Welcome to the third spring edition of our Newsletter!
This edition comes at a pivotal moment for the future of the Commission, as discussions on the Large-Scale Review (LSR) begin to take shape. We cover key takeaways from our meeting with Catherine Day [1] and what it means for the future of staff. We also examine the growing pressure on both internal and external competitions [2] – highlighting delays, administrative burdens and capacity challenges that raise important questions about the system’s reliability and fairness – while taking a closer look at the newly published AD7 internal competition [3] as a long-awaited step forward. We also address the the increasing cost of living and working faced by EU staff [4] and the dismissal of local agents in delegations [5], raising serious concerns about transparency, social dialogue, and the human impact of these decisions.
You will find an article on the situation in the European Schools [6], where administrative choices are creating inefficiencies and frustration for parents and teachers alike.
Have a look at the two articles written in collaboration with two of our members – a powerful testimony [7] that further illustrates the human cost of rigid procedures, and a concerning PMO case on educational allowances [8], highlighting issues of transparency, fairness, and the real impact that administrative shortcomings can have on colleagues and their families.
In addition, we take a look at the grades and steps system for Contract Agents [9], and examine challenges related to the new mobility policy [10] and its implementation in practice.
Don’t miss today’s conference with Yasemos Europeos on the AD7 internal competition [11].
Looking ahead, please find available the self-study packages for the EPSO AD7 competition [12] for Data management and data knowledge. A study group 5 [13] as well as self-study modules for the EPSO AD5 Generalists/Graduates competition on the Reasoning tests [14], the MCQ on EU knowledge [15], the EUFTE [16] and the digital skills test [17] are also offered in collaboration with Yasemos Europeos. Finally, you can watch the recording of our Q&A session [18] on the EPSO AD5 competition for Generalists/Graduates.
That’s all for now!
Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!
toolTips('.classtoolTips23','Contract Agents (CAs) were created by the 2004 staff regulations Reform. There are two types of CA: those with unlimited contracts, 3A [19] (‘indefinite’) and those with time-limited contracts [20], 3B [21]. CAs can belong to 4 different function groups (\'GF\') with different responsibilities and salaries [22].
As the use of contract staff becomes increasingly common, there has been a corresponding increase in the diversity of status and pay of the Commission’s workforce. For example, GFIV contract staff meeting the same minimum recruitment requirements (education and experience) as junior administrators may earn 28 % less. (European Court of Auditors, 2019, Special report no 15/2019 [23]: Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission – Big savings but not without consequences for staff, point 61, page 34)
We have a working group dedicated to the dossier, and in December 2012 we addressed the first of many letters (\'notes\') about Contract Agents to Human Resources of all Institutions and agencies [24] (here is the cover e-mail [25]).
As a background you can see the report of the Commission to the Council regarding the recruitment of the contract agents in 2010 [26] (in French, COM(2011)802 final 23.11.2011).
Our articles on Contract Agents [27]
'); toolTips('.classtoolTips24','Formal negotiations and meetings between the representative trade unions and staff associations (OSPs [28]) [Organisations syndicales et professionnelles] and HR.'); toolTips('.classtoolTips27','Formal negotiations and meetings between the representative trade unions and staff associations OSPs (Organisations syndicales et professionnelles) and HR.'); toolTips('.classtoolTips48','Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements');