As Generation 2004, we have always stood for fairness, transparency, and the well-being of staff. Today, we must address the grim reality of the European Commission’s cost-saving measures [1] and the devastating impact they have had on staff members and the workplace environment. Billions have been saved, but at what cost?
The Commission’s claim of “people first” in its new HR strategy [2] feels increasingly hollow as actions speak louder than words. It is time to say enough is enough.
1. Staff Reforms and Their Impact
The 2004 and 2014 Staff Regulation Reforms [3] were heralded as necessary measures to reduce spending. These reforms achieved €4.2 billion in savings during the 2014–2020 period alone and are projected to save a staggering €19.2 billion by 2064. However, the cost of these savings has been borne almost entirely by staff.
These measures resulted in a 5% reduction in staff numbers, salary and pension freezes, and a drastic revision of the staff regulations. Those who remain have been forced to shoulder the workload, often under impossible conditions. Even the Court of Auditors [1]has warned against further reforms, highlighting the strain on staff morale and productivity. When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?
2. Building Sales and Space Reductions
In the name of savings, the Commission has sold 23 buildings for €900 million [4], drastically cutting office space and parking availability. Staff are now packed into overcrowded spaces, making it less attractive to work from the office [5] or they find themselves working between home, the office and never really disconnecting [6].
To save further, Offices are kept at reduced temperatures in winter [7], with legal minimums [7] as target temperatures, leaving more than cold spots in all buildings: some reporting temperatures as low as 17.5°C, well below comfort levels. Moreover, the Commission implements so-called “Action d’Hiver [8]“ during the Christmas period and similar shutdowns [9] in summer, closing entire buildings to cut heating and cooling costs. While these measures aim to save money, they come at the expense of staff comfort, productivity and the inclusion of those for whom ambient temperature is a key factor in their ongoing participation in the workforce. The Commission boasts about being a “climate-neutral institution, [10]” but these efforts often appear to simply shift energy and water costs onto staff, who are forced to heat or cool their homes while teleworking. This is not climate action; it is cost-shifting disguised as ambition.
3. Health Budget Cuts
The JSIS reimbursement policy , minimally mobile reimbursement ceilings [11] and reconfiguration of the annual medical and screening tests [12] have resulted in significant savings on health costs. Budget-focused sickness cover impacts staff, making it harder for them to access the care they need: reducing the scope and frequency of tests. Health and well-being are non-negotiable priorities, yet the Commission treats them as expendable. Where is the reinvestment in staff health?
4. Unpaid Overtime
Unpaid overtime [13] remains a hidden crisis. Each year, staff contribute the equivalent of some 740 extra full-time employees, or approaching 2 million working hours, without compensation, and this is only for the surplus hours colleauges take the time to declare: the final figure is likely to be much bigger. This reliance on unpaid labour erodes work-life balance and further burdens employees resulting in digital overload and burnout [14]. Where is the acknowledgment, let alone reinvestment, of these invisible contributions?
5. Budget and Service Reductions
Essential services have been scaled back or eliminated entirely:
- Budgets for missions [15]have been reduced, limiting opportunities for collaboration and representation.
- Budgets for own-intitiative training (OIT [16]) exist in theory, but not in practice.
- Canteens and cafeterias [17] have closed or scaled down, leaving staff with few on-site dining options.
- And staff with children in crèches [18]will have seen many of them closed or privatised, forcing families to find more expensive or less accessible childcare solutions.
6. Job security has become a luxury
The Commission has increasingly turned to using time-limited [19] contracts with low wages [20], creating precarious working conditions. These measures drive away top talent and fail to support existing staff. For those who stay, deteriorating conditions [21] and limited career opportunities [22] sap motivation and professional satisfaction.
7. Missed Opportunities for Reinvestment
Despite achieving billions in savings, the Commission has not reinvested these funds into improving working conditions. Instead, it continues to rely on temporary contracts, recruits esperienced staff to ostensibly ‘junior’ positions (‘juniorisation [23]‘), and cuts budgets for essential IT resources and staff well-being initiatives [16]. These choices weaken the institution’s capacity to deliver on its mission while placing unnecessary burdens on its workforce.
Enough is Enough: A Call to Action
The Commission’s “people first” rhetoric does not match reality. Staff are bearing the brunt of measures that claim to save money but, in truth, undermine the very foundation of the institution. Where have these billions gone? Why has there been no transparency in how savings are allocated?
We at Generation 2004 demand accountability and change. It is time to reinvest in the people who make the institution function:
- Rebuild trust [24] through transparency about savings and reinvestment.
- Improve working conditions with modern tools, functional office spaces, and adequate resources.
- Prioritise staff well-being by addressing issues like unpaid overtime, low-wage contracts, and inadequate facilities.
This is not just about fairness; it is about sustainability. A motivated, supported workforce is essential for the Commission to achieve its goals. Join us in saying enough is enough. Let’s fight for a future where “people first” is more than just a slogan—it is a reality.
Together, we can create a workplace that values and supports its greatest resource: its people. Vote for Generation 2004 to make it happen.
If you appreciate our work, please consider becoming a member of Generation 2004 [25].