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Seconded National Experts

SNE – Seconded National Experts

Seconded National Experts at the Commission: how to use their talents?

A debate between 30 SNEs and staff representatives from U4U took place on 21 January 2016 in order to review the situation of the SNE’s and point to problems and solutions for better integrating them into the work of the Commission. Issues raised are:

  • The inclusion of SNEs in the anti-cumulative rule.
  • The exclusion of SNEs from internal competitions whereas it was taken into account for the internal competition of the temporary staff.
  • The exclusion of SNEs from the formal assessment system.
  • Discrepancies between DGs on the extension of the SNEs contracts up to six years.
  • The unclear status of SNEs in executive agencies
  • The fact that SNEs not having a contract with the Commission have nobody to turn to in case of a problem.
  • The lack of transparency of SNEs vacancies at national level.

The participants agreed that the SNEs themselves, through CLENAD in particular, should strive to defend the following positions given that they represent an important staff of the Commission working in the same conditions as other staff:

  • The SNEs should be more formally organised so that CLENAD is seen as legitimate interlocutor by DG HR within a framework agreement which regulates the social dialogue on SNEs.
  • The anti-cumulative rule should be modified so that the time spent as SNEs at the Commission is excluded from the 7 year period of the cumulative rule.
  • The total numbers of years in the anti-cumulative rule should increase from 7 to 10 years.
  • The SNEs should benefit from a formal assessment of their performance, competence and conduct like officials, temporary agents and now, also, contractual agents.
  • The SNEs should be allowed to participate to internal open competitions on an equal footing with other staff in the Commission.
  • The SNEs should have a voting right since the policy led by the Commission directly affects their working conditions.

This list of 5 claims for a batter policy towards the SNEs should be widely circulated among SNEs and collectively endorsed by them as program fro further action.