European Mobility Week, the flagship EU awareness raising campaign promoting sustainable ways of moving around in our cities, has come to an end. Despite difficult (Coronavirus…) times, almost 3000 towns and cities from 52 countries worldwide have participated! Continue reading European Mobility Week 2020
z Newsletter article
Contract Agents’ and Assistants’ access to internal competitions: Reply by Director-General Ingestad
In early July, following the announcement of an internal Administrator (AD5) competition tailored only to temporary agents, Generation 2004 addressed a note on Contract Agents’ and Assistants’ access to internal competitions to the Director-General of DG HR, Gertrud Ingestad.
At the same time, we also launched a petition in support of contract agents [1]. Continue reading Contract Agents’ and Assistants’ access to internal competitions: Reply by Director-General Ingestad
CHAFEA risking massive loss of expertise
So far, only one third of our remaining colleagues from the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) have declared their intention to move with their job to Brussels. This leaves two thirds to either change their mind or find an alternative and the clock is ticking (the 2-month deadline for staff to make a decision is fast approaching: accept the transfer or refuse?). Continue reading CHAFEA risking massive loss of expertise
Certification in the JRC – one size does not fit all
The numbers speak an unmistakable language. The success rate of JRC ASTs in the certification procedure is considerably below that of ASTs from other DGs. While JRC’s ASTs accounted for approximately 9.5% of all ASTs in the Commission in 2019 [1], henceforth considered to be the benchmark, their share of certifications is much lower and persistently so (Figure 1): Except for a one-off-high in 2016 with a share of 7% (although still below 9.5%), the share of certifications in other years was much lower. Continue reading Certification in the JRC – one size does not fit all
A national-insurance card for colleagues in the Netherlands
If you work for the Commission in the Netherlands, you might have had some problems in the past with your health care[*], due to the lack of a health-insurance card. This results in additional costs for JSIS members, e.g. the “passantentarief” when you are not registered with a general practitioner (GP) and, since the JSIS does not issue a Dutch health-insurance card, you simply could not register with a practitioner. Continue reading A national-insurance card for colleagues in the Netherlands
Newsletter editorial – 3 July 2020
Welcome to the 3 July 2020 Generation 2004 Newsletter.
Summer is coming! Except, of course, if you are posted in an EU Delegation in the southern hemisphere! But before you go on a well-deserved break: vacation or staycation, we would like to cover a few issues.
First and definitely foremost we cover the recent opening of a new Commission club called “TAs club! CAs and ASTs not allowed!!!” Yes, we are obviously referring to the ongoing Internal Competition, open only to Temporary Agents. To celebrate the event we have launched a long overdue petition in support of Contract Agents and also sent a note to DG HR raising the frustration of both Contact Agents and Assistants, who were summarily excluded from this competition.
We continue with the follow up on the Chafea drama and then, surprise, surprise we cover the fate of our British colleagues in the aftermath of Brexit. Yes, we feel this saga will never end!
We also cover how, no matter what, the Commission bureaucratic cogs and wheels can’t stay still, and despite the COVID-19 crisis still manages to develop and implement rules for missions in a time where these are for the most of it at a standstill…
To cheer us up we do have some good news coming from DG FISMA, where following Generation 2004’s intervention a too restrictive interpretation of the rules on the summer teleworking from abroad was corrected. Thank you DG FISMA!!!
To close this issue, if you are a Commission colleague working in EU Delegations to third countries we invite you to fight for your rights… The EEAS is forcing some colleagues to take annual leave when this shouldn’t be the case.
Finally… Have we mentioned summer is coming? Oh well! Conditions to enjoy it may not be the best this year given the tragic COVID-19 pandemic, but try to enjoy your break as best as possible. To get you started, here is a timeless summertime classic interpreted by Ella and Louis!
Meanwhile, at the Generation 2004 Newsletter headquarters we are also taking off and will be back in September! So long and thank you for all the readings!
Forced leave, a dream… err… a nightmare come true…
Are you a Commission colleague posted in a EU Delegation to a third country and are you coming back to the EU for vacation? Or perhaps you already came to Europe for a short vacation and got stuck due to COVID-19 related travel bans and as a consequence you were put on forced annual leave? Do you feel discriminated when your treatment is compared to the same situation of Commission staff residing in the EU? Continue reading Forced leave, a dream… err… a nightmare come true…
Latest news on the missions perimeter
Coronavirus or not: a serious bureaucracy will not be deterred by such a thing when it comes to inventing new regulations with doubtful benefits and uncertain costs. Never mind that all but essential missions have been cancelled for the time being and that complementary measures – with unknown costs – are still in the making, mission perimeters of various configurations will now be introduced for all JRC sites outside Brussels. Continue reading Latest news on the missions perimeter
Summer teleworking from abroad at DG FISMA
Following Generation 2004’s constructive note to Mr John BERRIGAN, Director-General of DG FISMA, on a too strict interpretation of the DG HR rule allowing teleworking from your “home country” during the summer period , we are glad to inform that DG FISMA has decided to change its position, something we very much appreciated.
In a message recently circulated to FISMA’s staff, a restriction not intended by the general DG HR policy was introduced: Continue reading Summer teleworking from abroad at DG FISMA
Petition in support of Contract Agents!
The recent announcement that the internal Administrator (AD5) competition is tailored to temporary agents is, for the vast majority of EU staff, the straw that broke the camel’s back. Many Contract Agents (CAs) – the most neglected staff category, Assistants (AST) and Secretarial and Clerk Assistants (AST/SC) fulfil the criteria for the competition; excluding them from this career advancement opportunity is a major loss for the European Commission and a major source of frustration for these categories of staff. Continue reading Petition in support of Contract Agents!
