Welcome to the ninth edition of our Newsletter! This edition spotlights critical issues such as the Career of Contract Agents in Offices [1], the incessant shifting of staff between buildings in Luxembourg [2], the latest update on the CALux 12 actions [3], in addition to highlighting support for families burdened by education costs [4]. We also invite you to our next lunchtime event on pensions [5]. The Commission’s policy shift on mobile phone [6] ownership raises urgent questions about our rights. You will find training offers for : [7]EPSO Competition AD7 [8], EPSO AST3 in Communication field [9] and AST Certification interview [10]. Don’t miss forthcoming events: learning session/demo on how to navigate in the jungle of the new Staff center [11] (Staff matters) & how to acquire the Belgian nationality? [12] If you work in EEAS, you will find news about the new partnership between Generation 2004 & the EUDN [13] (EU Delegations Partners Network) and a text on Reforming Promotion Practices [14] to ensure Fairness and Transparency. Last but not least, have a look at two articles written in collaboration with two of our members: AST/SC being forgotten in Delegation Career Opportunities [15]and a succes story on Egg Freezing costs reimbursement [16].
That’s all for now!
Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!
toolTips('.classtoolTips23','Contract Agents (CAs) were created by the 2004 staff regulations Reform. There are two types of CA: those with unlimited contracts, 3A [17] (‘indefinite’) and those with time-limited contracts [18], 3B [19]. CAs can belong to 4 different function groups (\'GF\') with different responsibilities and salaries [20].
As the use of contract staff becomes increasingly common, there has been a corresponding increase in the diversity of status and pay of the Commission’s workforce. For example, GFIV contract staff meeting the same minimum recruitment requirements (education and experience) as junior administrators may earn 28 % less. (European Court of Auditors, 2019, Special report no 15/2019 [21]: Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission – Big savings but not without consequences for staff, point 61, page 34)
We have a working group dedicated to the dossier, and in December 2012 we addressed the first of many letters (\'notes\') about Contract Agents to Human Resources of all Institutions and agencies [22] (here is the cover e-mail [23]).
As a background you can see the report of the Commission to the Council regarding the recruitment of the contract agents in 2010 [24] (in French, COM(2011)802 final 23.11.2011).
Our articles on Contract Agents [25]
'); toolTips('.classtoolTips39','‘Offices’ is normally used to mean 3 specific services [26]: OIB, OIL and the PMO but not EPSO, the OP or OLAF [26]. Unfortunately, the term is used differently elsewhere, so please always check! The draft Commission budget 2026 [27] (pp. 958-963) uses ‘Offices’ to cover all 6: OIB, OIL, PMO, EPSO, the OP and OLAF as do the General Implementation Provisions (GIP) C(2011)1264 [28].
');