The mental health and well-being of children in European Schools (ESS) should be a top priority for the European Schools as well as for the European institutions. Nevertheless, many parents within our community have raised serious concerns about the lack of psychological support, insufficient supervision, and how the system fails to address emotional distress among students. Continue reading Protecting Our Children’s Mental Health: Urgent Reforms Needed in European Schools
Working conditions
Teleworking from anywhere: A question of fairness and modernisation in the EU administration
*Update 26.08.2025 here’s the new link with instructions on how to encode those TWA/TWOPE days, note that even Blue Book trainees can have 5 days.*
Original article: An already-outdated policy in a new era of work? The need for teleworking change, especially within the External Action Service (EEAS) and Brussels (‘HQ’) rules. In a world where remote work has proven not only feasible but often preferable, the teleworking and teleworking from anywhere (TWA) policies remain a little too rigid and, to many, stuck in the past.
Why is Generation 2004 calling for a political concertation?
*Update 24.02.2025, Brussels staff, check the electoral roll: if your name is on there then you can vote!*
Original article: On 18 February 2025, Generation 2004 and other Trade Unions, called for a political concertation[1] with Commissioner SERAFIN (Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration) on the draft decision amending Decision C(2013) 9049 on policies for the engagement and use of temporary staff[2].
Continue reading Why is Generation 2004 calling for a political concertation?
Conference – Finding peace in family conflict: The power of mediation
Are you:
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- Facing a divorce or separation and would like to go through it in a peaceful way?
- Willing to clarify your relationship by a clear and efficient communication with your spouse or partner?
- Lost on how to cope with any kind of other familiar conflict?
- Or just want to know more about this subject?
Our guest Mário Tenreiro, one of our colleagues, is a certified Mediator with a specialty in Family Mediation. He will be happy to share his knowledge and answer your questions. Continue reading Conference – Finding peace in family conflict: The power of mediation
The €900 Million Question: The Commission’s Building Sell-Off and Its Consequences
The European Commission has finalized the sale of 23 office buildings in Brussels for €900 million (Source), marking a significant shift in its real-estate strategy. This move is part of a broader plan to reduce office space by 25% by 2030, to streamline operations, and to align with evolving work habits. Continue reading The €900 Million Question: The Commission’s Building Sell-Off and Its Consequences
Navigating the rental market: A call for tenant protections and institutional support
Brussels, the heart of the European Union, welcomes thousands of newcomers every year: colleagues arriving to take up positions in the institutions. For many, across all Commission sites[1], securing a place to live is one of the first and most critical challenges they face[2]. However, navigating the complex rental system, understanding legal rights and obligations, and dealing with landlords who may not always act in good faith often turn what should be a straightforward process into a stressful and costly ordeal. Continue reading Navigating the rental market: A call for tenant protections and institutional support
Teleworking and Wellbeing: Time to put Human Care First!
*Update 26.08.2025 here’s the new link with instructions on how to encode those TWA days, note that even Blue Book trainees can have 5 days.*
Original article: Since 2020, Generation 2024 has been advocating for more flexible rules on teleworking, both from the place of employment and from everywhere. At the end of 2023, during the review of the Decision on Working Time and Hybrid Working (WTHW), the administration missed a key opportunity to sit at the table with the staff representatives to analyse results and negotiate some final modifications to the decision to address the issues that remained outstanding, such as the additional costs of working from home. Continue reading Teleworking and Wellbeing: Time to put Human Care First!
EEAS: The Future of Housing in EU Delegations: A Call for Fair and Transparent Reform
The housing policy for EU Delegations has long been a critical element in ensuring the efficiency, well-being, and security of staff posted to more than 144 locations across the globe. However, recent discussions about a potential reform of the housing policy have raised serious concerns among colleagues, particularly regarding the motivations behind this review and its potential impact on staff morale, effectiveness, and living conditions. Continue reading EEAS: The Future of Housing in EU Delegations: A Call for Fair and Transparent Reform
The Frosty Chronicles: Navigating the EU Institution’s Subzero Realities
As winter descended, so does the new norm for EU staff: embracing the glacial reality of a target of 19°C in Brussels workspaces (a balmy 20°C in Luxembourg), leaving many buildings well below those targets. HR sources cite national law of host Member State of EU institutions for this limit, suggesting that they would lower the temperatures further if the law allowed it. For those of you not in the loop, this provision ensures that public buildings toe the line in terms of energy-use reductions (‘efficiency’). But while the thermostat complies, it’s the staff who shiver. Jackets, scarves, and an abundance of hot tea have become unofficial office attire and tools of survival. Continue reading The Frosty Chronicles: Navigating the EU Institution’s Subzero Realities
10 Postulates for fairness – A better future for Contract Agents
Generation 2004 has been at the forefront of advocating for Contract Agents, consistently pushing for fairer employment conditions, better career prospects, and greater recognition of their contributions. Over the years, we have actively engaged with the administration, raising awareness of the systemic challenges contract agents face: barriers to career advancement, limited access to internal competitions, unfair contractual terms, and restricted mobility within the institution. Continue reading 10 Postulates for fairness – A better future for Contract Agents
