Signature authentication and certified true copies: yes and no

Brussels, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-05-10, Services Print This Post

*Update 04.03.2024 Luxembourg charges removed, see below.*

Original article: In spite of our increasingly digital existence we do sometimes still have to resort to paper-based transactions. Unfortunately, while the Brussels Welcome Office of the European Commission can offer a signature-authentication or certified-true-copy service (almost like a notary!) free of charge, other sites, such as Luxembourg, offer no corresponding service, free or otherwise. The Brussels welcome office even checks rental contracts, great, eh? (For those able to use the service, of course). Continue reading Signature authentication and certified true copies: yes and no →

Certification 2022/23: the road ahead

Assistants, Certification, Newsletter - 2023-03-30 Print This Post

The 2022/23 Certification exercise is still moving forward: from 294 eligible candidates to 104 individuals chosen for Joint Certification Panel interviews, to the April publication of the final list of 50 officials authorised to take part in the Certification training programme (the list will be published in Administrative Notices, in 2022 it was done on 12 April) and subsequent exams[1]. Well done to the 32 colleagues who appealed their non-inclusion post-DG interview,  4 of whom were successful: it is possible! Unfortunately, Certification continues to be a labour-intensive and time-consuming process which is not particularly user-friendly (see diagram for evidence of this). Continue reading Certification 2022/23: the road ahead →

What is the Common Front/Front Commun?

FAQs Print This Post

Collaborative action across the list of trade unions and staff associations (including us!).

This is not an entity that stands in elections. ‘Common Front/Front Commun’ is the name given to the majority of trade unions and staff associations (OSPs) together when we work on common action (‘Front Commun’). Continue reading What is the Common Front/Front Commun? →

Ongoing difficulties for Local agents in Delegation Türkiye

EEAS, Local Agents, Newsletter - 2023-04-20, Outside the Union Print This Post

*Update 29.09.2022 Local Agents in Türkiye are now being paid in euro, thank you all for your support!* Original article: Generation 2004 finds the situation for Local agents in Delegation Türkiye frustrating. We urge the administration to do the right thing: uphold the rule of law and principle of equal treatment.  Abide by the outcome of the court case and comply with the instructions of the court.  The pretext/excuse of a “lack of administrative” budget does not hold water. Losing a court case is not a daily operational business and therefore no institution should expect to be able to meet the financial liabilities under that business-as-usual budget item. Continue reading Ongoing difficulties for Local agents in Delegation Türkiye →

Council request to further reduce spending on staff II

Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-03-30, Pensions, Social Dialogue, solidarity levy, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

*Updated 07.08.2023 in response to feedback, thanks! See footnotes*

Original article: Generation 2004 is closely following this latest Council request to further reducing spending on staff (Budget 2024: Council agrees on its guidelines for the establishment of next year’s EU budget, 14.03.2023, see quote below). The Commission appears to have provisionally lost 75 posts, the only institution to have lost any posts (Draft General Budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023, Working Document Part II, 2022, p. 67) Continue reading Council request to further reduce spending on staff II →

Seconded at your own request? Be aware of changes to your pension contribution

Newsletter - 2023-03-30, Pensions Print This Post

If you are seconded (French: ‘détachés’/ Franglais: ‘detached’) at your own request  (i.e. not in the interest of the service) to another institution or to an agency, then this article is for you and concerns your pension rights. Everybody else can safely skip to another article of this newsletter (but of course, feel free to read on if you are curious 😊). Continue reading Seconded at your own request? Be aware of changes to your pension contribution →

The new anti-harassment package: status

Newsletter - 2023-03-30, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

On Friday 24 March 2023 we had the last social dialogue (SD) meeting to finalise the revising of the first draft of the new Commission Decision on the prevention of and fight against sexual and psychological harassment. It’s been two intense months! HR shared the first draft of the new anti-harassment framework on 21 December 2022 (15:17 on the second-last working day of the year), with the corresponding SD starting 12 January 2023. The OSPs and the administration/HR had almost weekly meetings of around 2 hours to discuss this draft decision article by article. Continue reading The new anti-harassment package: status →

Minimum wage in Luxembourg for contract agents – finally a glimmer of hope

Contract Agents, Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30 Print This Post

*Update 01.09.2023: the social minimum wage for Luxembourg is now 3085.11 EUR gross (or 2570.93 EUR for unskilled workers).**Update: see our June article on the good example being set by the Parliament.* Original article: Many colleagues struggle today with the high level of inflation and the increased costs of living. But already before the current economic crisis, the situation was difficult for colleagues in Luxembourg with a low salary. While money can’t buy happiness, it does certainly help: Luxembourg’s levels of happiness have also fallen. Luxembourg has the highest minimum wage in Europe, with a minimum of 2 936.48 EUR for qualified workers (as of 1 February 2023 – the corresponding inflation index has a value of 898.93 points and 100 points equal an amount of 326.66 EUR). Continue reading Minimum wage in Luxembourg for Contract Agents – finally a glimmer of hope →

Municipal elections in Luxembourg – get registered if you want to vote

Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30 Print This Post

Have your say on Luxembourg! Whether it’s to do with the never-ending road works, public screenings of sports events  or pedestrian safety. Municipal elections are coming in Luxembourg Sunday, 11 June 2023 (08.00-14.00), most colleagues living in Luxembourg can choose who will be their 27 municipal councillors for the next 6 years. Here are the current 27. The conditions to participate are lightweight (and you can be a candidate, too!): Continue reading Municipal elections in Luxembourg – get registered if you want to vote →

100% hot-desking at the new POST-Mercier building

Cost of living Luxembourg, Health, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal, Social Dialogue, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 17.09.2024 anything non-IT that’s broken can be reported by email/phonecall.*

*Update 21.02.2024 OP staff can request noise-cancelling headphones.*

Original article: It is confirmed that the new POST-Mercier building will be the first Commission building to be 100% ‘dynamic and collaborative’. Phew! At least it’s not hot-desking, right? Unfortunately, this is indeed hot-desking albeit (here at least) in a limited fashion. It is first come, first served within the area assigned to your team: Continue reading 100% hot-desking at the new POST-Mercier building →