Welcome to the Christmas Edition of this Newsletter!
Dear colleagues,
As 2025 comes to an end, we take a moment to look back at a year marked by both achievements and growing challenges for our institution and its staff. This Christmas edition gathers articles on some of the most pressing topics for our community: the uncertainty surrounding the European Schools [1], the ongoing reforms in the JSIS [2], as well as HR’s commitment to address discrimination in the repayment of exceptional education costs [3], following concerns raised by Generation 2004. We also examine recent unjust dismissals in EU delegations [4], which raise serious questions about the direction of “modernisation” in Delegations.
In addition, we reflect on how these issues connect to a broader discussion on the attractiveness of the European institutions and the need for fair, transparent and family-friendly working conditions across all sites.
This edition also looks at the future of executive agencies [5], where high expectations remain but concrete progress is still limited, leaving many colleagues seeking greater clarity on governance, careers, and working conditions.
You will find updates on the first information session for staff on the Large Scale Review (LSR) [6] and on other ongoing issues of interest to staff, as well as Generation 2004’s continued engagement with the administration on matters that affect colleagues across services and locations.
In this context, we also address the growing use of mobility-limiting clauses in some Luxembourg-based competitions, questioning whether restricting staff movement is being wrongly presented as an “attractiveness strategy [7]” instead of tackling the real, long-standing causes of Luxembourg’s recruitment and retention challenges.
For those who missed our recent lunchtime conferences, recordings are now available for sessions on the menopause taboo [8]and EPSO AD7 Data management competition [9]. A study group session [10] for reasoning, MCQ and written tests for the AD7 Data experts competition is also available thanks to our collaboration with Yasemos Europeos.
Looking ahead, don’t miss the upcoming conference on 2026 appraisal and promotion/reclassification exercises [11].
Our thanks go to all colleagues elected, seconded and volunteer, whose commitment and collaboration make this work possible every day.
As we look toward 2026, let’s continue to stand for fairness, solidarity and constructive dialogue. Enjoy your reading, and do not hesitate to get in touch [12] if you need support or wish to share your views.
We wish you and your loved ones a joyful and peaceful holiday season!
The Generation 2004 Team