One year ago, the Commission ordered most officials to join Signal groups for the purpose of a business-continuity test. The order lacked any legal basis and even the basic respect for GDPR principles. While most of us might choose to share gladly our mobile phone number with direct colleagues, we believe that this voluntary openness cannot and should not be considered an obligation. Continue reading Who owns your mobile phone? Work-related communications on private devices
Certification: beware deadlines!
*Update 13.01.2025, congratulations to the 98 colleagues whose name is on the draft list for the joint committee interviews! To those of you whose name is not there you have you have until Friday 17.01.2025 to appeal (5 working days from 10.01.2025). You have nothing to lose! Give it a go!* Continue reading Certification: beware deadlines!
Working for free: it’s worse than we thought
Please use your time for yourself and your own wellbeing! Look below at just how much time colleagues already donate (voluntarily or otherwise) to the Commission and yet it’s still not enough, it’s never enough: there is always more work to be done. Please don’t give your valuable time away for free: there are no rewards and it will become expected of you. Continue reading Working for free: it’s worse than we thought
EEAS: Addressing Staff Concerns in the EEAS – Actions, Recommendations, and the Road Ahead
Generation 2004 as a staff association (OSP) has as its mission to ensure that the voices of all staff are heard and translated into meaningful action. Recent general staff surveys together with the EEAS staff surveys have provided valuable insights into areas where the administration has made strides and where further improvements are strongly needed. Continue reading EEAS: Addressing Staff Concerns in the EEAS – Actions, Recommendations, and the Road Ahead
EEAS: Mobility within the EEAS: Time for Transparency and Adherence to Guidelines
Mobility within the European External Action Service (EEAS) is governed by two administrative decisions on the organisation of an annual internal mobility exercise (ADMIN(2015)14, Ref. Ares(2015)1451726) and implementing
guidelines Ref. (ARES(2024)2219672) that outline the legal framework and set clear guidelines for the mobility process.
Continue reading EEAS: Mobility within the EEAS: Time for Transparency and Adherence to Guidelines
Reclassification and promotion exercises 2024 : Congratulations
Generation 2004 wishes to congratulate all Contract Agents 3a for their well-deserved advancement (‘reclassification‘), together with the officials and local agents in representations who were promoted. We trust our webinar on drafting self-appraisals, our support to individual requests from colleagues to review their self-assessments and our advice on how to draft an appeal helped in the reclassification exercise.
Continue reading Reclassification and promotion exercises 2024 : Congratulations
Reducing budgetary loss while granting fairer contract agents contracts
The importance of Contract Agents to the Commission. Contract Agents play a crucial role in the functioning of the European Commission. They provide specialised support across a wide range of areas and contribute significantly to the achievement of the institution’s objectives. Their expertise is indispensable, and they often perform tasks that are vital to the daily operations of various departments. However, despite their importance, Contract Agents are not always sufficiently appreciated or valued. Continue reading Reducing budgetary loss while granting fairer contract agents contracts
The first staff regulation reform: a new underclass (long read)
*Update 15.01.2025, Here’s our December note on the technical difficulties in application process in a call for expression of interest for the internal competition JPP14 (French and German as language 2).*
*Update 20.12.2024, Here’s our Note to HR on European Court of Auditors Special report: European Court of Auditors, 2024, Special report 24/2024: EU Civil service–A flexible employment framework, insufficiently used to improve workforce management* Continue reading The first staff regulation reform: a new underclass (long read)
Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speaker: unlock the power of humour at work
*Update 13.12.2024. Here is the recording of this event and the slides.* Original article: Lunchtime event with inspiring guest speaker JACK GILBEY. Are you looking to unlock the power of humour in the workplace and boost your career ? The story of Jack Gilbey, a visionary leadership expert and stand-up comedian, serves as a powerful inspiration.
End-of-year checklist 2024
*Update 19.12.2024 many thanks to the colleague who wrote to clarify that the flu vaccine is no longer reimbursed at 100%.*
Original article: In response to your feedback we try to send this list out a bit earlier in order to give you time to take action. We encourage you to do what you can now in order to be able to use the end-of-year period to rest and to recharge your batteries. This is not an opportunity to get work done! Please, as far as you can, switch off your devices, mute notifications and disconnect: take the time for you. Continue reading End-of-year checklist 2024
