Central, Eastern Europeans starkly underrepresented in EU bodies, report says

EU citizens from central and eastern member countries are underrepresented in the bloc’s institutions, according to a new study.

The report from European Democracy Consulting analyzes 72 EU institutions, bodies and agencies, dating from 1952 until the present day, and covering 89 roles and close to 500 office-holders.

It concludes that the European bureaucracy shows a “lack of representation and diversity.”

Eastern Europeans fared the worst, holding just 2.7 percent of roles (or 13 appointments) over the entire time period. Central Europeans similarly have held 2.3 percent of roles (or 11 appointments) since 1952. By comparison, Western Europeans have held 61.3 percent of roles (294), Southern Europeans about 27 percent (129) and Northern Europeans about 7 percent.

Over 32 percent of Western Europeans’ appointments were to leadership positions of EU institutions; this was down to 18 percent for Northern Europe and zero percent for Central Europe.

EDC defines “Northern Europe” as Sweden, Finland and Denmark, “Western Europe” as Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria, “Central Europe” as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia, “Eastern Europe” as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, and “Southern Europe” as Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.

EDC says this disparity is the result of the EU oscillating between “equal State representation and population-based proportional representation,” and recommends that EU institutions should recognize the issue, and publish an annual report stating clear goals to improve geographical representation.