On 13 May 2020 the European Parliament (EP) granted discharge to the EEAS and most other EU institutions for the year of 2018.
Despite granting discharge, the EP didn’t stop short of immediately calling for a stronger protection of EU spending against fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, intentional misuse and organised crime, as well as for EU money to be distributed more fairly and transparently. Continue reading The EEAS under the EP’s microscope
Remover Roma con Santiago [a Spanish idiom for the greatest possible effort – Ed.] but for what gain? Where is the win-win?
Out of the blue, in the middle of the worldwide Covid-19 health crisis lockdown and despite a reassuring draft work-programme promising growth and modernisation (4 May), our colleagues in the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) received the news that Chafea (Luxembourg, the only executive agency based outside Brussels) is to be disbanded and its programmes reabsorbed by Brussels in the space of 8 months (of which less than 6 are now left). Continue reading Chafea II: the final countdown?
Contrary to any basic common-sense consideration, the Commission is launching its grand plans to kick-start the European economy and strengthen the EU project as a whole in the aftermath of the Coronavirus crisis while, at the same time, proposing astonishing budgetary cuts that will affect the staff that is supposed to implement such plans. Continue reading MFF: Next Generation on a shoestring?
Every year, the promotion procedure for officials goes through several stages to culminate in formal recognition (or not) for the job performed during the previous years. During the first stage, your DG’s hierarchy put together draft promotion lists according to the DG quota distribution, and discussed those lists with the staff representation. This first stage is now over and the DG promotion lists will be published in Sysper tomorrow, 18 June! Please, consult Sysper and check if you are proposed for promotion. Continue reading The 2020 promotion appeals season opens tomorrow, Generation 2004 is here to help
Teleworking Guidelines 4.2.2021 are now available.
Updated Commission teleworking guidelines (replacing the previous version of these rules) were announced by DG HR on 16 June in the Communication to Commission staff – Update 15 and come into force from Monday 22 June 2020. The guidelines document is published in the MyIntracomm Coronavirus and COVID-19 News & Helpdesk page. Continue reading Watch out! Updated teleworking guidelines coming on 22 June
The result of the June 2016 Brexit referendum was a massive shock for all colleagues in the EU institutions, but it was even more of a shock for British colleagues in terms of both the impact on their country and on their careers.
On the very dark day after the referendum one tiny glimmer of light for British colleagues was the message received from ex-President Juncker offering solidarity, saying that upon joining the institution we had left our “national ‘hats’ at the door”. Continue reading Were British Hats really left at the door?
Generation 2004 has received several questions related to childcare facilities in the Commission during the COVID-19 period and the possible reimbursement of costs. In this article we present you with the most important information on this subject. Continue reading Commission childcare facilities in Brussels during the COVID-19 crisis
Following the Generation 2004 petition for special leave for parents [1], and at Generation 2004’s specific request, 3 June 2020 DG HR organised a social dialogue (SD) meeting to discuss the difficult situation of colleagues who are struggling to cope with this no-school and no-childcare situation over this extended period. Continue reading From the special-leave-for-parents petition to the social dialogue meeting
From the beginning of the open-space saga Generation 2004 has been consistently questioning the wisdom and practicalities of the implementation of collaborative workplaces (‘open space’) in different Commission services. In order to cut costs, the Commission is putting its employees into open-plan Offices, spaces it knows to be incompatible with many of the tasks performed and which are known to compromise staff well-being. Continue reading Generation 2004 acts to protect EU staff’s health and well-being
Following an announcement on 14 May, stating that the European Schools of Brussels would remain closed until the end of the school year of 2019-2020 on 3 July, a new update was sent to parents last Friday (29 May 2020), announcing the schools partial reopening for four weeks, from 8 June until 3 July (please read our note to European School)*. Not only was the move a surprising 180º turn of events, but it also came with some issues that Generation 2004 analysed and reacted upon in a note to DG HR’s Director General, Gertrud INGESTAD.
