“Authorised travel”: how a good idea got thwarted before it could even be tried in practice

Newsletter #28 - Apr 2018, PMO, z Newsletter article Print This Post

Rue Montoyer, home of DG HR in Brussels, is not precisely known as the hotbed of innovative HR policies (unless of course one has to find ways to lift people with no management responsibilities or other noticeable qualifications to AD13 and 14). But occasionally, very occasionally, even there an idea sees the light of day which makes you think “Ehre wem Ehre gebuehrt” [Honour where honour is due].

We are talking about one of the changes introduced in the new mission guidelines under the heading “Authorised Travel”. Authorised travel is a kind of lightweight business travel (‘mission’) which allows you to take part in events related to a programme covered by an ad hoc Commission decision or other external events and have your cost in part be covered by the Commission (and possibly the organisers of the event). How big that part is (and how much you would have to pay yourself) is at the end of the day something your boss needs to decide, taking into account how important your participation in the event is for the Commission and your negotiation skills. Continue reading “Authorised travel”: how a good idea got thwarted before it could even be tried in practice →

Parachuting

Elections, Newsletter #28 - Apr 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

It looks like the parachuting season will soon go back to full speed. Probably it has something to do with the nice warm weather and »less« with the quickly approaching EU elections.

Anyway, dear colleagues, please do not hesitate to inform us in case you spotted a fully equipped parachute jumper or skydiver. It is always nice to ask this fearless people for advice how to fall so quickly from the blue sky without any injuries.

MFF 2021-2027: Heading V of the EU budget

Features, Newsletter #27 - Feb 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

In the framework of the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027 Commissioner Oettinger invited the staff representations in January to provide suggestions concerning heading V of the budget which covers the administrative costs of all EU institutions (salaries, pensions, buildings, IT and security). We very much appreciated Commissioner Oettingers willingness to consult the staff at an early stage of the MFF drafting procedure. Generation 2004 has responded to this call and will defend staff recruited after 2004 (including new recruits) and low income staff. Continue reading MFF 2021-2027: Heading V of the EU budget →

AST Conference: A life of an AST: is there light in the tunnel?

Assistants, Events, Newsletter #27 - Feb 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

On 8 March Generation 2004 organised a lunchtime conference for AST colleagues. It consisted in a detailed presentation and answering many questions from the audience. The two main questions discussed were:

  • What is the truth about AST recruitment in the Commission since 2004?
  • What are the realistic prospects for career development for “ASTs (forever) in transition”?

This lunch-time conference is the forth large public event organised by Generation 2004 after the Pensions Conference organised in February 2018.

The lunch-time conference brought together a large number of attendees in Brussels and several hundred participants from many sites through web-streaming.

Continue reading AST Conference: A life of an AST: is there light in the tunnel? →

Modernisation of HR: the experiment goes on

Features, Newsletter #27 - Feb 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

Once upon a time, there was an administration which struggled to reform and modernise…

Let us take a trip back in time. The main character of our story is the EU Commission. The year is 2002. The drive for administrative reform after the resignation of the Santer Commission has already given birth to the Kinnock Reform programme enshrined in the White paper of 2000. Put aside the well-known dramatic consequences for the new recruits and the fragmentation of the workforce, this reform also suggested a decentralisation for the administrative and financial services of the Commission. The underlying idea was that such a decentralisation would lead to modernisation and more efficient use of resources. Continue reading Modernisation of HR: the experiment goes on →

Voting rights to all Brussels residents

Features, Newsletter #27 - Feb 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

Generation 2004 supports the campaign launched by some of our colleagues to get voting rights in the regional elections in Brussels.

On 7 February a campaign calling for the right for all Brussels-Capital Region (RBC) residents to vote, #1bru1vote was launched. It has been met with huge support from Belgians and non-Belgians alike. The campaign is of direct concern to those of us who do not have Belgian citizenship and who reside in the RBC. Continue reading Voting rights to all Brussels residents →

Pensions Conference

Events, Newsletter #26 - Jan 2018, z Newsletter article Print This Post

The conference about Pensions was organised by Generation 2004 on 20 February 2018. It consisted in a detailed presentation and answering many questions from the audience. This lunch-time conference is the third large public event organised by Generation 2004 after the “Dos & Don’ts of Self-appraisal & Appeals Conference” organised in January 2018. Continue reading Pensions Conference →