First a bit of context, Contract Agent (CA) colleagues (3A and 3B together) are now 24.5% of Commission staff, that is, CAs are the second-biggest group of staff (behind the biggest group of all: administrator (AD) officials). For some time now there are more CAs than assistants (ASTs) (counting both AST officials and AST temporary agents) and yet the CA salary, job security and advancement possibilities in general remain limited in comparison to other categories of staff. Continue reading Savings gone too far? A need for more and better contract agent advancement
Commission services
Education Expenses Support – call for applications until 7/11/25
Are you spending more than 20% of your income in education – You can apply to get support (applications until 7/11/25). While we often are critical of bad administration practices and approaches, it is fair to mention that EU Institutions have positive programmes to support colleagues in worse situations.
Continue reading Education Expenses Support – call for applications until 7/11/25
Brussels Canteens: rising prices, shrinking wages
Price increase confirmed – Generation 2004 calls for support for the most vulnerable. Meal prices in the European Commission’s canteens in Brussels are set to increase by 4.2%, as confirmed by the Head of Unit responsible for the catering in OIB, during the Local Staff Committee Brussels (LSC Brussels) meeting on Tuesday 1 July.
Continue reading Brussels Canteens: rising prices, shrinking wages
Luxembourg: Update on JMO2 – Letter from OIL
“We have recently been informed by the architect in charge of the JMO2 project that we are likely to experience further delays with the delivery of the building.“ sounds the joint message from Mr Quest and Mr Miranda-Vizuete. How did you feel when you read this sentence?
Continue reading Luxembourg: Update on JMO2 – Letter from OIL
Job Mobility for Contract Agent 3a Staff in Offices: From Better Visibility to Real Opportunities
Assessing the current situation. Despite existing frameworks for job mobility (as discussed in a previous article), the experience of Contract Agents (CA) under Article 3a of CEOS, particularly those working in the Commission’s Offices[*], reveals persistent structural shortcomings.
Continue reading Job Mobility for Contract Agent 3a Staff in Offices: From Better Visibility to Real Opportunities
The €900 Million Question: The Commission’s Building Sell-Off and Its Consequences
The European Commission has finalized the sale of 23 office buildings in Brussels for €900 million (Source), marking a significant shift in its real-estate strategy. This move is part of a broader plan to reduce office space by 25% by 2030, to streamline operations, and to align with evolving work habits. Continue reading The €900 Million Question: The Commission’s Building Sell-Off and Its Consequences
Navigating the rental market: A call for tenant protections and institutional support
Brussels, the heart of the European Union, welcomes thousands of newcomers every year: colleagues arriving to take up positions in the institutions. For many, across all Commission sites[1], securing a place to live is one of the first and most critical challenges they face[2]. However, navigating the complex rental system, understanding legal rights and obligations, and dealing with landlords who may not always act in good faith often turn what should be a straightforward process into a stressful and costly ordeal. Continue reading Navigating the rental market: A call for tenant protections and institutional support
The Frosty Chronicles: Navigating the EU Institution’s Subzero Realities
As winter descended, so does the new norm for EU staff: embracing the glacial reality of a target of 19°C in Brussels workspaces (a balmy 20°C in Luxembourg), leaving many buildings well below those targets. HR sources cite national law of host Member State of EU institutions for this limit, suggesting that they would lower the temperatures further if the law allowed it. For those of you not in the loop, this provision ensures that public buildings toe the line in terms of energy-use reductions (‘efficiency’). But while the thermostat complies, it’s the staff who shiver. Jackets, scarves, and an abundance of hot tea have become unofficial office attire and tools of survival. Continue reading The Frosty Chronicles: Navigating the EU Institution’s Subzero Realities
Where Has All the Money Gone?
As Generation 2004, we have always stood for fairness, transparency, and the well-being of staff. Today, we must address the grim reality of the European Commission’s cost-saving measures and the devastating impact they have had on staff members and the workplace environment. Billions have been saved, but at what cost?
EEAS: Frozen diplomacy – When 17°C in some offices meets european bureaucracy
Imagine this: you’re walking through the halls of the EEAS Belmont building in Brussels. It’s a cold day—no surprise there. But this isn’t the sort of chill you expect from a brisk Brussels winter. No, this is a bone-rattling cold that makes you wish you had packed a sleeping bag, thermal socks, and perhaps a few extra layers of diplomacy…
Continue reading EEAS: Frozen diplomacy – When 17°C in some offices meets european bureaucracy
