Civil service in France

Ø 1) Read the text and make a scheme of the French Civil Service. Is it similar to the system of Russian civil service?

The French Civil Service is the set of civil servants working for the French government. It is divided into the civil service of the State, the judiciary, the civil service of public hospitals, and the civil service of local governments.

Civil servants of the State are divided into three corps named A to C, which are subdivided into classes. For instance, the corps of university professors is corps of category A which is divided into 3 classes: second class (equivalent to an American associate professor), first class (full professor), exceptional class (leading full professor in his area). About half of the French civil servants are employed in the public education system. Other French Civil Services have different organizations.

Certain corps enjoying particular prestige are called “the great corps of the State.” They are Great technical corps of the State (e.g. Corps of Roads and Bridges, Corps of Telecommunications) and Great administrative corps of the State (Conseil d’É tat, Court of Auditors, and General Inspection of Finances).

All civil servants have duties. Failure to carry them out may result in disciplinary action, up to discharge. The main duties of French civil servants are:

· full commitment to professional activity. A civil servant should devote his full professional activity to his appointed task. By exception, a civil servant may in addition to his regular activities write books; he may also accomplish certain tasks (e.g. teaching) with the permission of his hierarchical supervisor.

· morality. One cannot be a civil servant if one has been convicted of a crime incompatible with one’s functions.

· reserve. A civil servant should not, by his actions and especially by his declarations, cause harm to institutions. Generally speaking, a civil servant should not express personal opinions in a manner that can be interpreted as expressing the official opinion of the French government or a public institution. Agents working abroad should be especially cautious. For instance, an ambassador should refrain from making any private comment on international issues.

· hierarchical obedience. A civil servant must accomplish the orders given by his hierarchical supervisor, unless those orders are evidently illegal and contrary to public interest.

· professional discretion. Civil servants must not reveal private or secret information that they have gained in the course of their duties.

· honesty. Civil servants must not use the means at their professional disposal for private gain.

· neutrality. Civil servant must be neutral with respect to the religious or political opinions, origin, or sex, and should refrain from expressing their own opinions.

French civil servants are recruited through competitive exams, either external or internal, on professional tasks. Most employment positions in the French civil service are open to the citizens of the European Union. Others, especially in police and justice, are open only to French nationals. Some rare positions, e.g. university professors and researchers, are open regardless of citizenship. As an exception to the general rules concerning workers, civil servants do not sign contracts. Their situation is defined by statutory and regulatory dispositions.

The pay of a civil servant is composed of a base pay, possible overtime pay (since 1950 it has been given to three civil servants only), and possible bonuses. High-level administrative positions are typically paid much less than the equivalent positions in private industries.

Ø 2) The text describes the duties of French civil servants. Are they applicable to Russian civil servants?

Ø 3) Say if the statements are true or false:

a) All French civil servants are employed in the public education system.

b) “The great corps of the State” are especially prestigious in France.

c) French civil servants have a life-long employment and cannot be removed from their posts.

d) Any person can become a French civil servant.

e) Civil servants in France get higher salaries than private entrepreneurs.