Newsletter – 2024-01-08

Transfer of pension rights FAQs

Events, FAQs, Newsletter - 2023-12-13, Newsletter - 2024-01-08, Newsletter - 2024-10-28, Pensions Print This Post

*Update 07.11.2025, thanks to the almost 130 colleagues who attended o our event! We have updated the FAQs with your questions! Here’s the presentation. For the guest speaker presentation please click here to request it. Also, please check out EULearn pension training.*

*Update 06.11.2025 our intention is for this list to be searchable, hence the repetition of some information. We link also to a recent PMO presentation on pensions.*

Original article: The pension scheme of the European Union institutions (PSEUI) is for all institutions and most agencies. Check out our general pension FAQ. Regardless of whether you work in the Parliament, Council or Commission and whether you are an official, a Temporary Agent or a Contract Agent (‘statutory staff‘) you are probably making contributions to the PSEUI.

The exception would be local agents[*] and those not directly employed by the institutions, such as seconded national experts. Continue reading Transfer of pension rights FAQs →

Belgian tax certificate: childcare costs for 2023

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*Deadline extended to Friday 19.01.2024* Parents in Belgium: if you are in a household subject to Belgian taxation and you wish to benefit from the tax reduction in accordance with Belgian legislation you need to request this via MyIntracomm, it is not automatic. Please don’t miss out on what you’re entitled to! Continue reading Belgian tax certificate: childcare costs for 2023 →

Newsletter editorial – 08-01-2024

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We wish you a good start to the new year and welcome you to the first edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter for 2024. The year starts, as always, with the self-evaluation and we are on hand to help. This coincides with the publication of the list of those to be interviewed in the next stage of the 2023/2024 Certification exercise: here’s how to appeal if your name is not on that list and an overview of the normal timeline for the Certification. Continuing on the theme of taking action and, as far as possible,  getting the year off to a good start, we’d like to hear your positive PMO stories. This could also be a good moment to ask your pension-transfer-out questions or to book training for the certification interview. We ask you to sign the European Parliament Contract Agent petition: please don’t let it disappear!  We also present an overview of how to proceed when a JSIS reimbursement does not go as planned: what needs to happen and when?

Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!

Please take action: European Parliament petition in support of Contract Agents

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*Update 29.01.2024, the petition has been closed with no clear follow-up. We have contacted the Parliament for clarification.* Original article: Please sign the European Parliament (EP) Contract Agent petition: let’s make some noise!  Petition No 0117/2021 has been on the go since 2021 and needs your input to keep moving! Let’s make a push in this, a brand new year, to get as many signatures as possible! The issues listed are as relevant today as they were when the petition was first opened: there has been no meaningful improvement. Please don’t let this action disappear through lack of support, we need momentum! This petition is open to everyone everywhere: let’s show our solidarity! Please register at the EP website and sign the petition there. Share this petition anywhere you can, we need to get those numbers up!

Continue reading Please take action: European Parliament petition in support of Contract Agents →

Share your positive PMO story

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Generation 2004 tries to give credit where credit is due. We also give constructive feedback where we find that there are systems in place which work against the well-being of all the colleagues who have to interact with those systems. Generation 2004 sees that many front-line colleagues are not given recognition for the work they do and the difference they make. Rigid rules can make life difficult both for those applying those rules and for those who find themselves subject to them. Continue reading Share your positive PMO story →

Certification: 5 days to appeal non-inclusion

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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 Certification: 5 days to appeal non-inclusion →

Operation Hiver – a contest for the coolest picture

additional teleworking costs, building closures, Newsletter - 2023-12-01, Newsletter - 2023-12-13, Newsletter - 2024-01-08, office temperatures, Open Plan Office, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 09.04.2024, here are the results of our contest, thanks to all who participated!*

*Update 08.03.2024 the gendered aspect of this debate has been around for a long time, we see no evidence that it is being addressed, please get in touch if you’ve seen anything to counter this! Overcooling of Offices reveals gender inequity in thermal comfort. and Here’s Why Your Office May Be Too Hot or Cold: Gender Bias.*

*Update 14.12.2023 As promised below, here is our note to HR and OIB/OIL asking for the year of data on office temperatures.*

Original article: Winter is coming. The official rhetoric is that the EU is committed to ambitious environmental goals Continue reading Operation Hiver – a contest for the coolest picture →

Certification programme overview and details

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Congratulations to the 35 Commission colleagues who completed Certification in 2023! For those of you participating in the interviews for the 2023/24 edition you have 5 days to appeal non-inclusion on the list of those who will go on to the next interviews, get ready! For those who manage to get their names on that list, there is training available for the interviews. Generation 2004 is aware of the exceptionally poor exam results in 2024, we are awaiting the publication of the corresponding report to make comparisons with the previous 17 certification exercises. Continue reading Certification programme overview and details →

Training offer for external competitions and certification

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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 Training offer for external competitions and certification →

Reimbursed amount = 0 €

Complementary coverage, Health, Newsletter - 2024-01-08, PMO Print This Post

*Update 03.03.2024: the contact number listed on p.2 of the account sheet is out of date, please use number listed here.*

Original article: This can and does happen relatively frequently. First of all, don’t panic! But please do be aware that there is a 3-month time limit[1] on taking a non-reimbursement issue as far as you can before embarking on legal action. Challenging a decision not to reimburse is therefore not an administrative step to save for when you have the time, you really do have to make the time (especially if you need to get a more detailed bill from the health-service provider, for example or investigate whether a precedent has been set for reimbursement). Continue reading Reimbursed amount = 0 € →