The President has tasked Commissioner Serafin to ensure that Europe can draw on “a modern, efficient public administration” and has invited him to carry out a ‘large-scale review of the Commission’s organisation and operations’. The first question we can already ask is: Who will be the corresponding ‘high-level reflection group’ and what will be the selection process for that group? Continue reading Is Modernisation Just a New Word for Austerity?
z Newsletter article
Newsletter editorial – 08-07-2025
Welcome to our seventh newsletter edition. In this edition, we start with breaking news: we are hiring a secretary and you can now combine parental leave with teleworking abroad. We talk about revisiting the GIPS for Contract Agents and highlight the hidden injustice in EU hiring and call for better prices and food quality in Commission canteens. In the realm of family and personal life, we ask the European Commission to stop discriminating against women on egg freezing and raise the topic of marriage versus partnership. Furthermore, we examine Luxembourg-specific updates, including the housing allowance, JMO2, and EU education allowance and state aid. Finally, we touch on EEAS-specific topics, such as the modernisation of the Delegation Network, the appraisal system reform, the teleworking rights for local agents, as well as what Permanent Representation (should not) know about you. And last but not least, some summer holiday useful tips.
That’s all for now!
Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!
JRC staff policy – high ambitions, ugly realities
Update 07.07.2025: In the meantime, the Head of Unit responsible for sacking the two Contract Agents and previously accused of harassing a number of other colleagues has been proposed for promotion with just two years of seniority in the grade, two years less than the average in that grade. What do we learn from that?
Continue reading JRC staff policy – high ambitions, ugly realities
Brussels Canteens: rising prices, shrinking wages
Price increase confirmed – Generation 2004 calls for support for the most vulnerable. Meal prices in the European Commission’s canteens in Brussels are set to increase by 4.2%, as confirmed by the Head of Unit responsible for the catering in OIB, during the Local Staff Committee Brussels (LSC Brussels) meeting on Tuesday 1 July.
Continue reading Brussels Canteens: rising prices, shrinking wages
EEAS: Reforming the performance appraisal system – Your Voice Matters!
On 30 June, Generation 2004 hosted an open lunchtime brainstorming session on the performance appraisal system in External Action Service (EEAS). Building on internal consultations with our members and staff representatives, we wanted to hear from all colleagues about their real-life experiences and frustrations with the current system.
Continue reading EEAS: Reforming the performance appraisal system – Your Voice Matters!
Qualified but discounted: The hidden injustice in EU hiring
*Update 06.10.2025: the issues outlined below are often called ‘juniorisation‘ within the Commission, but this term is not widely understood.*
Original article: Many colleagues across the EU institutions are increasingly frustrated by outdated and overly rigid eligibility rules in EPSO competitions, institutional vacancy notices and CAST recruitment. One of the most problematic aspects is the requirement that only professional experience acquired after obtaining the minimum required qualification counts toward eligibility.
Continue reading Qualified but discounted: The hidden injustice in EU hiring
Luxembourg: Update on JMO2 – Letter from OIL
“We have recently been informed by the architect in charge of the JMO2 project that we are likely to experience further delays with the delivery of the building.“ sounds the joint message from Mr Quest and Mr Miranda-Vizuete. How did you feel when you read this sentence?
Continue reading Luxembourg: Update on JMO2 – Letter from OIL
Luxembourg: Additional admin – EU education allowance and state aid
Here’s how to navigate an additional administrative burden for those of you in Luxembourg with dependent children in higher (tertiary) education. The assistance available from the Luxembourg state interacts with the EU education allowance in unexpected ways, make sure to avoid surprises! Continue reading Luxembourg: Additional admin – EU education allowance and state aid
What Permanent Representation (should not) know about you?
*Update 25.09.2025 See related supervisory opinion on case 2023-1231.*
Remember our article of 25 September 2024, where we wrote about dubious and questionable (if not illegal) transfers of our personal data to the permanent representation of Member States by DG HR? One of our members, Rafal Stanecki took the matter further.
Continue reading What Permanent Representation (should not) know about you?
Revisiting GIPS: a route for better conditions for contract agents
The current General Implementing Provisions (GIPs) – C(2017)6760 governing the working conditions of Contract Agents (CAs) have been in place since 2017. While these provisions contributed to better alignment of rules between CAs (3a and 3b), they still reflect some systemic inequalities faced by contract staff, who remain the most undervalued and exploited staff category. Continue reading Revisiting GIPS: a route for better conditions for contract agents
