It’s that time of year again and several of you have got in touch to say that your workspace is below the legal minimum temperature of 19°C in Brussels and 20°C in Luxembourg. We raise this point everywhere we can, but so far it is falling on deaf ears. What can we all do about it? We ask you to make some noise. Please contact your proximity team [1] every time you suspect that your work area is below the minimum temperature.
Working conditions
General pension FAQs
*Update 07.11.2025, thanks to the almost 130 colleagues who attended o our event! We have updated the FAQs with your questions! Here’s the presentation. For the guest speaker presentation please click here to request it. Also, please check out EULearn pension training.*
*Update 06.11.2025 our intention is for this list to be searchable, hence the repetition of some information. We link also to a recent PMO presentation on pensions.*
Original article: To supplement our frequently asked questions (FAQs) on pension transfers, we add this FAQ for all of the other questions we receive on pensions in general. Continue reading General pension FAQs
Transfer of pension rights FAQs
*Update 07.11.2025, thanks to the almost 130 colleagues who attended o our event! We have updated the FAQs with your questions! Here’s the presentation. For the guest speaker presentation please click here to request it. Also, please check out EULearn pension training.*
*Update 06.11.2025 our intention is for this list to be searchable, hence the repetition of some information. We link also to a recent PMO presentation on pensions.*
Original article: The pension scheme of the European Union institutions (PSEUI) is for all institutions and most agencies. Check out our general pension FAQ. Regardless of whether you work in the Parliament, Council or Commission and whether you are an official, a Temporary Agent or a Contract Agent (‘statutory staff‘) you are probably making contributions to the PSEUI.
The exception would be local agents[*] and those not directly employed by the institutions, such as seconded national experts. Continue reading Transfer of pension rights FAQs
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
Brussels Childcare Colleagues: Essential role in shaping our children’s development
Generation 2004 is keeping an eye on the ongoing issues at the interinstitutional after-school childcare for the children of staff. The After-school childcare Brussels (Accueil Pédagogique Post-Scholaire (APPS)) is marred by significant issues affecting a part of its staff, who are undervalued and underpaid despite their crucial roles.
Continue reading Brussels Childcare Colleagues: Essential role in shaping our children’s development
The shark attack! Place of origin losses
In the past few months, Generation 2004 published several articles on the Court of Justice’s April 2024 judgement on the place of origin. The issue contested was the 2014 staff regulations reform which moved all places of origin located outside the EU to the capital city of the staff Member State. The colleagues won their case, reinstating the real place of origin. We provided an analysis on repercussions on staff and mentioned that Generation 2004 was in close contact with the administration to mitigate as much as possible the negative effects of the judgement that has negatively affected approximately 300 colleagues. Continue reading The shark attack! Place of origin losses
Reinforcing mobility for contract agents
*Update 17.06.2025: reply from DG HR to our note. Generation2004 has taken a closer look at the potential to change post or DG (‘mobility’) of Contract Agents (both permanent 3A and non-permanent 3B), triggered by the feedback from our members. We are astonished how restrictive and inflexible the system continues to be. We are convinced that a lack of mobility in general hampers career growth which can lead to frustration, demotivation, burnout and contribute to long periods of medical leave. A change is needed!
What happened to the fair share?
*Update 25.09.2024 check out the Opinion from 50+ civil society organisations on the new European Commission and Equality ‘downgrade’ in European Commission dismays rights groups*
Original article: Here we go again, beautiful words that are forgotten at the first hurdle. On the occasion of the naming of the unbalanced new college of Commissioners and in light of the observation that Gender equality is still [at best] 60 years away, Generation 2004 looks back at the declarations the president has made about the changes she identified as necessary, the changes she promised to implement, the fair share she demanded not so long ago… Continue reading What happened to the fair share?
It’s all about our rights!
*Update 28.10.2024 we’ve added a status on the case(s) at the bottom of this article. Thank you all for your support!*
Original article: We start with a story[1]. There was once an EU Member State whose government was repeatedly named as a cause for concern with regards to its record on the rule of law (2020, European Parliament), the rights of women (2022, UN) and those of minorities (2022, Amnesty International) That government was also named as a cause of concern with regards to allegations of oppressing independent journalists and media freedom (2023, MFRR)[2]. Continue reading It’s all about our rights!
