Internal Competitions

The Commission still does not believe in the intelligence of its staff!

Contract Agents, Internal Competitions, Newsletter #32 - Dec 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

*Update 22.11.2024 the Parliament allows anyone meeting the experience and education criteria to participate in its internal competitions, regardless of function group or contract type. The European Court of Auditors, 2024, Special report 24/2024: EU Civil service–A flexible employment framework, insufficiently used to improve workforce management recommends that the Commission open its internal competitions (Recommendation 3(c)).*

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You are hired/fired: Recruitment trends at the Commission!

Contract Agents, Internal Competitions, Newsletter #19 – Nov 2016, Professional mobility, Staff Regulations Reform, z Newsletter article Print This Post

As can be seen from recent statistics (see table), the only category of staff that is currently still growing is the Contract Agent (CA) category. Looking at the data and comparing this growth with the recent trend in the recruitment of permanent officials (‘fonctionnaires‘), we can conclude that the Commission has begun a process of replacing permanent officials with CAs [1]. Continue reading You are hired/fired: Recruitment trends at the Commission! →

Dirty games and money for nothing (or “NEPOTISM REDEFINED” for the more discerning)

Internal Competitions, Newsletter #7 - Jul 2014, Promotions, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter # 7

The first results of the internal competitions were published on the Commission intranet. Hey ho! Like every fifth year it is again parachute- jumping season in the European Commission. Our HR pros, who say of themselves: “Our staff are dedicated to making the civil service of the European Union a modern, effective and dynamic organisation, fit for the challenges of the 21st century”, have again found a way to hand out the silken parachutes to the privileged few. Continue reading Dirty games and money for nothing (or “NEPOTISM REDEFINED” for the more discerning) →

Speakers’ Corner: Sprachenpolitik / in / les institutions européennes

EPSO, Internal Competitions, Newsletter #9 - Nov 2014, Professional mobility, Promotions, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #9

NEW – the “Speakers’ Corner”
Beginning with this edition of our newsletter, the “speakers’ corner” is intended to provide a space where anyone can express an individual opinion which does not necessarily have to be the official opinion of Generation 2004. Please send us your contributions for coming editions.

The somewhat inconsistent sprachenpolitik dans les institutions européennes – a politically incorrect proposal for refurbishing the tower of Babel – by “the rock” from Ispra
One of the lesser known features of the 2004 staff regulations reform was the introduction of what is commonly known as the third language requirement. In the beautiful prose of the legislator, it is stated that “officials shall be required to demonstrate before their first promotion after recruitment the ability to work in a third language among those referred
to in … the EC Treaty.” Continue reading Speakers’ Corner: Sprachenpolitik / in / les institutions européennes →

Analysis: AD9 internal competitions

Administrators, Internal Competitions, Newsletter #9 - Nov 2014, Temporary Agents, z Newsletter article Print This Post

G2004 Newsletter #9

Internal competitions were presented last year by Vice-President Sefcovic as an initial response to the divergence between pre and post – 2004 careers. What is our assessment now that the competition is over?

Generation 2004 has looked in details at the results of the AD9 competition. The analysis of other competitions will follow. The first finding, not surprisingly, is that cabinet members, together with several temporary agents (TAs) that have a link to DG HR (most of whom coincidentally hail from a specific Member State) represent about a quarter of the laureates. Continue reading Analysis: AD9 internal competitions →

Internal competitions (ICs) and promotions: bad habits never die

Internal Competitions, Newsletter #1 - Dec 2013, Promotions, z Newsletter article Print This Post
  • Participation rates of up to 28 colleagues per post (a mere 3% probability of success…) in the internal competitions demonstrate the urgent need for a comprehensive and holistic remedy to the injustice brought about by the 2004 reform and its aftermath. Moreover, figures also show that the probability of success varies widely between grades and fields. Generally speaking, the higher your starting grade, the higher your chances. Also, choosing HR and budget management as your field was apparently a good idea. Another inexplicable feature of these ICs is the imposed minimum grades, comparable only with introducing minimum income as eligibility criteria in open competitions. Generation2004 is working on an in-depth assessment of the ICs which will give more details and also highlight the major shortcoming of the IC in comparison to the Generation2004 proposal tabled earlier this year.

Continue reading Internal competitions (ICs) and promotions: bad habits never die →