Staff Categories

Lunchtime event: Contract Agents: key challenges and recent developments

Contract Agents, Events, Newsletter-2025-10-30

*Update 30.10.2025, here’s the promised Contract Agent FAQs.*

*Update 29.10.2025: here is the recording and the slides.

Original article: Generation 2004 is here again to help you to know the rules that apply to you as a Contract Agents (CAs). We want you to make the best decisions you can with the information available. In the hybrid event below we plan to have around 1.5 hours to address your CA questions. We intend to gather all of your questions to make a Contract Agent frequently asked questions (FAQs) for our website. Continue reading Lunchtime event: Contract Agents: key challenges and recent developments →

Training offer: EPSO AST3 in Communication – Exam exercises

Assistants, EPSO, Newsletter-2025-10-07, Staff Categories, Training

Our Training partner Yasemos Europeos, has a special  offer with a 10% discount rate for our members. The package contains: self-study exam packages for practising the different tests.  There are 2 package options available:  EXAM 1 + PRE-EXAM session (live online via ZOOM, link will be published in participants training platform profiles) EXAM 1 (only 1 mock exam for practice with NO pre-exam session).
Continue reading Training offer: EPSO AST3 in Communication – Exam exercises →

Internal Competitions 2025: A Missed Promise of Inclusion 

diversity & inclusion, EPSO, Equality, Internal Competitions, Newsletter-2025-10-07, Staff Categories

Many of you contacted us about the publication of the second of the promised internal competitions: the specialist AD7/AD9 financial risk management. We agree, we too were disappointed: this was not the new approach for internal competitions announced in February 2025, that of internal competitions being open to colleagues from other function groups (yes, the Parliament’s been doing this for years, but at the Commission it’s new).  Continue reading Internal Competitions 2025: A Missed Promise of Inclusion  →

Reforming Promotion Practices for Fairness and Transparency

EEAS, Professional mobility, Promotions, reclassification, Staff Categories, Working conditions

In recent discussions, a pressing issue has reemerged regarding the current promotion/reclassification practices in general and those within the External Action Service (EEAS) in particular. It has again come to light that the existing process poses several challenges, not only for staff members being evaluated, but also for those responsible for evaluating promotions/reclassifications. Continue reading Reforming Promotion Practices for Fairness and Transparency →

Savings gone too far? A need for more and better contract agent advancement 

CA screening, Commission services, Contract Agents, Cost of living Luxembourg, Newsletter-2025-10-07, OIB

First a bit of context, Contract Agent (CA) colleagues (3A and 3B together) are now 24.5% of Commission staff, that is, CAs are the second-biggest group of staff (behind the biggest group of all: administrator (AD) officials).  For some time now there are more CAs than assistants (ASTs) (counting both AST officials and AST temporary agents) and yet the CA salary, job security and advancement possibilities in general remain limited in comparison to other categories of staff. Continue reading Savings gone too far? A need for more and better contract agent advancement  →

AST/SC – Forgotten in Delegation while the Commission does its own thing? 

Assistants, Equality, Newsletter-2025-10-07, Professional mobility, Secretaries and clerks, Vacancy, Working conditions

In a recent internal communication on the 2026 Delegation rotation exercise [*], the European Commission announced opportunities for AST and AD staff to take up posts in European External Action Service (EEAS) Delegations around the world. Yet, one function group was (again) clearly overlooked. AST/SC staff are not even mentioned there, you have to dig to find any mention of this function group. Continue reading AST/SC – Forgotten in Delegation while the Commission does its own thing?  →

Training offer: AST – Certification interview

Assistants, Certification, Events, Newsletter-2025-10-07, Staff Categories, Training

Generation 2004, in collaboration with Yasemos Europeos, is offering online trainings  to assist you in preparing for the Certification Interviews.   The training is in EN, the registrations are on a “first come first served” basis and there is a special rate for all colleagues who want to register.  Additionaly to the below training offer, here is a free video. Continue reading Training offer: AST – Certification interview →

Certification: Free conference

Assistants, Certification, Events, Staff Categories, Training

**Update 02.10.2025: check our training offer for AST Certifiction interview (limited spots) *Update 30.09.2025 : Here are the presentation and the recording. The deadline for applications to the  certification process  of this year is Monday 29th  September at 23:59 (Brussels time).  For the Commission there will be a maximum of 50 AST 5 (step 2 and higher) colleagues who will have the chance to be selected to potentially join the AD function group after intensive training and examinations. Continue reading Certification: Free conference →

Free Training – EPSO AD7 Building Management (4 fields)

Administrators, EPSO, Events, Training

*update 30.09.2024 : Here is the recording and the presentation Generation 2004, in collaboration with Yasemos Europeos, is happy to offer you a free online training webinar where we will analyse the new selection procedure announced in EPSO/AD/425/25 – Administrators (AD 7) for experts in the Building management area (4 different fields).
 Continue reading Free Training – EPSO AD7 Building Management (4 fields) →

EEAS: Serving in the European Union’s diplomatic service

diversity & inclusion, EEAS, Equality, Newsletter-2025-10-07, Staff Categories, Working conditions

Serving in the European Union’s diplomatic service, particularly in EU Delegations around the world, is a role rich with complexity and significance. These delegations are the global outposts of the European External Action Service (EEAS), tasked with representing the EU in myriad geopolitical contexts. Continue reading EEAS: Serving in the European Union’s diplomatic service →