Article 11 1 The Ombudsman shall be assisted by a secretariat, the principal officer of which he shall appoint.
2 The officials and servants of the Ombudsman's secretariat shall be subject to the rules and regulations applicable to officials and other servants of the European Communities. Their number shall be adopted each year as part of the budgetary procedure.
A joint statement by the three institutions will set out guiding principles for the number of staff employed by the Ombudsman and the status as temporary or contract staff of those carrying out enquiries.
3 Servants of the European Communities and of the Member States appointed to the Ombudsman's secretariat shall be seconded in the interests of the service and guaranteed automatic reinstatement in their institution of origin.
4 In matters concerning his staff, the Ombudsman shall have the same status as the institutions within the meaning of Article 1 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities.