Staff contracted for missions related to the Common Security and Defence Policy
Special Employment Conditions have for main features that :
- There is no comprehensive social security but a health insurance during employment. There is no salary payment after 30 days (of cumulative sick leave in a year) and the income protection provided in health insurance only kicks in after 60 days. Head of Mission can terminate an employment contract after 45 days of sick leave
- There is no pension scheme
- There is no unemployment protection at the term of the contract
- There is no provision for severance grant
- There is no provision for staff committee/representation
- The contract stipulates that “Disputes arising out of or relating to this Contract shall be referred to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union pursuant to Article 272 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union”. However the same courts declared in 2016 that it should not be competent and that it is an “administrative error” in the contract. Yet to this date the clause remains unchanged.
U4U also carry the voice of these staff members within the EEAS Staff Committee !