The importance of Contract Agents to the Commission. Contract Agents play a crucial role in the functioning of the European Commission. They provide specialised support across a wide range of areas and contribute significantly to the achievement of the institution’s objectives. Their expertise is indispensable, and they often perform tasks that are vital to the daily operations of various departments. However, despite their importance, Contract Agents are not always sufficiently appreciated or valued.
Ongoing undervaluation of Contract Agents
Contract Agents are frequently subjected to unjust practices, which undermine their value within the institution. They often perform the same duties as officials but receive lower compensation.
‘As the use of contract staff becomes increasingly common, there has been a corresponding increase in the diversity of status and pay of the Commission’s workforce. For example, GFIV contract staff meeting the same minimum recruitment requirements (education and experience) as junior administrators may earn 28% less than the latter. Currently around 6 % of staff, all of them GFI and GFII contract staff, earn less than the lowest paid official (AST/SC_1, with a basic yearly salary around €32 400). Another third of staff (across all categories) earn up to twice that amount.’ Special report no 15/2019: Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission – Big savings but not without consequences for staff, Paragraph 61
In many cases, Contract Agents are placed in lower function groups, despite possessing qualifications or skills that match or exceed those of their colleagues in higher function groups. The fact that CA 3a screening exists shows that CA colleagues are placed in the wrong function groups. For instance, a colleague who passed the Contract Agents selection tool (CAST) and an internal panel for a specific function group might end up being assigned a job in a lower function group, performing identical tasks to colleagues in a higher function group. Similarly, Contract Agents in lower function groups are often required to carry out supervisory tasks (e.g. over external personnel) that are no different from those carried out by out by officials or temporary agents (TAs), and yet in line with their job description Contract Agents should work under a supervision of officials themselves. In some services (e.g. in OIB, OIL or PMO (‘Offices’)) some sectors may consist mostly of Contract Agents who might hardly see their ‘supervising official’ (Head of Sector) on a regular basis, given the significantly overpopulated entities they belong to. These unfair practices reflect a clear mismatch between the function group and the tasks Contract Agents are expected to perform leading to frustration and dissatisfaction among many of them.
The consequences of budgetary inefficiencies
Moreover, Generation 2004 noticed that the management of budgetary appropriations needs improvements as a significant loss of available funds for non-permanent staff is regularly reported. For example, in 2023, 8.7 million Euros allocated to Contract Agents were lost, corresponding to more than 120 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions that could have been funded. Generation 2004 believes that this issue might results from inefficiencies of the clearing operation, a lack of proactivity in recruitment, and poor/ late communication regarding unused appropriations. Such losses are unacceptable, especially given the growing need for qualified Contract Agents to meet the increasing demands of the institution. We wonder how the situation will look like for 2024. We contacted DG BUDG in that respect.
The need for flexibility and fairness
It is crucial that the administration adopts a more flexible approach to managing the budget for Contract Agents. Money left in the budget at the end of the financial year (‘Unused appropriations’), rather than being left to expire, should be redirected to improve the quality of Contract Agent contracts. This could include offering more competitive and fair contracts, reflecting the actual responsibilities of the agents and aligning the function group with the tasks they are required to perform. A more proactive and flexible management of funds would not only reduce the yearly loss of money which had been already committed but would also allow for better and fairer contracts for Contract Agents.
Improving Contract Agents’ conditions
Generation 2004 advocates for a more open and regular process of upgrading contracts for external hires. The current practice of offering low-function group contracts to skilled professionals is no longer competitive with the private sector. Many qualified candidates, particularly in fields such as IT, refuse Contract Agent offers due to their low financial competitiveness. The issue is not just about recruitment, but also about retention. To address this, Generation 2004 proposes that function groups be regularly upgraded upon recruitment, to correctly reflect the level of responsibility required for the role. Additionally, there should be a more flexible and meaningful screening exercise (article 13 of GIPs – C(2017) 6760) for in-house talent. This process could identify Contract Agents who are eligible for upgrade and place them on a reserve list, ensuring that available budgetary credits, instead of being lost, are efficiently used to upgrade function groups. We provided our suggestion in writing to DG HR.
Conclusion
The growing demands placed on Contract Agents should not go unnoticed, and the institution must take action to ensure that their contributions are well recognised. The loss of funds due to inefficiencies in managing appropriations is unacceptable and must be addressed. By providing fairer contracts, offering function group upgrades upon recruitment, and ensuring that unspent appropriations are used effectively, the Commission can better value its Contract Agents and align their roles with the actual responsibilities they are expected to carry out. It is time for the Commission to show greater flexibility in managing Contract Agent resources, ensuring that they are adequately compensated.
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