Where to start? Maybe start with the end goal, which is to squeeze in all Luxembourg Commission staff in 2 buildings: part of the new Jean Monnet building (JMO2) and the new Mercier-Post (MERP) building and save money at all costs even to the detriment of staff wellbeing.
Continue reading Luxembourg buildings and staff as figures on a chess board
well-being
Commission doubles down: You don’t own your mobile phone any longer
*Update 08.10.2025: the information below was correct at the time of publication. Subsequent (unpublished) changes might have made some parts obsolete: when we receive communication detailing the changes we’ll update this article.*
As explained in our event “Who owns your mobile phone?”, the Commission is not just setting a questionable example of unsuccessfully respecting staff privacy, it is doubling down on that choice and working on granting itself formal permission to commandeer your mobile phone. The Commission is in the process of drafting a formal decision. Continue reading Commission doubles down: You don’t own your mobile phone any longer
EEAS: “One Day Only?” The Battle Over Teleworking Rights for Local Agents
In an era where “flexibility” is a buzzword and remote work a norm, local agents (LAs) in Delegations find themselves limited to just one day of teleworking per week. That’s the core of the draft decision currently being debated inside EEAS, in a growing wave of staff disappointment.
Continue reading EEAS: “One Day Only?” The Battle Over Teleworking Rights for Local Agents
Post-Election ORIGAMI Competition
After “enjoying” a lengthy period of numerous elections, we thought that you deserve a bit of lighter communications and topic. Our Offices have been decorated with electoral posters from the garages to the rooftops. Now, something has to be done about it.
Continue reading Post-Election ORIGAMI Competition
Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speaker: Breaking the Silence – You Are Not Alone in the Struggle
Update 09.07.2025: a message from our guest speaker : ‘I wanted to share a few key insights that resonated with me following our session: “The less story I see, the more present I am.” This simple truth captured the heart of our time together—how much we add to what we experience, and how liberating it can be to simply be’. Recording and slides
Continue reading Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speaker: Breaking the Silence – You Are Not Alone in the Struggle
Urgent Call for Reform in European Schools
On 25 March 2025, Generation 2004 External Action Service (EEAS) section hosted a conference addressing the pressing challenges within the European Schools (ESS) system. The event witnessed robust participation, with a full room of colleagues and approximately 30-35 online attendees from the EEAS and the European Commission, all deeply engaged in discussions about the future of our children’s education. Continue reading Urgent Call for Reform in European Schools
No departures from this station – why NEO remains utterly inadequate to plan missions by train
Efforts to make the Commission greener and hence more reliant on rail for business travel (‘missions’) make perfect sense. Unfortunately, they quickly hit a buffer – pun intended. In fact, you often don’t even run the risk of boarding a train in the first place. This is because, for those of you using the online booking tool (NEO) and the travel agency behind it, there is no offer of suitable train journeys. Even though the NEO shortcomings are well known, nothing has changed. Continue reading No departures from this station – why NEO remains utterly inadequate to plan missions by train
Unlocking Career progression for Contract Agents: untapped potential of GIPS Article 13
What is GIPS Article 13 (CA screening) and who can benefit from it ? Article 13 of the general implementing provisions (GIPs) for Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS) provides a pathway for Contract Agents engaged under article 3a of the CEOS [*] to advance to a higher function group (so-called CA screening), provided they meet certain conditions. Continue reading Unlocking Career progression for Contract Agents: untapped potential of GIPS Article 13
Protecting Our Children’s Mental Health: Urgent Reforms Needed in European Schools
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
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.
