Newsletter-2025-02-28

Newsletter editorial – 28-02-2025

Editorial, Newsletter-2025-02-28 Print This Post

Welcome to our third Newsletter edition. In this edition, we cover various topics that delve into the issues affecting EU staff, including career progression opportunities for Contract Agents, professional mobility, and training offers for EPSO and Internal competitions. Additionally, we explore the latest developments on teleworking from anywhere, and housing allowances in Luxembourg. Meanwhile, we also examine the importance of mental health support for our children in European schools and provide updates on pension FAQs. Furthermore, we bring you recordings of recent conferences on AST and AST/SC promised change, temporary staff decision, and navigating JSIS, as well as a call to action from Generation 2004 for a political concertation. We also answer to AST and AST/SC Frequently Asked Questions. Stay tuned for our analysis on Internal competitions  from 2025 to 2027 and their potential impact on your career.  Last but not least.  Election are still underway and your vote really matters! 


*Guide how to vote

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

Internal Competitions 2025-2027: A Career Breakthrough or a Tactical Diversion? 

Certification, Equality, Internal Competitions, Junior Professionals Programme, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Professional mobility, Promotions, reclassification, Staff Categories, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 26.08.2025 the updated time estimates are available under ‘planning’: please note some will take place SOONER than originally stated: don’t miss your chance!*

Original article: Opportunities Announced, But Do They Truly Deliver?  The European Commission has announced its internal competitions planning for 2025-2027, introducing more frequent competitions and cross-category mobility up to AD10. This appears to be a positive development at first glance, but a deeper analysis of eligibility criteria and staff demographics raises serious concerns about how inclusive and effective these competitions will be in addressing long-standing career progression issues.  Continue reading Internal Competitions 2025-2027: A Career Breakthrough or a Tactical Diversion?  →

Unlocking Career progression for Contract Agents: untapped potential of GIPS Article 13 

CA screening, Contract Agents, Equality, Internal Competitions, Junior Professionals Programme, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Promotions, reclassification, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform, well-being, Working conditions Print This Post

What is GIPS Article 13 (CA screening) and who can benefit from it ?  Article 13 of the general implementing provisions (GIPs) for Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS) provides a pathway for Contract Agents engaged under article 3a of the CEOS [*] to advance to a higher function group (so-called CA screening), provided they meet certain conditions.  Continue reading Unlocking Career progression for Contract Agents: untapped potential of GIPS Article 13  →

Mobility Paradox: Forced to Move or Stuck in Place?

diversity & inclusion, Equality, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Professional mobility, Promotions, Staff Categories, Working conditions Print This Post

Changes in tasks and/or working environment’ (‘mobility’) are inevitable in any workplace, and in organisations the size of the Commission and the external action service (EEAS, with over 144 Delegations around the world) these are seldom user-friendly processes. As often happens within the institutions, the term ‘mobility’ itself covers a huge range of diverse exercises with different rules regarding the level of obligation, the frequency and to whom those rules apply. Continue reading Mobility Paradox: Forced to Move or Stuck in Place? →

Free Webinar: Internal competitions –AD5 – AD6 – AST2 – AST-SC2: Last push and state of play

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*Update 14.03.2025: here are the recording and the slides of today’s conference.  *Update 10.03.2025: here are the recording and the slides of the conference *Update 07.03.2025:  14 March session,  will be about future competitions, not the current ones.  Generation 2004, in collaboration with Yasemos Europeos, is happy to offer you, additonnally to our previous offer for which you can find the recording and the slides here, free Webinars for Internal competitions – 1) Last push before the internal competition exams, 2) lessons learned from previous competitions & do’s and dont’s. Continue reading Free Webinar: Internal competitions –AD5 – AD6 – AST2 – AST-SC2: Last push and state of play →

Additional Training Offer : EPSO competitions AD5 Translators

EPSO, Events, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Training Print This Post

Now that the 2 work groups for AD5 Translators competitions already scheduled are fully booked, we are still receiving great training demand for the EPSO/AD/414-421/24 AD5 Translators competition in 8 languages. With only 1 week ahead until the first exam, we decided with our training consultant Yasemos to provide self-study exam packages for practising the different tests for those who couldnot join the work groups. Continue reading Additional Training Offer : EPSO competitions AD5 Translators →

Assistants (ASTs) FAQs

Assistants, Certification, FAQs, Junior Professionals Programme, Newsletter - 2021-12-02, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Regulations Reform, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

*Update 23.09.2025: It’s now official: 50 AST/SCs are to have the (mis)fortune of doing an AST post without the corresponding AST promotion speed or career potential.  Check the Draft 2026 Commission budget: ’50 posts in the function group AST may be occupied by officials and temporary staff in the AST/SC function group to reflect the gradual phase-in of the AST/SC function group.’ (p. 955, footnote 1). While the Commission as a whole is set to lose 24 posts, the AST function group is to lose 121 (leaving 4398 permanent staff). No other function group is to decrease in size.*

*Update 26.08.2025 the updated internal competitions time estimates are available under ‘planning’: please note some will take place SOONER than originally stated: don’t miss your chance!*

Continue reading Assistants (ASTs) FAQs →

Secretaries and Clerks (AST/SC) FAQs

Assistants, Certification, FAQs, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Regulations Reform, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

*Update 23.09.2025: It’s now official: 50 AST/SCs are to have the (mis)fortune of doing an AST post without the corresponding AST promotion speed or career potential.  Check the Draft 2026 Commission budget: ’50 posts in the function group AST may be occupied by officials and temporary staff in the AST/SC function group to reflect the gradual phase-in of the AST/SC function group.’ (p. 955, footnote 1). While the Commission as a whole is set to lose 24 posts, the AST function group is to lose 121 (leaving 4398 permanent staff). No other function group is to decrease in size.*

*Update 26.08.2025 the updated internal competitions time estimates are available under ‘planning’: please note some will take place SOONER than originally stated: don’t miss your chance!*

Original article: We will add the presentation from our February 2025 event here and below you’ll find an extended version of a frequently asked questions (FAQs) based on the questions asked there. Continue reading Secretaries and Clerks (AST/SC) FAQs →

Protecting Our Children’s Mental Health: Urgent Reforms Needed in European Schools

Childcare, diversity & inclusion, Education, Equality, European Schools, Health, Newsletter-2025-02-28, well-being, Working conditions Print This Post

The mental health and well-being of children in European Schools (ESS) should be a top priority for the European Schools as well as for the European institutions. Nevertheless, many parents within our community have raised serious concerns about the lack of psychological support, insufficient supervision, and how the system fails to address emotional distress among students. Continue reading Protecting Our Children’s Mental Health: Urgent Reforms Needed in European Schools →

Teleworking from anywhere: A question of fairness and modernisation in the EU administration

EEAS, Equality, Newsletter-2025-02-28, Teleworking, teleworking from anywhere, well-being, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 26.08.2025 here’s the new link with instructions on how to encode those TWA/TWOPE days, note that even Blue Book trainees can have 5 days.*

Original article: An already-outdated policy in a new era of work? The need for teleworking change, especially within the External Action Service (EEAS) and Brussels (‘HQ’) rules.  In a world where remote work has proven not only feasible but often preferable, the teleworking and teleworking from anywhere (TWA) policies remain a little too rigid and, to many, stuck in the past.

Continue reading Teleworking from anywhere: A question of fairness and modernisation in the EU administration →