Annual salary update 2023 

Newsletter - 2023-11-14, PMO, Staff Categories, yearly salary update Print This Post

*Update 13.12.2023, those who took time credit leave  while also making full pension contributions will have seen a (small) drop in salary in December.* Update 17.11.2023 many of you got in touch to mention the end of the solidarity levy. Unfortunately, this is extremely unlikely to happen, but we do always appreciate your input, please continue to send us your ideas and sources thanks!*

Original article: The news is out, Eurostat has published its report on the 2023 annual update and the residual salary update amounts to +1.0%, after the intermediate update from June.  This is far better than what we had hoped for, so this good news. Continue reading Annual salary update 2023  →

Language choice in EPSO competitions – beware the consequences of automatic translation

EPSO, Internal Competitions, Newsletter - 2023-11-14, Professional mobility Print This Post

*16.11.2023, thanks to the colleague who confirmed that the disinformation/misinformation issue outlined in footnote 1 has since been fixed.* Original article: For some time already, EPSO is moving towards monolingualism: we are seeing  competitions that are by-and-large English-only. This appears to completely disregard the 16.02.2023 outcome of the EPSO case where the Court of Justice confirmed the unlawfulness of artificially restricting the choice of the second language of competitions to 3 languages: English, French and German. Continue reading Language choice in EPSO competitions – beware the consequences of automatic translation →

New guide for Mission: Impossible

Mobility and Climate, Multiannual financial framework (MFF), New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-11-14 Print This Post

Going on business travel soon? Beware, it could become Mission: Impossible!

Generation 2004 is currently negotiating the new draft mission guide tabled by the administration, and we believe that the proposed changes to mission rules create additional burden for the mission performer that is simply unacceptable. Continue reading New guide for Mission: Impossible →

Commission Representations rotate anticlockwise? I

Newsletter - 2023-12-01, Representations Print This Post

*Update 01.02.2024, thanks to all of you who participated in our survey, we will publish the results soon!* Original article: One of the advantages of working for a European institution is the possibility it offers to make a career doing different jobs in different countries … at least in theory. The colleagues working in a Commission Representation in a Member State need a rather unique combination of policy, operational and linguistic skills that can make such posts hard to fill. Continue reading Commission Representations rotate anticlockwise? I →

Welcome to the Hotel Commission

Cost of living Luxembourg, EPSO, Internal Competitions, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-11-14 Print This Post

*Update 23.11.2023, thanks to the colleagues who shared their ideas on this situation, we have added their observations below.*

Original article: Luxembourg is a great place to work,  you just have to find somewhere to live first! In its increasingly desperate attempts to do nothing of substance (12 actions for Luxembourg, for example), while still claiming to be working on increasing the attractivity of Luxembourg as a workplace, the Commission now seems to have resorted to the roadmap set out in a classic song. Continue reading Welcome to the Hotel Commission →

Feeling desperate in hotdesking? Just bring a dog!

Health, New HR strategy, office temperatures, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 11.04.2024 the HR evaluation of this event was made available 21.02.2024 (> 4 months after the event) it was shared with the health and safety committee Brussels (CPPT) before publication and we await their opinion. The project was generally well received (though polarising), did indeed incur costs and is now described as a pilot project[1].* Continue reading Feeling desperate in hotdesking? Just bring a dog! →

Generation 2004 meets staff in EU Delegations 24.10.2023

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*Update 27.10.2023.  Please find the presentation on Mobility for CA in delegations and the Decision on Working Time and Time Management, shared with you during the session on 24.10.2023. Generation 2004 is here for you, regardless of where you are! We would like to invite you to our virtual meeting to discuss all matters Delegations on Tuesday 24.10.2023. Please participate in any of our three conferences: 9:00–10:30, 12:30-14:00 or 18:00-19:30 (all times are CEST/Brussels time). See practical details further below). Check out our corresponding EEAS and Outside the Union articles and get your questions ready! Continue reading Generation 2004 meets staff in EU Delegations 24.10.2023 →

Event: certification – mission (nearly) impossible

Assistants, Certification, Events, Newsletter - 2023-10-10 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. Participation in these competitions can be done in parallel to the certification: use all your options!* Continue reading Event: certification – mission (nearly) impossible →

Please use your 10 days of teleworking from outside the place of employment!

Leave, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-10-10, Social Dialogue, Teleworking, teleworking from anywhere Print This Post

*Update 26.08.2025 here’s the new link with instructions on how to encode those TWA days, note that even Blue Book trainees can have 5 days.*

Original article: If you still haven’t used up all your days of teleworking from anywhere (TWA)[*] do not forget to file the request in Sysper as soon as possible. Here’s how to do it. We know of no plans to extend the validity of the 2023 days beyond the end-of-year deadline (the 2021 days could be used until 15.01.2022). Please at least request your full 2023 quota of days, even if you’re not 100% sure that you’ll use them: HR is looking at how many days are left over. Continue reading Please use your 10 days of teleworking from outside the place of employment! →

Breaking Barriers: AST/SC colleagues may change function group?

Assistants, Brussels, EPSO, Newsletter - 2023-10-10, Professional mobility, Promotions, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Categories Print This Post

*Update 26.08.2025 the updated time estimates for internal competitions are available under ‘planning’: please note some will take place SOONER than originally stated: don’t miss your chance!*

Original article: While we are thrilled to announce that our efforts have contributed to the announcement by DG HR, that in future, colleagues might have the opportunity to change function groups through internal competitions, it remains to be seen whether this inclusiveness is genuine or something which exists in theory only.  The wording of the announcement is for movement ‘within each function group’ but it does also mention specialised competitions which might include a ‘wider mix of staff categories and function groups’; a measured success.

Continue reading Breaking Barriers: AST/SC colleagues may change function group? →