EU [leaders] to decide top jobs next week

The EU will hold a special summit on 19 November to decide the new top jobs of EU president and foreign policy chief.

"The extra informal summit... will take the form of a working dinner in Brussels," a spokesman for the Swedish EU presidency said.

The appointments will be made by the leaders of the 27 member states, by a qualified majority vote.

Belgium's Prime Minister, Herman van Rompuy, has emerged as a frontrunner for the post of EU president.

THE PRESIDENT'S ROLE

• Chosen by 27 member states by qualified majority vote
• Two-and-a-half-year term
• Can be re-elected once
• Chairs EU summits
• Drives forward the work of EU Council of Ministers
• Facilitates cohesion and consensus
• Represents the EU on the world stage

Oh, and the other important new post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs, of which two have already ruled themselves out. Whoever gets that job will also become vice president of the European Commission.

Having Scope and doing little about it

Scope is a leading UK disability organisation with more than 50 years experience in providing support to disabled people to increase their employment opportunities. The Welsh Assembly Government is a devolved government with nearly 10 years experience of falling short as an employer in the area of equal opportunities.

The development of the Leadership Recruitment Programme by Scope promotes awareness of staff diversity and the contribution disabled people can make to the workplace. It also aims to ensure that disabled people of graduate calibre achieve equality and are valued in society, rather than being overlooked.

Last month the programme marked a year since ending its first 12-month trial of running in the Welsh Assembly Government, who was one of many high-profile employers taking part.

Not a bad ongoing gesture from an organisation that seems to fail in this area, and needs to show a vast improvement when it comes to equal opportunities.

Sights you don't see in the Senedd

Part 5:

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