No matter that each contrasting process had no more chance of success than the other, for the chosen candidate, a meticulous recruitment procedure must be an advantage.

But you then have to go through a long recruitment procedure, advertise in the newspapers which the two people will almost certainly not read.

The new recruitment procedures will create a valuable by-product - a bespoke talent pool of good-quality candidates to be drawn from as needs arise.

We have even developed several very fine recruitment procedures.

Commission sources argued that the measure had not been diluted and had teeth because companies would be bound to adopt transparent and fair recruitment procedures.