1 or 2 more than the posts
agreed)
Candidates are invited to an interview at OHIM, usually with TMD’
directors and HRD director (travel expenses + 50€/daily allowance paid
by OHIM)
TMD’ directors have the final decision on recruitment and negotiate the
starting date. HRD and the administration of the NO negotiate the level of
reimbursement etc.
All this information is summarised in the exchange of letters
National Office of origin (as at 01/01/2008)
# SNE
ES
1
CZ
1
DE
1
UK
4
CH
2
RO
2
COM
1
HU
1
NW
2
SK
1
SV
2
At present (1 June 2008) there are 18 SNEs from 9 NO working at OHIM +
1 from the Commission + 1 from ECB.
 Want to know more? →
Decision No. ADM-06-35
 Contact: Human Resources Department,
Personnel Administration Sector:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]