557 



The conditions relating to accommodation vary considerably from one 

 State to another and even from one town to another; certain research 

 centres possess accommodation in which the families may stay 

 temporarily; but, in most cases, the research worker is obliged to 

 find accommodation for himself. Likewise, as regards driving 

 licenses, road taxes and vehicle registration, the research worker is 

 obliged to complete the normal formalities with which every foreigner 

 arriving In a new country has to cope, even if the visit is for a 

 limited period. 



As regards the spouse's work permit, obtaining one is generally a 

 lengthy and difficult process (except within the EEv. in the case of 

 nationals of its Member States). Many problems also arise, 

 particularly during short-term stays, with regard to children's 

 education^, since mother-tongue instruction is not available and 

 there is no point in the children's acquiring diplomas which are not 

 recognized in their country of origin. 



2.1.3) Social coverage 



Where social coverage is concerned, although the social -security 

 rules of the host country are generally applicable to a guest 

 research worker and his family, it is mainly the country of origin 

 which is responsible for facilitating that person's return to his 

 mother country so that the period he spent abroad does not adversely 

 affect his career prospects and his pension rights. Generally 

 speaking, a research worker who works for some time in a foreign 

 laboratory does not contribute to the national pension and social 

 security systems of its own country while he is abroad and thus loses 

 his social entitlements unless this question is specifically draft 

 with in bilateral totalization agreements or in multilateral 

 agreements (the case of EEC member states). If he returns to his 

 original employment, he could also lose his right to promote and his 

 career prospects suffer in consequence. 



2.2. Existing forms of international cooperation 



The situation at CERN is sufficiently typical to be referred to here 

 as an example in this respect. Almost half the scientific and 

 technical personnel are from foreign laboratories and stay in Geneva 

 for periods of varying length. Most of these research workers are 

 seconded provisionally from their home laboratories and 

 administrative responsibility for some of them is assumed by CERN, 

 but most of them remain administratively attached to their original 

 laboratories; the problem of their status is thus minimized to a 

 large extent and, after their stay at CERN, the research workers 

 resume work in their home laboratories and their careers generally 

 suffer no adverse effects as a result of their temporary secondment. 



3 At the European level (JET in particular) this question has been solved by 

 creating European schools with a special status. 



