*Update 23.05.2024, COM/AST3/2024 competition exam date will be June 5, 2024. Enrolment on COM AST3 training with follow up sessions are closed. Registration for the self-study option is still open. *Update 02.05.2024 COM/AST3/2024 indicative planning has been updated [1], but still not precise enough to allow for holiday planning.
**Update 14.03.2024. Below are the recording and slides of the online free webinar. Also find answers to your questions on this link [2].*
Original article: After many years, our consistent efforts paid off as a new AST3 internal competition [3] notice which is open also [4] to AST/SC officials and temporary agents has just been published. The fight for our AST/SC colleagues is not over but we moved one step forward.
Of course, we will not stop there: we have asked HR to ensure that this is not just a one-off exercise, but that they repeat such competitions regularly. So, if you have just missed the boat this time, because you are not fulfilling all criteria: we are trying our best to ensure that you can have a chance in the not so distant future.
These discussions also include a future chance for Contract Agents: the current AST3 competition is not open for you if you are a contract agent. We are sorry about this, but according to the planning [5], there should be competitions still be coming this year that will be open for contract agents as well.
If you intend to participate in this (or any other) competition, we are here to help you: Generation 2004, in collaboration with Yasemos Europeos [6], is happy to offer you a free webinar an online training with special discounts for our members, to assist you in preparing for the competition.
Internal competition – AST3
*** You can find the recording [7] and the presentation [8] of the webinar here. ***
| Session | Online |
| Audience | Staff who take part in internal competition AST3 |
| Format | Webinar |
| Content | Tips and tricks for the application process and review of resources and ideas to study for the MCQ and case |
| Cost | Free |
| Connection details [9] | Join on Webex
on 12th March from 13.00 to 14.00 |
NB: Please contact Generation 2004 [10] for more info.
| Session | Online |
| Audience | Staff who take part in internal competition AST3 |
| Format | MC+ written self study |
| Content | +1200 questions for the MCQ test on knowledge on the EU and its institutions
Each MCQ question contains feedback and further resources. |
| Cost | 300 euros (-75 euros discount for members) |
| Connection details | 1) Ask discount coupon code to Generation 2004 [10] And 2) Register on Yasemos platform [11] |
NB: Check Yasemos Europeos website [6] for more training available
| Session | CLOSED |
| Audience | Staff who take part in internal competition AST3 |
| Format | MCQ+written with follow up |
| Content | + 1200 questions for the MCQ test on knowledge on the EU and its institutions
Each MCQ question contains feedback-further information. |
| Cost | 750 euros (- 75 euros for members) |
| Connection details | 1) Ask discount coupon code to Generation 2004 [10] And 2) Register on Yasemos platform [12] |
NB: Check Yasemos Europeos website [6] for more training available
Of course, we do not stop just at competitions: Generation 2004 was the first and only OSP to present a fully-fledged proposal for the New HR Strategy [13]. We have also published articles and supported initiatives to ensure that the voices of the AST and AST/SC colleagues are heard (AST/SC doing AST roles [14], Internal competitions, [4] Stop the phasing out of the AST [15], Collective actions, [16] Petition). [17]
We recently launched a survey [18] to which 1581 colleagues could express their concerns.
If you appreciate our work, please consider becoming a member of Generation 2004 [19].
toolTips('.classtoolTips23','Contract Agents (CAs) were created by the 2004 staff regulations Reform. There are two types of CA: those with unlimited contracts, 3A [20] (‘indefinite’) and those with time-limited contracts [21], 3B [22]. CAs can belong to 4 different function groups (\'GF\') with different responsibilities and salaries [23].
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 [24]: 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 [25] (here is the cover e-mail [26]).
As a background you can see the report of the Commission to the Council regarding the recruitment of the contract agents in 2010 [27] (in French, COM(2011)802 final 23.11.2011).
'); toolTips('.classtoolTips47','Trade union or staff association (OSP) [Organisation syndicale et professionnelle]');