U4U’s four demands:Staff unity is our strength.U4U’s unity ensures our prosperity.
Our guiding principle is to improve the quality of life and working conditions for all colleagues. We believe that unity among staff is the best way to safeguard our status and working conditions. Let us stand together. We therefore urge all staff to show solidarity and sign the petitions supporting contract and temporary staff, language teachers, local staff, and staff at the Delegations who are concerned about the implementation of the announced ‘modernisation’ of the EU Delegations network. Similarly, U4U supports the petition launched by UEF Groupe Europe and Graspe, which calls for an end to the voluntary dependence of the European institutions on US technology.
The Contract Staff Collective aims to improve the quality of life and working conditions for contract and temporary staff
The petition to improve the living and working conditions of contract and temporary staff has gathered over 3,400 signatures and continues to gain momentum. This is a good start, and now is the time to build on this momentum. We must highlight the imbalance of power in order to demand social dialogue and seek the support of other trade unions. If you haven’t already, please sign the petition and pass the invitation on to those around you. Our numbers are key to achieving our goals.
Join us on Monday, 4 May in the main hall of the CCP at 80 Rue de la Loi, or via the following link:https://u4unity.webex.com/meet/jps. Find out more
In a context of budgetary constraints, our Collective aims to mobilise contract and temporary staff, who are a vital human resource for our institution.
Our institutions have openly stated their intention to continue using and increase the number of these staff members.
According to senior Commission officials, including the Secretariat-General and the Commissioner, these staff members make an essential contribution to the smooth running of the institution. Given their contribution, they are recognised as having the right to career prospects and mobility, as well as a reasonable chance of gaining permanent entry into the civil service.
The demands set out below reflect this policy approach and will help improve the situation of contract and temporary staff in precarious employment, successfully mobilising them with a view to offering them:
- On the one hand, this is addressed to the institution, which is undertaking an assessment of its functioning by establishing the High-Level Group led by Ms Catherine Day.
- Secondly, the trade unions are contributing to the work of this group.
We call on staff of all categories to show their support. Unity among staff is the best way to defend their status and working conditions. Let us stand together.
Whether you are a civil servant (AST-SC/AST/AD), a temporary staff member, or a contract staff member, if you agree with the following, please send us your agreement by replying to this email or to the following address: REP-PERS-COLLECTIF-DES-CONTRACTUELS@ec.europa.eu
1. Staff on fixed-term contracts
- Automatic reclassification within the same function group after three years of service for all contract staff, prior to the extension of their contracts for a further three years.
- The possibility of obtaining a maximum of six years as a contract staff member, followed by a maximum of six years as a temporary staff member, or vice versa, subject to terms to be defined. This would entitle the individual to a pension after a total of up to 12 years.
- Reform of the administrative rule limiting the tenure of contract and temporary staff to seven years (barring exceptions) to allow for transition from contract to temporary staff positions.
- The organisation of three internal competitions for permanent posts over six years, with contract staff with two years’ seniority eligible to participate.
- – The organisation of one internal competition for permanent appointment each year for temporary staff. The required length of service for temporary staff is one year, meaning five competitions over six years.
- The organisation of two internal competitions for temporary staff and officials over five years, enabling accelerated promotion and, where applicable, permanent appointment.
- The right for all children who have attended European Schools for at least two years to complete their cycle (nursery, primary or secondary) free of charge, if a parent working in the institutions reaches the end of their contract and is unable to renew it.
- Improvement of mechanisms to facilitate inter-institutional mobility, e.g. the establishment of an inter-institutional job market.
2. Permanent staff in the offices, non-Union staff and representation offices
- – Organisation of moves between function groups (e.g. moving from GFI to GFII or GFII to GFIII).
- – Regular opportunity to participate in internal competitions for permanent posts.
- Organising transfers from AC to AT.
- Improvement of mechanisms enabling inter-institutional mobility (establishment of an inter-institutional job market).
- – Extension of the period of service at headquarters for contract staff in non-Union offices (from 4 to 6 years).
3. The executive agencies
- Organisation of transfers from AC to AT.
- Transformation of agencies into offices, entitling contract and temporary staff to participate in internal competitions for permanent posts and to move between the Commission’s directorates-general.
- Improvement of mechanisms enabling inter-institutional mobility, including the establishment of an inter-institutional job market).
4. Decentralised agencies
- – Introduction of a quota of officials where none currently exists, to facilitate transfers from AC to AT and from AT to AD.
- Category transfers for AC and AD staff.
- Establishment of central services co-managed with the Commission to handle services relating to anti-harassment measures, mobility organisation, disciplinary investigations, etc. for all agencies.
5. Creation of offices
This applies not only at the JRC, but also at the European Parliament, where it enables certain contract staff to:
– benefit from permanent contracts
– Move from FGI to FGII, etc., without losing their permanent contract, as the offices allow this.
Indeed, today, contract staff at the JRC and the EP who could have permanent contracts are not offered them because their institution or department does not create offices.
The aim of this list of demands is to ensure that these issues are addressed in the social dialogue. These demands are compatible with the current Staff Regulations and do not require their reform. Such a reform would not guarantee that these demands would be taken into account, while there is a high risk of current provisions being downgraded (e.g. pensions, promotions and remuneration).
We believe that any review of how our institutions operate must involve staff, hence our approach.
Regardless of their department or individual circumstances, we believe that ACs and ATs should have prospects for career progression and mobility, like all staff.
We call on all staff to show solidarity and sign this appeal. Unity and solidarity among staff members of all categories is our strength.
U4U supports the demands of language teachers. They are also entitled to fair pay and decent working conditions!
Language teachers play a vital role in the professional development of civil servants and other staff in the European public service.
In a multicultural and multilingual environment, their training directly drives professional effectiveness. It enables staff to carry out their duties competently, flexibly and with an open mind.
Moreover, the Staff Regulations of European civil servants make their role indispensable:
- Proficiency in a third language is required for the first promotion.
- It is also required for contract staff in function group 4 to obtain a permanent contract.
In other words, without them, there is no prospect of career progression or contract extensions.
Unacceptable job insecurity
However, these training courses are delivered by trainers who are hired as private contractors via training companies that are selected through calls for tenders by the European institutions.
The situation facing these teachers is worrying: • An average gross hourly rate of between €28 and €35 (sometimes €45 in Luxembourg), which covers not only the lesson itself, but also preparation time.
• No social security contributions are covered (sickness, pension or accident).
• No payment for leave.
• No compensation for periods without lessons.
Even worse, payment for hours worked is made after the 20^(th) of the following month.
These practices undermine the work of these highly qualified professionals, who contribute directly to the quality of European public services.
This situation cannot continue. We therefore demand:
In the short term
The Commission must include binding clauses in calls for tenders that guarantee fair remuneration for all work performed, including teaching, preparation and follow-up, as well as decent social provisions.
In the medium term
The Commission must integrate these teachers as permanent contract staff within an inter-institutional training body in order to:
– stabilise teaching teams
– develop modules tailored to institutional realities
– enhance the quality and consistency of language and cultural training.
In this context, we also call for the reinstatement of teachers who have left or been excluded from the service due to the poor conditions offered to them.
By supporting this call, we are defending not only our teachers, but also the quality of the European public service.
To sign the petition, please provide your surname, first name, and work email address. Sign here!
U4U is closely monitoring the modernisation of the EU delegation network, as well as its impact on staff
20/03/2026
As you will recall, on 30 January 2026, the trade unions representing staff at the European Commission and the EEAS informed Commissioner Serafin of DG HR that they were considering taking strike action in order to defend the interests of staff, who are extremely concerned about the implementation of the announced ‘modernisation’ of the EU delegation network.
The unions were forced to take this step due to the institution repeatedly refusing to open a formal social dialogue process before the political agreement to modernise the EU delegation network was reached.
Following this coordinated action by all EC and EEAS trade unions, the Directorate-General for Human Resources (DG HR) organised a conciliation meeting between representatives of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the trade unions.
This meeting resulted in several commitments from management:
- The Commission and EEAS management will provide further information on the rationale, operational and budgetary implications, and timetable for implementing the ‘modernisation’ process.
- An assurance that the ‘modernisation’ process is a one-off event with no subsequent phases (‘no phase 2’).
- The number of local staff made redundant will not exceed the figures already announced.
- The best possible redundancy packages will be offered to local staff within the framework of the interinstitutional joint committee on specific measures for the termination of local staff contracts.
- Further meetings on the implementation of EU delegation modernisation will be organised to ensure that trade unions and staff representatives can voice staff needs and provide management with recommendations in the interests of staff.
Although the strike notice has now expired, your trade unions will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the above commitments on your behalf.
C. Sebastiani / R. Trujillo M. Valkova N. Mavraganis G. Vlandas / H. Conefrey
Alliance Génération 2004 USF RS- U4U/USHU
U4U supports the petition launched by the UEF Group of Europe and Graspe, which calls for an end to European institutions’ voluntary dependence on US technology
Digital tools of American origin are widely used in Europe, accounting for 80% of products, services, infrastructure and intellectual property in both the business world and on our smartphones. There is a strong temptation for Europeans to turn a blind eye to this monopoly, which, incidentally, comes at a high cost in terms of licences. However, this overlooks the fact that the current geopolitical context poses a threat to Europe and that consumer interests alone cannot justify our dependence. This is despite the existence of European alternatives for messaging, cloud storage, browsing, search engines, office software, VPNs and social media, at www.european-alternatives.eu).
Despite very protective European legislation, European citizens are not necessarily aware of the dubious or even dangerous uses that can be made of their personal data. They are also not sufficiently aware of the alternatives available within the EU, which are therefore struggling to reach critical mass. However, they are concerned. Urgent action is needed to escape this digital trap, which endangers their security and ours, and threatens the protection of their data and our sovereignty. There are remarkable initiatives within the EU featuring tools developed by European companies — some of which have historically received support from the Commission — or by public administrations, such as in France and Denmark. The latter is now moving away from Microsoft office software.
US law (FISA) authorises the US government to target individuals outside the United States with the help of electronic service providers to gather information. Any European elected representative or civil servant could become the target of such surveillance and the extraction of sensitive data via the tools we use every day if the US government deems our work to be contrary to its interests. We should also recall the digital sanctions imposed by the US government on an International Criminal Court judge whose rulings were deemed unwelcome.
National and European institutions have a responsibility to act in this regard, for example by requiring European online services to offer consumers existing European alternatives and by redirecting public procurement towards open-source solutions that comply with the GDPR and are sovereign. Above all, European institutions must lead by example and guarantee the security and independence of their administration.
As European civil servants and staff, we therefore call on the institutions to end our IT systems’, websites’ and social media’s dependence on non-European Big Tech. We advocate for a digital working environment that fosters trust, continuity and reliability, and that protects our data. To this end, we urge the rapid migration of our internal digital tools to European solutions.
Sign here