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Annual salary update 2023 

Newsletter - 2023-11-14, PMO, Staff Categories, yearly salary update Print This Post

*Update 13.12.2023, those who took time credit leave  while also making full pension contributions will have seen a (small) drop in salary in December.* Update 17.11.2023 many of you got in touch to mention the end of the solidarity levy. Unfortunately, this is extremely unlikely to happen, but we do always appreciate your input, please continue to send us your ideas and sources thanks!*

Original article: The news is out, Eurostat has published its report on the 2023 annual update and the residual salary update amounts to +1.0%, after the intermediate update from June.  This is far better than what we had hoped for, so this good news. Continue reading Annual salary update 2023  →

Language choice in EPSO competitions – beware the consequences of automatic translation

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*16.11.2023, thanks to the colleague who confirmed that the disinformation/misinformation issue outlined in footnote 1 has since been fixed.* Original article: For some time already, EPSO is moving towards monolingualism: we are seeing  competitions that are by-and-large English-only. This appears to completely disregard the 16.02.2023 outcome of the EPSO case where the Court of Justice confirmed the unlawfulness of artificially restricting the choice of the second language of competitions to 3 languages: English, French and German. Continue reading Language choice in EPSO competitions – beware the consequences of automatic translation →

New guide for Mission: Impossible

Mobility and Climate, Multiannual financial framework (MFF), New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-11-14 Print This Post

Going on business travel soon? Beware, it could become Mission: Impossible!

Generation 2004 is currently negotiating the new draft mission guide tabled by the administration, and we believe that the proposed changes to mission rules create additional burden for the mission performer that is simply unacceptable. Continue reading New guide for Mission: Impossible →

Commission Representations rotate anticlockwise? I

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*Update 01.02.2024, thanks to all of you who participated in our survey, we will publish the results soon!* Original article: One of the advantages of working for a European institution is the possibility it offers to make a career doing different jobs in different countries … at least in theory. The colleagues working in a Commission Representation in a Member State need a rather unique combination of policy, operational and linguistic skills that can make such posts hard to fill. Continue reading Commission Representations rotate anticlockwise? I →

Welcome to the Hotel Commission

Cost of living Luxembourg, EPSO, Internal Competitions, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-11-14 Print This Post

*Update 23.11.2023, thanks to the colleagues who shared their ideas on this situation, we have added their observations below.*

Original article: Luxembourg is a great place to work,  you just have to find somewhere to live first! In its increasingly desperate attempts to do nothing of substance (12 actions for Luxembourg, for example), while still claiming to be working on increasing the attractivity of Luxembourg as a workplace, the Commission now seems to have resorted to the roadmap set out in a classic song. Continue reading Welcome to the Hotel Commission →

Newsletter editorial – 10-10-2023

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Welcome to this tenth edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter. We give you an update on the closure of the childcare facilities at Grange and on whether the proposed increase in paternity leave provision (with a catch) is really what we asked for. This links to the recent development of Member States ‘gifting’ of pension contributions to individuals during periods of economic inactivity (e.g. caring responsibilities) and we share with you why the institutions are a little behind the times on this topic. HR appears to have agreed to open internal competitions to those who have the qualifications and experience, without limiting them to function group, we are hopeful that this might be genuinely inclusive. We have a new survey to ask about your perception of your career prospects at the Commission, we have a look at the certification exercise and we ask you to please request your full quota of 10 TWA days: show that they are useful!

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

Event: certification – mission (nearly) impossible

Assistants, Certification, Events, Newsletter - 2023-10-10 Print This Post

*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 Event: certification – mission (nearly) impossible →

Please use your 10 days of teleworking from outside the place of employment!

Leave, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-10-10, Social Dialogue, Teleworking, teleworking from anywhere Print This Post

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

Original article: If you still haven’t used up all your days of teleworking from anywhere (TWA)[*] do not forget to file the request in Sysper as soon as possible. Here’s how to do it. We know of no plans to extend the validity of the 2023 days beyond the end-of-year deadline (the 2021 days could be used until 15.01.2022). Please at least request your full 2023 quota of days, even if you’re not 100% sure that you’ll use them: HR is looking at how many days are left over. Continue reading Please use your 10 days of teleworking from outside the place of employment! →

Breaking Barriers: AST/SC colleagues may change function group?

Assistants, Brussels, EPSO, Newsletter - 2023-10-10, Professional mobility, Promotions, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Categories Print This Post

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

Original article: While we are thrilled to announce that our efforts have contributed to the announcement by DG HR, that in future, colleagues might have the opportunity to change function groups through internal competitions, it remains to be seen whether this inclusiveness is genuine or something which exists in theory only.  The wording of the announcement is for movement ‘within each function group’ but it does also mention specialised competitions which might include a ‘wider mix of staff categories and function groups’; a measured success.

Continue reading Breaking Barriers: AST/SC colleagues may change function group? →

Your career matters to us – Answer the Survey & help us help you!

Assistants, Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2023-10-10, Secretaries and clerks, Temporary Agents, Working conditions Print This Post

Are you an assistant (AST), secretary/clerk (AST/SC)[1], Contract Agent (CA) or Temporary agent (TA)?
As the representative body for all staff, it is our mission to ensure that you have the information you need to make informed choices and to ensure that your expertise, roles, and opportunities for growth are recognised and valued in a fair and equitable manner. 

Continue reading Your career matters to us – Answer the Survey & help us help you! →