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26. Ministers and state secretaries may delegate the decision making power to top level civil
servants for routine matters (for instance with regard to the granting of various forms of permission
or in respect of selecting and appointing civil servants of ranks below the top management etc.). The
top level managers in the civil service include secretaries-general (most senior civil servants),
directors-general (on average four to five in each ministry, responsible for a defined area of
policy/execution/supervision/operation), inspectors-general and other equivalent positions. Top
managers are to offer their ministers unbiased advice. Once political decisions have been taken, top
managers are to execute the decisions loyally. That said, it is the ministers or state secretaries, not
senior civil servants, who are ultimately accountable to Parliament. Top level civil servants are not
political nominees and the ministers/state secretaries have limited influence on appointments to
these positions. Their recruitment and selection are conducted according to open, transparent,
merit-based standard procedures. The appointments are made for a maximum of seven years.

27. Ministers and State Secretaries may appoint one political assistant at the expense of the
relevant ministry, duly informing the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. Political assistants
are recruited without competition but enjoy the status of civil servants. Their appointment coincides
with the term of office of the cabinet member. The political assistants may remain employed for a
maximum of six months after the departure of the relevant cabinet member, to ensure the orderly
completion of formal duties. They may, however, be reconfirmed by another (incoming) minister as
his/her personal assistant or be employed within the ministry, if s/he passes a competition to the
civil service (this has apparently happened on several occasions). The main role of political assistants
is to liaise with Parliament and its committees as well as to ensure links with party-related events, as
opposed to civil servants who are not allowed to maintain any political contacts (except following
explicit instructions by a minister etc.). Exact duties of political assistants vary from one case to the
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other . Political assistants are included in the official structure of a ministry, often the Office of the
Secretary-General or a similar unit; however, they cannot be entrusted with public relations duties.
The role of political assistants may vary, they do not play a decisive role as do top executive
functions. They are not politically responsible for decision making, nor do they take part in the
Council of Ministers, according to the authorities.

28. The GET notes that political assistants are employed on the basis of trust. There are
practically no rules pertaining to their activities. Political assistants communicate personally with
parliamentary committees and they have an advisory role. Even if they do not operate
independently, they can for example assess how MPs weigh certain initiatives and convey ideas to
the relevant minister or state secretary, thus influencing the functioning and the decision-making
process of the executive. Their activities and tasks depend mainly on the employing minister/state
secretary concerned. The GET notes that the status of political assistants is somehow contradictory.
On the one hand, they are discretionary selected and employed by the top executive officials and
they have functions closely relating to these officials’ political functions. On the other hand, they
enjoy status as civil servants, who are obliged to stay out of political considerations. Depending on
their functions, mandates and seniority, GRECO takes the view that political assistants may have an
influential role in respect of ministers’ and state secretaries’ decision-making and in such situations
should be regarded as persons entrusted with top executive functions (PTEFs). Consequently, there
are situations where their status as members of the civil service, including the regulatory framework
(e.g. code of conduct) for the civil service does not appear appropriate for political assistants.

29. The gross annual salary of ministers is €159,488.89 (including year-end bonus and holiday
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allowance). The annual remuneration of a state secretary is €148,879.40 . In addition, ministers are
entitled to a monthly allowance of €349.79 (net). This allowance is doubled to €699.59 (net) for the
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. State secretaries receive a monthly expense

13 Depending on the cabinet member, their position, the political attention on and the ‘weight’ of the Ministry, assistant’s
work experience etc. Letter from the Prime Minister to the House of Representatives dated 30-10-2003.
14 Source: Ministers and State Secretaries (Legal Status) Act

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