Oops … the Commission did it again! Illegal request on private phones

Data Protection, Health, New HR strategy, Newsletter – 2024-04-29, Staff Regulations Reform, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

It’s not even a month since the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) ordered the Commission to suspend illegal personal data flows and we see another such order coming.

Last December, the Commission launched a ‘business continuity’ exercise asking most colleagues (if not all, it was never clear) to provide their private mobile phone numbers to create Signal private messenger groups where they could be contacted for work matters. Continue reading Oops … the Commission did it again! Illegal request on private phones →

Conference on standby duty and use of private phones for work purposes in Delegations April 2024

'voluntold', Data Protection, EEAS, Events, Local Agents, Outside the Union Print This Post

Generation 2004 is here for you, regardless of where you are! We would like to invite you to our virtual meeting to discuss standby duty and the use of private phones for work in Delegations. Please participate in any of our three sessions on Monday 22.04.2024. See practical details further below. Check out our corresponding articles and get your questions ready! Continue reading Conference on standby duty and use of private phones for work purposes in Delegations April 2024 →

Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speakers

Childcare, Events Print This Post

Update 18.04.2024.  Here is the presentation of the conference. 

Original article: Get ready for an exciting launch of Generation 2004 lunchtime conferences, featuring inspiring guest speakers on diverse topics!Are you a woman navigating the challenges of parenthood alone ? Are you a woman victim of post-separation violence? To kick off the series, we focus on women who are lone parents and on women exposed to violence Continue reading Lunchtime conference with inspiring guest speakers →

Two years on, what’s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg?

Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Newsletter – 2024-04-29 Print This Post

*Update 02.10.2025 we’re aware of the recently-announced agreement to have bills for hospitalisation sent directly to the JSIS (‘prise en charge’) instead of having the patient pay them and then request reimbursement.  While this change is welcome, this item is not one of the 12 actions, nor does it relate to the unofficial 13th item, we’d like to see a progress report on all of those.* Continue reading Two years on, what’s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg? →

Internal competition – clarification COM/AD5/2023

Internal Competitions, Newsletter – 2024-04-29 Print This Post

*Update 19.02.2025: ‘By default, all [internal] competitions will be cross-category.’ (Stay tuned: A new approach for internal competitions) This is excellent news and should now put the Commission on an even footing with the Parliament and other EU institutions. We hope that this inclusion is genuine and that the competitions are not  otherwise skewed to reduce participation.* Continue reading Internal competition – clarification COM/AD5/2023 →

TAXUD’s Alarming Decline in Staff Well-being: A Call for Immediate Action

Health, Newsletter – 2024-04-29, Social Dialogue, Surveys, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

*Update 06.06.2024: our efforts have paid off.*
The recently published 2023 staff survey results paint a bleak picture of the state of affairs within DG Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD), particularly concerning the prevention of psychological harassment (‘bullying’ or ‘mobbing’) and sexual harassment. Continue reading TAXUD’s Alarming Decline in Staff Well-being: A Call for Immediate Action →

Looking for new & exciting challenges?

Education, Newsletter - 2024-04-11, Training Print This Post

Did you know that there are some Commission-wide initiatives in which you can take part if you wish to break the daily routine, share your knowledge and experience? You may become an ECMentor, if you have at least 15 years of experience in the organisation, a genuine interest in others and wish to help new colleagues to develop.  Continue reading Looking for new & exciting challenges? →

Advocacy bearing fruit: administration boosts reclassification quotas

Agencies, Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2024-04-11 Print This Post

We are happy to announce that in response to our note and collective effort with the central staff committee (CSC), HR has finally taken a significant step forward in improving the career prospects of contact agents (CA) engaged under Article 3a of the Conditions of Employment of Other servants (CEOS)[1]. The quotas available to promote (’reclassify’) CA3a staff are to increase. Continue reading Advocacy bearing fruit: administration boosts reclassification quotas →

Operation Hiver – Winter is over

additional teleworking costs, building closures, Newsletter - 2024-04-11, office temperatures, Open Plan Office, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 15.10.2024, while we did receive a response from HR it did not provide the requested figures, we are following up on this. In the meantime, please continue to complain to your proximity team (Brussels/Luxembourg) if you suspect that your work area is below the minimum[*]: leave a paper trail!*

Original article: Winter is over and we have not yet received a reply to our note to HR and OIB/OIL asking for the year of data on office temperatures. Continue reading Operation Hiver – Winter is over →

European Schools – It’s not about asking for extra budget

European Schools, Newsletter - 2024-04-11 Print This Post

Some of the problems of European Schools are difficult to solve: perhaps the biggest are the lack of career perspectives in general for the teachers (but particularly for those recruited locally e.g. in Ispra) requiring a structural organizational change, and the long-standing overcrowding in Brussels requiring substantial investment. But, it’s not simply enough to throw money at the problems, greater reform is needed to future-proof the European School education system. Continue reading European Schools – It’s not about asking for extra budget →