Following the 2024 Belgian federal election, and prolonged negotiations, a new Belgian federal government has finally been in place since 3 February 2025. This economically-right-oriented government has come up with a list of measures in the areas of taxation, employment and unemployment, pension, security, immigration, mobility, climate, defence.
Continue reading Wave of rail strikes in Belgium – wake up call for the Administration
commuting
No departures from this station – why NEO remains utterly inadequate to plan missions by train
Efforts to make the Commission greener and hence more reliant on rail for business travel (‘missions’) make perfect sense. Unfortunately, they quickly hit a buffer – pun intended. In fact, you often don’t even run the risk of boarding a train in the first place. This is because, for those of you using the online booking tool (NEO) and the travel agency behind it, there is no offer of suitable train journeys. Even though the NEO shortcomings are well known, nothing has changed. Continue reading No departures from this station – why NEO remains utterly inadequate to plan missions by train
Upholding flexibility offered by Third-party option in Mobility.net
*Update 24.10.2024 We’re aware of OIB now accepting cross-border commuter passes reimbursement requests via myPMO, but Luxembourg-based colleagues are to use the same method as before.*
*Update 15.07.2024 Check out ‘A new tool for reimbursement’ in the Brussels Green Commuting Communication on MyIntracomm. It promises reimbursement of Brussels transport tickets without having to wait for them to expire. Have you managed to do this? Please let us know!*
Continue reading Upholding flexibility offered by Third-party option in Mobility.net
Electric vehicle (EV) charging-point disparity
*Update 14.10.2024 Luxembourg-based colleagues, the maximum reimbursement (‘ceiling’) for cross-border commuter passes has been doubled to €500 from 01.10.2024.*
*Update 24.07.2024 the Green Commuting Communication for staff in Brussels mentions the ongoing provision of FREE EV charging there, with no end date in sight. There is no date as yet for EV charging to be made available (free or otherwise) in Luxembourg buildings. The same text proposes to pay Brussels-based colleagues who cycle €100 per year. We asked about provision for other sites, but the response was negative. Why the inconsistency? Mixed messages on greening undermine the whole idea.* Continue reading Electric vehicle (EV) charging-point disparity
Immobile remboursements via Mobility.net
*Update 24.10.2024 We’re aware of OIB now accepting cross-border commuter passes reimbursement requests via myPMO, but Luxembourg-based colleagues are to use the same method as before.*
Original article: Brussels-based officials, temporary staff or Contract Agents, Generation 2004 has heard your dissatisfaction regarding the process of (partial) ticket reimbursement via Mobility.net loud and clear…
Picture this: You enrolled[1] in the Mobility.net system all those months ago and have had to wait until your third monthly ticket expires before being eligible to submit a request for the Commission to contribute to your travel costs. Continue reading Immobile remboursements via Mobility.net
Luxembourg: transport infrastructure will be lovely … once it’s finished!
*Update 09.09.2024: The state subsidies for the purchase of a personal means of transport have been extended.* We have the perfect spring transport storm for some of you: trains, roads, trams and back to the office 2 days a week[1]. The infrastructure work is ongoing all over but the benefits will not be felt for a while. Let’s start with cross-border travel.
Firstly France: work on the A3, the main France-Luxembourg road, has just started this week and is set to last for 5 years in total, so in early 2027, Continue reading Luxembourg: transport infrastructure will be lovely … once it’s finished!
‘Balance’ or walking a tightrope? Greening the Commission
*Update 09.10.2023 please participate in the Commission survey on the environmental impact of teleworking: deadline 11.10.2023. These emmissions must also be counted in greening the Commission!*
Original article: In the context of the recent COP26 in Glasgow, where it is stated that 197 countries reached a ‘balanced’ agreement’, we give you an update on the latest social dialogue on greening the Commission: reaching climate neutrality by 2030. Generation 2004 already raised many of these issues in October 2020 and requested a social dialogue then. Continue reading ‘Balance’ or walking a tightrope? Greening the Commission
European Mobility Week 2020
European Mobility Week, the flagship EU awareness raising campaign promoting sustainable ways of moving around in our cities, has come to an end. Despite difficult (Coronavirus…) times, almost 3000 towns and cities from 52 countries worldwide have participated! Continue reading European Mobility Week 2020
Free (public) transport in Luxembourg: should I be bothered?
*Update 24.10.2024 We’re aware of OIB now accepting cross-border commuter passes reimbursement requests via myPMO, but Luxembourg-based colleagues are to use the same method as before (instructions here).*
*Update 14.10.2024 Luxembourg-based colleagues, the maximum reimbursement (‘ceiling’) for cross-border commuter passes has been doubled to €500 from 01.10.2024.* Continue reading Free (public) transport in Luxembourg: should I be bothered?
Reimbursement scheme for public transport expenses in Commission Representations
In the framework of the position of the Brussels Local Staff Committee (LSC) approved in March 2018 regarding the future mobility in the Brussels-Capital region, based on a request by Generation 2004, a separate chapter dedicated to EC Representations was added. Staff in the Commission Representations falls under the competence of the LSC, thus the Commission should assure equal treatment of colleagues regardless of their place of work. In many Representations parking spaces are very limited, therefore, the LSC called upon the inclusion of the Representation colleagues into the reimbursement scheme for the public transport cost to come to work and to provide all Representations with service bikes. Continue reading Reimbursement scheme for public transport expenses in Commission Representations
