Are you spending more than 20% of your income in education – You can apply to get support (applications until 7/11/25). While we often are critical of bad administration practices and approaches, it is fair to mention that EU Institutions have positive programmes to support colleagues in worse situations.
Continue reading Education Expenses Support – call for applications until 7/11/25
z Newsletter article
Commission doubles down: You don’t own your mobile phone any longer
*Update 08.10.2025: the information below was correct at the time of publication. Subsequent (unpublished) changes might have made some parts obsolete: when we receive communication detailing the changes we’ll update this article.*
As explained in our event “Who owns your mobile phone?”, the Commission is not just setting a questionable example of unsuccessfully respecting staff privacy, it is doubling down on that choice and working on granting itself formal permission to commandeer your mobile phone. The Commission is in the process of drafting a formal decision. Continue reading Commission doubles down: You don’t own your mobile phone any longer
Training offer: AST – Certification interview
Generation 2004, in collaboration with Yasemos Europeos, is offering online trainings to assist you in preparing for the Certification Interviews. The training is in EN, the registrations are on a “first come first served” basis and there is a special rate for all colleagues who want to register. Additionaly to the below training offer, here is a free video. Continue reading Training offer: AST – Certification interview
From Staff matters to Staff Center : Master the new platform like a pro!
*Update 09.10.2025: here is the recording The Q&A will follow. Are you feeling lost in the jungle when you are navigating on our Intranet pages? The new Staff Center homepage serves as your central access point for essential services and information related to IT, Logistics, Buildings, Human Resources (staff matters), and personal or family matters.
Continue reading From Staff matters to Staff Center : Master the new platform like a pro!
EEAS: Serving in the European Union’s diplomatic service
Serving in the European Union’s diplomatic service, particularly in EU Delegations around the world, is a role rich with complexity and significance. These delegations are the global outposts of the European External Action Service (EEAS), tasked with representing the EU in myriad geopolitical contexts. Continue reading EEAS: Serving in the European Union’s diplomatic service
Newsletter editorial – 11-09-2025
Welcome to our eighth newsletter edition. In this edition, we invite you to join an inspiring lunchtime conference with a guest speaker, and we highlight key staff concerns: mobility for Contract Agents 3a, equal recognition for language exams, and the shortcomings of multiple-choice tests. We also share our practical guide to preparing for competitions, shed light on what staff representatives actually do, and revisit the debate on teleworking from abroad. Finally, we take a critical look at the Commission’s so-called “modernisation” and what it might really mean for staff.
That’s all for now!
Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!
Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speaker
*Update 30.09.2025: Here is the recording and the presentation. From stress to success – tell yourself a better story with Andreea HINCU. Very passionate about the human behaviour, Andreea has always been curious to discover the secrets of how our brain functions. She is a Clinical Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) Hypnotherapist, and she comes to share with us the magic of our subconscious mind, in order to become the successful person you‘ve always wanted to be. Continue reading Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speaker
Mobility for contract agents 3a: priority that cannot be ignored
The subject of the internal job market and the lack of real opportunities for Contract Agents to move post (‘job mobility’) has already been raised in earlier discussions, and we have exchanged views with the administration. In our opinion it requires further attention (details of the exchange are listed under ‘references’, below this article), particularly concerning the situation of CA 3a colleagues, who regularly approach us with their concerns and frustrations. We feel it is important to restate our concerns on this matter, given the on-going challenges faced by colleagues. Continue reading Mobility for contract agents 3a: priority that cannot be ignored
Equal recognition for language exams
*Update 18.09.2025: we’ve added a language-level-equivalence table below, many thanks to the reader who provided this. *
Original article: Here’s one more issue raised by staff: Generation 2004 was contacted by colleagues across different staff categories, including Contract Agents 3b, who were refused permission to attend in-person final exams for the in-house 12-level language courses. One reason given was that at this stage they are not required to validate their third language under the staff regulations or Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS).
Continue reading Equal recognition for language exams
Multiple-choice tests under scrutiny
The use of multiple-choice tests (multiple choice questions (MCQ) and computer-based tests (CBT)) in internal and EPSO competitions has come under fire due to concerns over their effectiveness and fairness. These tests, which are widely used to assess candidates’ knowledge and skills, have been found to have several pitfalls, including technical issues, translation problems, and, above all, poorly designed questions. Continue reading Multiple-choice tests under scrutiny
