L 197/56 Official Journal of the European Communities 26.7.2002 DECISION OF THE SECRETARIES-GENERAL OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION, THE REGISTRAR OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE, THE SECRETARIES- GENERAL OF THE COURT OF AUDITORS, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN of 25 July 2002 on the organisation and operation of the European Communities Personnel Selection Office (2002/621/EC) THE SECRETARIES-GENERAL OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE COMMISSION, THE REGISTRAR OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE, THE SECRETARIES-GENERAL OF THE COURT OF AUDI- TORS, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN, Having regard to the Staff Regulations of officials of the Euro- pean Communities and the Conditions of employment of other servants of the European Communities, as laid down by Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (), Having regard to the Decision of the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the Ombudsman of 25 July 2002 estab- lishing a European Communities Personnel Selection Office, and in particular Article 5 thereof (3, Whereas: (1)  Pursuant to Article 27 of the Staff Regulations, the institutions are committed to ensuring that recruitment is directed to securing the services of officials of the highest standard of ability, efficiency and integrity, recruited on the broadest possible geographical basis from among nationals of Member States of the Communities, without distinction as to race, political, philosophical or religious beliefs, sex or sexual orienta- tion and without reference to their marital status or family situation. (2)  The third subparagraph of Article 1(1) of Annex IIl to the Staff Regulations sets out the area of responsibility of the common Joint Committee and the second para- graph of Article 3 of that Annex outlines the way the members of the selection board are to be appointed for the purpose of organising open competitions, () O] L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1. (}) See page 53 of this Official Journal. HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 Duties of the Office 1. The Office shall organise open competitions with a view to securing the services of officials on optimal professional and financial terms for the institutions of the European Communi- ties. The Office shall draw up reserve lists enabling the institu- tions to recruit highly qualified staff meeting the needs deter- mined by the institutions. 2. More specifically, the Office's tasks shall be to: (a) organise open competitions at the request of individual institutions with a view to drawing up reserve lists of suitable applicants for appointment as officials. The competitions shall be organised in compliance with the Staff Regulations, on the basis of harmonised criteria laid down in accordance with Article 6(c) and in compliance with the work programme approved by the Management Board; (b) cooperate closely with the institutions with a view to assessing the future staff needs indicated by the institutions and preparing and implementing a programme of competi- tions to meet those needs in a timely manner; (c) develop selection methods and techniques on the basis of best practice and in line with the skills profiles laid down for the various categories of staff of the institutions; (d) administer and check the use of the reserve lists established on the basis of Interinstitutional competitions; (e) submit annual reports to the institutions on its activities. Article 2 Responsibilities of the institutions The appointing authority of each institution shall make avail- able to the Office a sufficient number of selection board members, examiners and invigilator on the basis of the ‘quota’ approved by the Management Board as provided for in Article 6(i), to enable the selection procedures to proceed smoothly in accordance with Article 3 of Annex III to the Staff Regulations.