Welcome to the second edition of our 2026 Newsletter! In this edition, we focus on several key issues affecting your career prospects, working conditions, and fundamental rights as EU staff.

We open this edition with Generation 2004 meeting with Commissioner Serafin on the Large Scale review, highlighting what is at stake for careers, workload and working conditions, and why transparency and meaningful staff involvement are essential.
We continue with structural barriers facing Contract Agents in internal competitions. Generation 2004 continues to advocate for clearer procedures, more frequent competitions, and stronger guarantees for internal laureates.
We also cover the ongoing revision of sick-leave rules. Although some proposed changes may bring improvements (such as a limited allowance for medical appointments), other elements raise concerns, including stricter procedural requirements and increased medical controls. Discussions with the administration are still ongoing.
Another important topic is the draft Decision on the mandatory use of private mobile phones for professional contact during rest periods. Despite earlier feedback, the revised proposal still raises questions about privacy, proportionality, and data protection. We continue to follow developments closely.
We address the issue of freedom of speech. The balance between staff obligations under the staff regulations and the fundamental right to freedom of expression remains unclear in practice. Greater legal certainty and clearer guidance are needed to avoid unnecessary ambiguity. For those who missed the conference on promotion/reclassification exercise, the recording and the presentation are now available. Don’t miss the upcoming conference on the AD5 Generalists/Graduates competition thanks to our collaboration with Yasemos Europeos. A study group 3 session in English and a study group 4 session in English and Spanish for the AD5 Generalists/Graduates competition are also available.