Newsletter – 2022-09-27

Newsletter editorial – 27-09-2022

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Welcome to the Generation 2004 Newsletter of 27 September 2022. In this edition we start with looking for results from the 12 actions announced 6 months ago to make it easier to fill vacancies in Luxembourg.  We have a series of lunchtime events planned, starting today, with a contract-agent-focussed look at the future, this links with an update on internal competitions and our ongoing contract agent petition: please register and sign!  The next Generation 2004 event takes place on Tuesday 4 October and looks at all things AST, particularly the approaching deadline for application for the 2022/23 certification exercise.  Unfortunately, our petition on AST/SC issues has come to a halt, with the conclusion that the Commission ‘does not consider that the AST/SC staff members are treated unfairly’. We are checking out what further options we have there. And finally, we present a medical ‘control’ during sick leave FAQ: what it is, how to respond and how to challenge outcomes if you don’t agree.

That’s it now for now! Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!

Six months on, what´s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg?

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*Update 11.11.2022, where we are with this 9 months on.**Update 07.11.2022 we add a list of all available state aid in Luxembourg.* Original article: In March 2022 the Commission announced a list of actions from the Heads of Administration (Chefs d’Administration) of EU institutions and bodies based in Luxembourg (CALux) to address the difficulties of recruiting staff, a topic closely related to the cost of living in Luxembourg.  Note that this March announcement was before the current cost–of-living crisis could be factored in, meaning that Luxembourg is potentially even less attractive now than before. Oddly, the news of the 12 actions proposed to address the attractiveness of the Luxembourg site did not include the list of actions themselves, so we list them below. What announcements/events/conferences have you noticed on any of the items on the list? Please share them with us, MyIntracomm is rather quiet on this topic. Continue reading Six months on, what´s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg? →

AST event: all you ever wanted to know!

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*Update 19.02.2025: ‘By default, all [internal] competitions will be cross-category.’ (Stay tuned: A new approach for internal competitions) This is excellent news and should now put the Commission on an even footing with the Parliament and other EU institutions. We hope that this inclusion is genuine and that the competitions are not  otherwise skewed to reduce participation. Participation in these competitions can be done in parallel to the certification: use all your options!*

Continue reading AST event: all you ever wanted to know! →

The Contract Agent petition is still open: you can still register and sign!

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The European Parliament (EP), accepting our petition No. 0117/2021 on the contract agent (CA) precariat in the European Commission, asked the Commission for more explanations on the CA work situation. We’ve received a surprising reply with standard arguments (see ‘notice to members’). As a result, we want to relaunch our petition now, showing our reasoning, making our arguments even more specific than ever before! Continue reading The Contract Agent petition is still open: you can still register and sign! →

Certification: what’s being tested?

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*Update 02.10.2023: the deadline for applications for the 2023/2024 edition is Friday 6 October 2023 at 23:59 (Brussels time).* Original article: We have been contacted in the meantime by colleagues who are interested in participating but who are disappointed by the lack of detailed information about the exams and the skills tested. Sadly, the MyIntraComm European School of Administration My EuSAnet Certification page has little more than an outline to offer on this topic. Continue reading Certification: what’s being tested? →

Contract Agents: what does the future hold?

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*The presentations from previous events can be found at the bottom of this article.*

Original article: Generation 2004, the only staff organisation with all representative staff categories in its team, is here to listen to you and your concerns and to develop together with you our positions on many work- and well-being-at-work- related issues. The Generation 2004 team has made a solid contribution to defend the interests of Contract Agents (CAs), the category of staff with the most uncertain future. Continue reading Contract Agents: what does the future hold? →

Update on our AST/SC petition to the European Parliament

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Unfortunately our petition No. 1243/2021 to stop the unfair treatment of AST/SC staff is no longer making progress at the European Parliament. While this AST/SC petition is stopped, our petition on Contract Agents is still live so, if you haven’t done so already, please add your signature! The EP does not allow us to transfer signatures, so even if you signed the original petition please also sign the one at the EP: add your voice to the others already there! Continue reading Update on our AST/SC petition to the European Parliament →

Invited to a medical ‘control’ during sick leave? Here’s what you need to know (FAQ)

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*Update 27.09.2022 several of you got in touch with us to add information to this article and we thank you all for your contributions, we have added them to the relevant sections below. Please feel free to continue to send us your experiences, we will add them here anonymously.* At Generation 2004, we understand just how unnerving it can be to find yourself the recipient of a  formal Medical Service invitation and confidentiality statement, particularly if the date  stated there has already passed or the location given is incompatible with your current mobility. What to do?

Stay calm, remember that these checks are routine and read our FAQ below. Continue reading Invited to a medical ‘control’ during sick leave? Here’s what you need to know (FAQ) →