*Update 07.08.2024: answer from HR to our note. Generation 2004 wrote to DG HR to point out a disparity in treatment faced by colleagues involved in the Selection Boards of Competitions. Those present on these boards represent either the staff representation or our own HR (‘the administration’) and all of them invest a considerable time and effort.
Working conditions
Social security fairness for non-permanent staff
***Update 30.07.2024 DG HR position on the payment of unemployment insurance by CAs on permanent (‘indeterminate duration’) contracts (3A)***
Generation2004 believes that the regulation governing social security contributions and pensions can be tricky, to say the least. Unlike officials, contract and temporary agents find themselves subject to additional deductions labelled as CCA ‘Unemployment insurance (personal contribution)’ code on their payslip, referring specifically to unemployment insurance Continue reading Social security fairness for non-permanent staff
Securing pensions for Contract & Temporary Agents during unemployment
*Update 12.03.2025 refusing a contract renewal is counted as resigning, this is not new, but the information could be made clearer.*
Original article: Your Contract Agent CA3B (or a different non-permanent) contract at the European Commission has ended. Despite your determination to continue contributing to the EU project, you can no longer work directly for the Commission (e.g. you have reached six years as CA3B). You can work for another institution or for the Commission, but on a different contract than CA3B.
Continue reading Securing pensions for Contract & Temporary Agents during unemployment
Automatic declarations of Belgian Third-party allowances announced by PMO
European Union staff has the right to 3 types of family allowances: household allowance, dependent child allowance, school allowance. The statutory provisions (articles 67 § 2 and article 68 § 2 of the staff regulations) foresee rules against the overlapping of all family allowances granted by the European Union and received from other sources.
Continue reading Automatic declarations of Belgian Third-party allowances announced by PMO
Are interpreters being listened to?
New technologies do not always bring benefits for everybody. One of the collateral victims of more digitalisation are interpreters. The job of an Interpreter was already difficult in the “old” days of meetings in situ, with interpreters working from booths in the conference room where delegates negotiated EU policies.
Summer holiday 2024 checklist (Tips)
For those of you who remain in the office keeping the Commission standing (thanks!), please check out the heatwave instructions for dealing with hot Offices and the list of buildings to be temporarily closed under Buildings Energy Saving Together (BEST) 2024[1]. Read our related article on how these closures undermine that working from home is voluntary.*
Empowering contract agents: Generation 2004 calls for amendments to 7- year rule
***Update 15.10.2025 DG HR position on the application of the anti-cumulation (‘7-year’) rule***
Original article: We would like to inform you that following your numerous and regular questions concerning the 7-year rule (originally 6-year rule)[1] which applies to Contract Agents (CA) 3B, we submitted an official note to the administration requesting clarification on its application and ultimately the extension of the 7-year rule by 3 additional years. The rationale behind this request is clear, but we know that 10 years is generally avoided since this is the threshold for entitlement to an EU pension.
Continue reading Empowering contract agents: Generation 2004 calls for amendments to 7- year rule
Streamlining the Family Allowance Process: A Welcome Change for EU Staff in Belgium
*Update 08.07.2024. We will not claim that PMO reacted to our note of May and implemented the new system within this one month. But we do believe that we gave a bit of a push. Lately, the European Union’s Paymaster’s Office (PMO) has been under scrutiny due to prolonged delays in processing school fee reimbursements and third-party allowances.
Continue reading Streamlining the Family Allowance Process: A Welcome Change for EU Staff in Belgium
How to identify a fake interview: the workshop you will never find in “Career Days”
Why have we decided to write this article? We all know mobility in the Commission is exemplary (look at the precise targeting of some internal competitions). We also know all job interviews in the Commission endeavour to follow the highest standards of transparency with the sole objective to find the best candidate for the job. Talent and Career Development! People First! Continue reading How to identify a fake interview: the workshop you will never find in “Career Days”
Think twice before sharing your mobile with … the Commission
It is not the first time that we warn on the progressive intrusion into staff privacy by the administration. Generation 2004 and the rest of the staff representation is firmly against these practices. This time we want to warn you not of a forced intrusion, but one that you might be tolerating without being aware of the consequences. Continue reading Think twice before sharing your mobile with … the Commission
