Contract Agents

Reclassification and promotion exercises 2024 : Congratulations

Generation 2004 wishes to congratulate all Contract Agents 3a for their well-deserved advancement (‘reclassification‘), together with the officials and local agents in representations who were promoted. We trust our webinar on drafting self-appraisals, our support to individual requests from colleagues to review their self-assessments and our advice on how to draft an appeal helped in the reclassification exercise. 

Continue reading Reclassification and promotion exercises 2024 : Congratulations

Reducing budgetary loss while granting fairer contract agents contracts  

The importance of Contract Agents to the Commission.  Contract Agents play a crucial role in the functioning of the European Commission. They provide specialised support across a wide range of areas and contribute significantly to the achievement of the institution’s objectives. Their expertise is indispensable, and they often perform tasks that are vital to the daily operations of various departments.  However, despite their importance, Contract Agents are not always sufficiently appreciated or valued.  Continue reading Reducing budgetary loss while granting fairer contract agents contracts  

The first staff regulation reform: a new underclass (long read)

*Update 15.01.2025, Here’s our December note on the technical difficulties in application process in a call for expression of interest for the internal competition JPP14 (French and German as language 2).*

*Update 20.12.2024, Here’s our Note to HR on European Court of Auditors Special report: European Court of Auditors, 2024, Special report 24/2024EU Civil service–A flexible employment framework, insufficiently used to improve workforce management* Continue reading The first staff regulation reform: a new underclass (long read)

Free conference: Contract Agents career & Review of the Temporary Staff decision

*Update 20.12.2024, Here’s our Note to HR on European Court of Auditors Special report.pdf

*Update 02.12.2024* Here are the recording and the presentation 1 and 2

Original article: Do you need clarification concerning the career of Contract Agents? Would you like to learn more about the career duration and current options available for advancement? Have you heard about the 7-year rule and ever wondered what it implies in practice and how it has been recently applied?

Continue reading Free conference: Contract Agents career & Review of the Temporary Staff decision

‘Contract agents collective’ petition: to sign or not to sign?  

*Update 20.12.2024, Here’s our Note to HR on European Court of Auditors Special report.pdf.*

Original article: Many of you will have recently received a message from a ‘contract agents collective’ and lots are reaching out to us for more details on this initiative and to ask whether we recommend signing the petition. Despite some informal, last-minute communication, this petition has come a little out of the blue to us. 

Continue reading Contract Agents collective’ petition: to sign or not to sign?  

Challenges of unpaid leave for contract agents 

Are you a contract agent or temporary agent who needs time off and annual leave is not enough? Are you considering applying for unpaid leave? Or perhaps you have submitted a request that was denied? Based on feedback from our members, we are examining the complexities surrounding unpaid leave for personal reasons. 

Continue reading Challenges of unpaid leave for Contract Agents 

Longer and sustainable careers for contracts agents 

*Update 21.11.2024 check out the European Court of Auditors, 2024, Special report 24/2024EU Civil service–A flexible employment framework, insufficiently used to improve workforce management: it concludes that ‘While the recruitment of temporary staff has proven an effective and flexible way to deal with the shortage of successful candidates on EPSO reserve lists, it carries some risks for business continuity and knowledge management, and as such cannot be a viable long-term solution‘ (Paragraph 100)*

Continue reading Longer and sustainable careers for contracts agents 

End of service: IT access

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

JRC event: pension rights

*** Update: You can find the presentation of the conference here. ***

Generation 2004 would like to invite you to a conference for staff in JRCs sites  dedicated to the topic:  ‘Everything you always wanted to know about Pensions rights’.

This conference will follow the regular Lunchtime conference on Pensions Transfer Out, the two events are independent, but together will give a wide overlook on Pensions rights in the European Commission. Continue reading JRC event: pension rights

Unemployment fund in top shape: Will non-permanent staff contributions decrease?

Did you know that every 2 years the Commission is expected to present a report on the financial situation of the EU unemployment insurance scheme? The last one issued in February 2024 covers the period between 2017 and 2022. You might find it interesting… 

EU unemployment fund: for whom and on what terms? 

The EU unemployment allowance is intended for former temporary agents (TA), Contract Agents (CA), or accredited parliamentary assistants (APAs) following termination of their service with a European Union institution. Continue reading Unemployment fund in top shape: Will non-permanent staff contributions decrease?