In an era where “flexibility” is a buzzword and remote work a norm, local agents (LAs) in Delegations find themselves limited to just one day of teleworking per week. That’s the core of the draft decision currently being debated inside EEAS, in a growing wave of staff disappointment.
A second social dialogue meeting on 24 June highlighted concerns raised by trade unions — especially by Generation 2004 and our representative, who brought a clear voice into the room: “Why are local agents treated differently in the same Delegation, the same building, the same country?”
A Restriction Wrapped in Rationale
The administration’s draft allows telework for LAs only once a week, insists it must be from within the country of employment, and explicitly states that tasks needing presence (like driving, reception, or sensitive data handling) are excluded. Which of course we understand and agree with.
But the justifications — legal complexity, tax concerns, security risks — often feel one-size-fits-all. “It’s not apples to apples,” Rajesh argued. “In HQ, staff can work three days remotely for EC staff and two days remotely for EEAS staff . Why can’t we even get the same flexibility locally?” Moreover, LAs can only do teleworking from the registered address and city of employment. Why they cannot do from their native place within the country?
📌 What’s the Real Impact?
This policy disproportionately affects LAs with families, caregiving duties, or long commutes — the very groups telework is meant to support. And let’s not forget: these are the same colleagues who kept Delegations running during COVID, proving that telework really works.
💬 Generation 2004 Says: Local Voices Matter
We believe that teleworking rights should not depend on contract type or category — but on the task, team dynamics, and mutual trust.
Generation 2004 proposals include:
- Aligning LAs’ teleworking rights with those of other staff, especially within the same Delegation.
- Allowing 2–3 days/week for eligible roles.
- Providing financial support for home connectivity.
- Consulting LAs directly when local arrangements are designed.
- Ensuring that local legal constraints are not used as excuses for blanket limitations.
🧩 What’s Next?
Negotiations are ongoing. The administration promises further consultations. Generation 2004 will continue to speak up for fairness and balance — and we invite every local agent to share their experience, concerns, and suggestions with us.
After all, remote work is here to stay. Let’s make sure nobody gets left behind.
For questions or concerns, or if you are directly affected and want to share your experience confidentially, please reach out to us at REP-PERS-OSP-GENERATION-2004@eeas.europa.eu
