Talking about privileged officials (some dare to call them “fat cats”, one wonders why), a transitional measure of the 2014 reform of the staff regulations that has received little attention thus far, is the creation of 2 new steps for AD12 and AD13 grades. AD13s, for instance, will now be able to reach step 7, instead of the maximum of step 5 before 1 January 2014. In financial terms, this will translate into a monthly salary almost €500 higher than what was possible before. As a result, the beneficiaries will be able to reach the same salary as an AD14 step 1 with no need for a promotion. They will mostly be senior AD12/AD13, many of them having already reached the end of career grade of A4/8 before the 2004 reform, in case they are not able to land upon a “Senior Expert” (see above) position. Continue reading Generation Edith Cresson: how to ensure beyond any reasonable doubt that none of the elite suffers any hunger-pains
Promotions
Speakers’ Corner: Sprachenpolitik / in / les institutions européennes
NEW – the “Speakers’ Corner”
Beginning with this edition of our newsletter, the “speakers’ corner” is intended to provide a space where anyone can express an individual opinion which does not necessarily have to be the official opinion of Generation 2004. Please send us your contributions for coming editions.
The somewhat inconsistent sprachenpolitik dans les institutions européennes – a politically incorrect proposal for refurbishing the tower of Babel – by “the rock” from Ispra
One of the lesser known features of the 2004 staff regulations reform was the introduction of what is commonly known as the third language requirement. In the beautiful prose of the legislator, it is stated that “officials shall be required to demonstrate before their first promotion after recruitment the ability to work in a third language among those referred
to in … the EC Treaty.” Continue reading Speakers’ Corner: Sprachenpolitik / in / les institutions européennes
Promotions 2014
As you know, over the past days we have communicated with you extensively (see here) on promotions, not only as regards this (2014) exercise, but on the whole rotten 2004-2014 decade.
An administrative notice published on 14 November (see here) lists those officials being promoted this year: CONGRATULATIONS to all promoted colleagues. Continue reading Promotions 2014
Internal competitions (ICs) and promotions: bad habits never die
- Participation rates of up to 28 colleagues per post (a mere 3% probability of success…) in the internal competitions demonstrate the urgent need for a comprehensive and holistic remedy to the injustice brought about by the 2004 reform and its aftermath. Moreover, figures also show that the probability of success varies widely between grades and fields. Generally speaking, the higher your starting grade, the higher your chances. Also, choosing HR and budget management as your field was apparently a good idea. Another inexplicable feature of these ICs is the imposed minimum grades, comparable only with introducing minimum income as eligibility criteria in open competitions. Generation2004 is working on an in-depth assessment of the ICs which will give more details and also highlight the major shortcoming of the IC in comparison to the Generation2004 proposal tabled earlier this year.
Continue reading Internal competitions (ICs) and promotions: bad habits never die
