Article 37

F1An official on secondment F2is an established official who, by decision of the appointing authority

1. (a)

   has been directed in the' interests of the service:

   • to serve temporarily in a post outside his institution; or

   • F3to assist temporarily a person holding an office provided for in the Treaties or the elected President of one of the institutions or organs of the F4Union, or one of the political groups in the European Parliament or the Committee of the Regions, or a group in the European Economic and Social Committee;

   • F5to serve temporarily in a post which is included in the list of posts financed from the research and investment appropriations and which the budgetary authorities have classified as temporary;

2. (b)

   has at his own request:

   • been placed at the disposal of another of the institutions of the European Union; or

   • been placed at the disposal of an organization devoted to furthering the Union's interests and included on a list to be drawn up by agreement between the F6appointing authorities of the institutions of the Union after consulting the Staff Regulations Committee.

An official on secondment shall continue to enjoy all his rights under the conditions provided in Articles 38 and 39 and shall remain subject to all his obligations as an official of his parent institution. F7Subject to the provisions of the third paragraph of Article 77 concerning pension, however, the provisions which apply to the official during the secondment referred to in the second indent of (a) in the first paragraph shall be those applicable to an official of the same grade as that assigned to him in the post to which he is seconded.

F8Any official in active employment or on leave on personal grounds may apply for, or be offered, secondment in the interests of the service. Once the official is seconded, the leave on personal grounds shall be terminated.