Services

Share Your Sad PMO Allowance Story! – Member’s opinion    

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Are you not getting all the necessary educational allowance information from the other parent? Do you feel that you are being treated unfairly?  Generation 2004 would prefer to share more positive stories about the PMO, but sometimes there are shortcomings that need to be pointed out and acted on! We have come across a case where a parent-official was seconded out of the Commission for four years to discover that the other parent-official was collecting monthly PMO educational allowances during that time without disclosing them. 

Continue reading Share Your Sad PMO Allowance Story! – Member’s opinion     →

Education Expenses Support – call for applications until 7/11/25 

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Are you spending more than 20% of your income in education – You can apply to get support (applications until 7/11/25).  While we often are critical of bad administration practices and approaches, it is fair to mention that EU Institutions have positive programmes to support colleagues in worse situations. 
 Continue reading Education Expenses Support – call for applications until 7/11/25  →

Time for change: out-of-date restrictions on assisted fertility?

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Let the European Institutions lead the way forward, not hold us back with outdated rules.  In a world where medical science is advancing rapidly and professional careers increasingly shape personal timelines, the EU institutions and their Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) must ensure policies keep pace with technical and societal advances and follow the best practices seen in Member States. Commission Decision C(2023) 7673, updates its 2007 predecessor in order to broaden access to parenthood, but does it go far enough?  Continue reading Time for change: out-of-date restrictions on assisted fertility? →

Job Mobility for Contract Agent 3a Staff in Offices: From Better Visibility to Real Opportunities

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Assessing the current situation. Despite existing frameworks for job mobility (as discussed in a previous article), the experience of Contract Agents (CA) under Article 3a of CEOS, particularly those working in the Commission’s Offices[*], reveals persistent structural shortcomings.
 Continue reading Job Mobility for Contract Agent 3a Staff in Offices: From Better Visibility to Real Opportunities →

The €900 Million Question: The Commission’s Building Sell-Off and Its Consequences 

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The European Commission has finalized the sale of 23 office buildings in Brussels for €900 million (Source), marking a significant shift in its real-estate strategy. This move is part of a broader plan to reduce office space by 25% by 2030, to streamline operations, and to align with evolving work habits. Continue reading The €900 Million Question: The Commission’s Building Sell-Off and Its Consequences  →

Navigating the rental market: A call for tenant protections and institutional support

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Brussels, the heart of the European Union, welcomes thousands of newcomers every year: colleagues arriving to take up positions in the institutions. For many, across all Commission sites[1], securing a place to live is one of the first and most critical challenges they face[2]. However, navigating the complex rental system, understanding legal rights and obligations, and dealing with landlords who may not always act in good faith often turn what should be a straightforward process into a stressful and costly ordeal. Continue reading Navigating the rental market: A call for tenant protections and institutional support →

End-of-year checklist 2024

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*Update 19.12.2024 many thanks to the colleague who wrote to clarify that the flu vaccine is no longer reimbursed at 100%.*

Original article: In response to your feedback we try to send this list out a bit earlier in order to give you time to take action. We encourage you to do what you can now in order to be able to use the end-of-year period to rest and to recharge your batteries. This is not an opportunity to get work done!  Please, as far as you can, switch off your devices, mute notifications and disconnect: take the time for you. Continue reading End-of-year checklist 2024 →

ISPRA CANTEEN: Starving for Solutions 

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While the pandemic spelled doom for many of the Commission’s canteens on different sites, the Ispra canteen recovered remarkably well from the effects of Covid, not least thanks to the efforts and dedication of its staff. This success is now under threat. And this time it is not a pandemic, but a combination of delayed decisions Continue reading ISPRA CANTEEN: Starving for Solutions  →

End of service: IT access

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This topic came out of our October sessions on pensions but the information is applicable to anyone leaving the Commission whether that’s at the end of a contract, to retire or for several other reasons. According to your circumstances, you might need access to the IT systems  to submit medical costs, to get certificates or to manage the EU unemployment allowance[1]. Continue reading End of service: IT access →