ABSTRACT
By the nature of their composition, nationality is a salient factor within international organisations. On the one hand, member states demand to be represented within these organisations through their citizens; on the other hand, the same organisations are expected to be independent, i.e. to have an international outlook free of national influences. The need for representation is linked both to the question of legitimacy and to making successful policies that take national circumstances into account. The need for independence in turn stems from the desirability of assuring an overarching interest for all member states. International organisations need to deal with this dilemma 1 by starting with the recruitment of their officials. The United Nations was the first to formally acknowledge this dilemma by embedding the principles of ‘recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible’ and ‘not seeking or receiving instructions from any government or from any other authority’ into its Charter (Claude 1971: 193). The European Commission followed suit by endorsing and applying both of these principles to its College of Commissioners (through the treaties) and to its officials (through its staff regulations).
