z Newsletter article

Stop the phasing out of the AST function group!

Assistants, Newsletter - 2021-10-08, Newsletter - 2021-10-12, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Categories, Staff Regulations Reform Print This Post

*Update 23.09.2025: check the Draft 2026 Commission budget (p. 954-955). 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.*

Original article: A brief history of assistants, secretaries and clerks in the European Commission

Since 2018 Generation 2004 has been warning of and working against the phasing out of the assistants (AST) function group (FG) and the placing of all AST staff in ‘transition’. To better understand the issues at stake, we need to briefly examine the history and evolution of assistants, secretaries and clerks (AST/SC) in the European Commission.  Continue reading Stop the phasing out of the AST function group! →

EPSO CBT training offer: October 2021

Events, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, Training Print This Post

*Update 18.10.2021: online free resources added below*

Generation 2004 is organising more computer-based multiple-choice test (CBT) training in English for 4/8/11/14 October (4 x 2 hour sessions) to provide you with techniques to pass the CBT phase of any European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) competition. We expect new competitions to be published very soon (within the next few days) (check ongoing selection procedures for CBT dates).

The final objective of this training is to guarantee that candidates master the CBT methodology. The training sessions will go through the theory of the exercises and share a practical methodology and exercises for practice at home, with the possibility of addressing doubts in the following session. Continue reading EPSO CBT training offer: October 2021 →

Sign our petition to stop the obligatory return to the office (and FAQs)

COVID-19, FAQs, Newsletter - 2021-09-20, return to the office-new normal Print This Post

*update 27.10.2021 the Belgian national authorities: from Friday 29.10.2021: ‘Teleworking is strongly recommended for all staff members of companies, associations and service providers, unless this is not possible due to the nature of the business or service.’

We at Generation 2004 believe that it is premature to push on with Phase 3 of the Tentative plan for gradual return to the office before the worries and issues voiced by staff are addressed. While we fully understand and support the need for many to go back to the office, we request that this be made voluntary and that the Commission postpone the obligation to return.

Continue reading Sign our petition to stop the obligatory return to the office (and FAQs) →

Newsletter editorial – 20-9-2021

Editorial, Newsletter - 2021-09-20 Print This Post

There is a lot going on right now in the Commission.

Staff are being pushed back to the office without any regard to the specificity of sites like Brussels, where the pandemic is still making the Brussels region to be considered red – please help us stop it.

Teleworking from anywhere (TWA) is also a hot subject that has finally caught the eye of other trade unions… (too little too late?) This is also a matter that is currently being discussed in the context of the New HR Strategy and that we would like to have your opinion on.

Furthermore, in this edition we publish four articles related to staff’s health and  well-being. We cover the annual medical check-up, the situation when you may fall ill during leave, what the state of play is in accessing your medical service records and finally how the Commission discriminates against persons with disabilities.

Enjoy the reading and, as usual, let us know if we can help with anything!

Teleworking from Anywhere: facts vs. fiction

Elections, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2021-09-20, Social Dialogue, Teleworking, teleworking from anywhere Print This Post

Teleworking has been on the Commission HR work patterns menu for many, many years as a valuable tool to ensure a good work-life balance. With the Covid-19 pandemic, we have witnessed an unprecedented use of this way of working.    

Obviously, at some point a question arose: Why not teleworking from anywhere?   Continue reading Teleworking from Anywhere: facts vs. fiction →

Newsletter editorial – 8-9-2021

Editorial, Newsletter - 2021-09-08 Print This Post

Welcome to the first post-summer newsletter. We look at digital overload, burnout and back to the office, we thank all of those involved in the Afghanistan evacuation and we present two promotions-related articles, one on the unfair distribution of quotas and one on the promises made to our colleagues in the medical service. We also have articles on the changes which have already taken place related to the post-Brexit annual travel allowance and the financial rights related to breakups.  We propose electoral changes in order to improve transparency and propose further dates for CBT training, ready for new competitions.

That’s all for now, we hope you will enjoy the reading and, as usual, we invite you to let us know what you think or to get in touch if we can help you in any way or there’s something you’d like to see us address.

Digital overload, burnout and back to the office

additional teleworking costs, COVID-19, Health, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, return to the office-new normal, Surveys, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 04.01.2024 Even in 2016 smartphones were seen to add 11 hours of work to the average week.* Original article:  We invite you to participate in our survey on workload, digital overload and burnout. The Working time and hybrid working decision (issued July 2021) setting out the proposed ‘new normal’ with its ‘disconnection bandwidth’ is still under discussion (follow-up meeting with HR 8 September) and we’d like to have your most recent, post-summertime input, especially in light of the move to Phase 3 of the return to the office strategy announced for Monday 20 September for all Commission sites [1]. Continue reading Digital overload, burnout and back to the office →

Thanks for your support for colleagues in Afghanistan!

EEAS, Local Agents, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, Petition Print This Post

Thanks very much to the colleagues who joined our petition and expressed their support and solidarity. We acknowledge also the huge effort made by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission to provide information and updates in this very extreme situation : they reacted quickly to sort through the avalanche of information they received and take appropriate action. Continue reading Thanks for your support for colleagues in Afghanistan! →