In its 13 September 2017 edition, the evergreen "Commission en direct" proposed an article on the Mediation Service, under the proud slogan: "going beyond conflict".

It deserves closer attention.

Behind the smiley faces of the mediator and his team hides a different reality: that of an appointment that gave rise to objections at the highest level (Mr Barroso and Mrs Georgieva) from the Central Staff Committee regarding the selection procedure and the operation of the service.

The Federation salutes the “performance” of Mr Giovanni KESSLER who is on track to secure a sweet deal this week: resignation from his post as DG of OLAF, simultaneously transfer to an adviser “hors classe” post specially created for him in DG BUDG, secondment of that post to head up the Italian Customs authorities, and abolition of the adviser post on his departure.

These arrangements are said to be in the "interest of the service", without any further explanation being given, as if that catch-all formula could justify any arrangement.

Commission:
Mr Jean Claude Juncker
Mr Alexander Italianer

European Parliament:
Mr Antonio Tajani
Mr Klaus Welle

European Council
/ Council of the EU:
Mr Donald Tusk/ Mr Louis Grech
Mr Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen

Committee of   the Regions:
Mr Markku Markkula
Mr Jiří Buriánek

Economic and Social Committee:
Mr Georges Dassis
Mr Luís Planas

Court of Auditors:
Mr Klaus-Heiner Lehne
Mr Eduardo Ruiz García

Court of Justice:
Mr Koen Lenaerts
Mr Alfredo Calot Escobar