*Update 23.09.2025: It’s now official: 50 AST/SCs are to have the (mis)fortune of doing an AST post without the corresponding AST promotion speed or career potential. Check the Draft 2026 Commission budget: ’50 posts in the function group AST may be occupied by officials and temporary staff in the AST/SC function group to reflect the gradual phase-in of the AST/SC function group.’ (p. 955, footnote 1). While the Commission as a whole is set to lose 24 posts, the AST function group is to lose 121 (leaving 4398 permanent staff). No other function group is to decrease in size.* Continue reading Stated aims and reality: AST/SC
Staff Categories
UPDATE: Petition in support of Contract Agents!
Remember our petition in support of Contract Agents from last year? The one that closed 27 November with 1 415 signatures? (Thanks very much for your support!) It’s now with the European Parliament and still moving! Here are details on the next steps[1]. Continue reading UPDATE: Petition in support of Contract Agents!
UPDATE on teleworking in delegations – adapting work practice to a new reality
Generation 2004 wish to update you on teleworking in EU Delegations.
In January 2018, the European External Action Service (EEAS) started a teleworking pilot project in four Delegations. This was possible also thanks to the proactive role of Generation 2004 members who worked closely with the EEAS and the Commission (‘COM’) on this file. By the end of 2019, the number of Delegations covered by teleworking increased from 4 to 24 (out of 143 Delegations and Offices). In the pilot phase, colleagues had the opportunity to apply for occasional teleworking, subject to the approval of their hierarchy. Some Delegations have excluded local agents (LA) assistants and secretaries which is an issue of concern to be addressed. Continue reading UPDATE on teleworking in delegations – adapting work practice to a new reality
AST/SC conference Tuesday 22 June
We will be glad to have you at our AST/SC conference on 22 June 2021 from 12:30 to 14:00 held via Teams (here is the link).
You may wish to read our article Stop the AST/SC exploitation NOW and show your support for our petition to the European Parliament to help our AST/SC colleagues.
The 2021 reclassification appeals season opens Tuesday 22 June, Generation 2004 is here to help
*Please see the frequently asked questions (FAQs) from our promotion appeals conference on how to draft your appeal.*
Every year, the promotion and reclassification procedures, for officials and Contract Agents (CAs) respectively, go through several stages to culminate in formal recognition (or not) for the job performed during the previous years. During the first stage, your DG’s hierarchy put together draft reclassification lists according to the DG quota distribution, and discussed those lists with the staff representation (trade unions and staff associations (OSPs)). This first stage is now over and the DG reclassification lists will be published in Sysper on Tuesday 22 June! Please consult Sysper and check whether you are proposed for reclassification. Continue reading The 2021 reclassification appeals season opens Tuesday 22 June, Generation 2004 is here to help
Stop the AST/SC exploitation NOW
*Update 13.10.2025 Point 6 below, internal competitions: there are to be 3 cross-function-group internal competitions which include AST/SCs, we look forward to seeing the eligibility criteria.*
*Update 23.09.2025: It’s now official: 50 AST/SCs are to have the (mis)fortune of doing an AST post without the corresponding AST promotion speed or career potential. Check the Draft 2026 Commission budget: ’50 posts in the function group AST may be occupied by officials and temporary staff in the AST/SC function group to reflect the gradual phase-in of the AST/SC function group.’ (p. 955, footnote 1). While the Commission as a whole is set to lose 24 posts, the AST function group is to lose 121 (leaving 4398 permanent staff). No other function group is to decrease in size.* Continue reading Stop the AST/SC exploitation NOW
Local agent employment-conditions reform
Here are updates and the review process of the salary-revision decision. Subsequent to the conclusion of the social dialogue for the local agent (LA) employment conditions, which should replace the Framework Rules, all LA colleagues will have until 30 June 2021 to decide whether to sign the package of conditions. If you have any questions or need any assistance, you can contact Generation 2004. Continue reading Local agent employment-conditions reform
AST/SC SC6 the Loch Ness monster of staff grades
*Update 22.11.2024 Statistical Bulletin October 2024 shows that there are currently no AST/SC6 staff, this would support our assertion in [1] below that the 5 AST/SC6 colleagues from 2021 were temporary agents (TAs)**Update 08.07.2021: We will have AST-SC6 colleagues in 2021!*[1]
Continue reading AST/SC SC6 the Loch Ness monster of staff grades
Brexit update: UK-only TA/CA staff: transparency in application of criteria please
A quick update and reminder of the context: the assurances given to staff with UK-only nationality that they ‘will continue their career with the Commission’ post Brexit (19.1.2021) do not apply to our colleagues with time-limited contracts. Decisions on their future are being taken using these criteria on a ‘case-by-case assessment’ with results expected now, in March 2021 [1]. Continue reading Brexit update: UK-only TA/CA staff: transparency in application of criteria please
Certification: you asked, we answer!
You asked us (conference, 28.1.2021) how many assistants (ASTs) successfully complete the certification process (no mean feat!) but do not find an administrator (AD) post.[*] This information is not so readily available but we’re good at digging and we asked HR to fill in some blanks and clear up discrepancies.
We count 1097 successful officials (the certifiés/those ’certified’ as apt [1]) in total from all 15 certification procedures to date (2005-2019 [2]) using HR reports for 2015 and 2019, together with administrative notices. HR confirms this count but provides figures which differ slightly from those published (see updated tables below [3]). Continue reading Certification: you asked, we answer!
