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Elections

Elections for Commission staff representatives in Luxembourg will take place from 25 November to 8 December 2025.

The Local Staff Committee is an elected committee, which represents all Commission officials and other staff working in Luxembourg vis-à-vis the administration and the College of Commissioners. This committee ensures that the rules concerning staff (e.g. health and safety at work, social actions, catering, childcare, etc.) are fully respected.
Some members of the Local Staff Committee are also called upon to sit on the Central Staff Committee which, together with representatives from all the other sites (Brussels, Hors Union, Ispra, etc.), defends the interests of the staff in matters which apply globally to the whole of the Commission (working time, appraisals and promotions, etc.).


It is therefore important that everyone takes great care in choosing their representatives on this committee. Don’t forget to exercise your right to vote, as it is an important way to make your voice heard!

Towards a new policy on temporary and contract staff

The work of the high-level group led by Catherine Day could present an opportunity to enhance human resources policy, particularly with respect to precarious situations within the institutions.

The first step is to make this improvement without changing the Staff Regulations. In the current context, opening up the Staff Regulations would be disastrous for the European civil service, given previous reform events and Member States’ current intentions.

The group’s work should primarily be based on long-standing staff expectations. These expectations are generally ignored by institutions.

Ultimately, the proposed improvements must reconcile the interests of staff and the institution, because neither can exist without the other.

The first improvement should focus on temporary and contract staff, especially those on fixed-term contracts. They now make up almost a third of the Commission’s workforce.

The employment of these staff is crucial for the current and future development of Europe, not only for budgetary reasons, but also because the role of the institutions is proving indispensable in response to recent and frequent challenges. This is particularly true given that certain skills cannot be acquired through open competitions, and the civil service would benefit greatly from becoming more useful.

Based on merit and the needs of the institutions, we propose revising the ‘anti-cumulation rule’, which limits the use of contract and temporary staff to seven years, with some exceptions. We recommend extending this period to 12 years:

  • This would benefit the organisation of work within the institution and facilitate the permanent appointment of colleagues. In addition, over a period of 12 years, we can ensure that the pension contribution scheme is able to cover the cost of retirement pensions;
  • This extension would allow successive six-year contracts to be awarded to contract staff, followed by temporary contracts of the same length;
  • During this period, the relevant staff would have the opportunity to participate in up to two internal competitions for permanent positions as contract staff and up to five internal competitions for permanent positions as temporary staff;
  • If, at the end of the maximum period of 12 years, staff members have not become civil servants, they will be entitled to a Community pension when the time comes.

This new policy will make positions within the institutions more attractive and help to balance the geographical origin of recruits, which is currently affected by a lack of career prospects for staff.

This policy will also enable institutions to respond more effectively to the challenges of European integration, while adhering to a realistic budget that considers current constraints.

Finally, this new policy will take staff expectations into greater consideration.

Ultimately, the use of precarious staff will be better regulated, reducing the turnover rate that undermines service performance and guaranteeing the prospect of making civil service status accessible to all staff.

05/11/2025

Electoral Campaign in LUX. Why ? Which are the issues ?

03/11/2025

Let’s improve the conditions for granting remote working!

The administration must guarantee the well-being of all its staff, particularly those experiencing a significant increase in workload.

Realistic work rhythms, appropriate tools and an adequate working environment must be maintained to preserve the quality of task execution, a hallmark of excellence in the work of institutional staff. Workspaces must be designed to meet the specific needs and constraints of each profession, with the agreement and participation of staff. This is particularly relevant for new arrangements such as open-plan offices and hot desking.

This applies particularly to new arrangements, such as open-plan offices and hot desking.

With regard to teleworking:

  • For U4U, it must be voluntary, flexible and adaptable. Team spirit, creativity, knowledge transfer and welcoming and integrating new colleagues all require continued office presence. Appropriate training must be provided to prevent digital overload and hyperconnection. Digital tools should be designed to promote hybrid working and more collective, participatory cooperation within teams. Widespread teleworking also raises the issue of equal treatment between colleagues who do not all have the same material resources. Reimbursement of some teleworking-related expenses should be provided.


Teleworking offers greater geographical flexibility:

  • U4U supports the possibility of teleworking abroad (outside the place of assignment) for at least three weeks, regardless of holiday allowance. We also support granting additional periods for justified personal reasons;
  • U4U also recommends offering teleworking abroad when Commission buildings are closed;
  • U4U recommends granting a transport allowance to reduce cross-border travel costs for our Luxembourg-based colleagues.

These demands are realistic. They can easily be implemented. By supporting our list in the upcoming Staff Committee elections in Luxembourg, you will be helping to make these demands a reality.

30/10/2025

Why is voting important?

27/10/2025

Your opinion matters

Dear colleagues,

In a few weeks, the kick-off of the election for the Local Staff Committee in Luxembourg will take place.

This is an opportunity for us to review our work on your behalf during the 3-year term of the Local Committee in office between 2023 and 2025.

It is for this reason, and, above all, to better understand your concerns and serve you better, that we are sending you a short questionnaire.

We would be very grateful if you could take about ten minutes to share your views with us.

The questionnaire is here (French version below):https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/PulseLuxembourg2025?surveylanguage=EN

Best regards,

The U4U team in Luxembourg

25/10/2025

An improvement in housing allowance in Luxembourg, but not sufficient

U4U considered a housing allowance to be an effective means of meeting the expectations of staff assigned to Luxembourg. We advocated for a housing allowance of around EUR 650 for everyone who lives in Luxembourg, whether they rent or are buying a home.  
There are six reasons behind this proposal:  

A solid foundation This proposal is based on a study carried out by the Commission itself which proves beyond doubt that the cost of housing in Luxembourg is 50% higher than in Brussels. The need for this allowance is clear; its implementation must now be negotiated.  

Staff unity, now and always: For U4U, staff unity is a key objective. To achieve our goals, we must fight together for common demands, not against each other.  

A basis of solidarity: However, it should be noted that this same amount represents a different proportion of each person’s salary. For example, €650 may represent up to 35% of a starting salary, whereas for a more senior colleague, the same amount would represent less than 10%. As tax is proportional, the final amount of the housing allowance will also be lower for high earners.  

Protecting our acquired rights The introduction of a new correction coefficient for Luxembourg has been promised as the only solution to improving Luxembourg’s attractiveness. However, this would require the Staff Regulations to be opened up, which would be detrimental to staff in the current context. Even if the Staff Regulations were opened up, would this new correction coefficient be guaranteed? Of course not — we know that! On the other hand, it would certainly provide an opportunity to undermine acquired rights. It is surprising that this approach continues to be put forward.  

At the negotiating table: Together with other trade unions, if possible, U4U will ask the administration to: – extend the current housing allowance to all staff living in Luxembourg., given that all categories are affected by the decline in purchasing power in Luxembourg. – revalue this allowance, as the current level is insufficient to compensate colleagues for the loss of their purchasing power; – grant a transport allowance to colleagues who have been forced to move outside Luxembourg due to a lack of budgetary resources. – extend the housing allowance beyond the current four years, for example for the duration of the next MFF.  

Yes, we can discuss the amount, duration and periodic adjustments with the administration to pave the way for an ambitious social agreement here and now.      

24/10/2025

A union near you


 Dear Colleagues,


As staff representatives, we are fully committed to developing a long-term model for European civic administration. To fulfil this commitment, we invest our time and energy in serving you.


We keep you informed.
It is essential to keep you informed. We do this first through GRASPE, our think tank magazine, but also through our newspaper The LINK, our monthly newsletter, our videos and our weekly thematic meetings. You can also attend frequent conferences covering a wide range of topics, including the EU budget, RCAM, mental health and artificial intelligence. We provide content on the latest news, issues and key debates.
 
Representing your interests
We defend your interests in forums such as the Staff Committee, voicing your opinions, concerns and priorities during negotiations and social dialogue.

We defend and protect you.
Our dedicated team is here to support you with legal assistance and concrete action. We deal with issues such as housing allowances and hospital agreements in Luxembourg, and we are committed to fair pay, career progression and individual rights. We also provide mediation services and advocate for equitable access to nurseries, kindergartens, and European schools.
 
Supporting and being close to you
We believe in the importance of being close to you at all times. Our team is present in most buildings, and we look forward to meeting you at our regular breakfasts. We are always available to you, whether at U4U meetings, staff meetings, cultural events, or walks in Luxembourg.
 
We strengthen your skills through training.
Your development is our priority. We offer a wide range of training courses, including EPSO competition preparation, coaching, personal development sessions and webinars.

We are committed to your side.
We are passionate about our quest to improve and support movements initiated by Commission staff, from climate initiatives and peace in Gaza to campaigns for contract staff and citizen initiatives.
 
Join us in our activities and citizen actions to make your voice heard!

The elections for the Commission’s Staff Committee in Luxembourg are approaching. If you would like to campaign with us or join our list of candidates, please email us at: REP-PERS-OSP-U4U-LU@ec.europa.eu


 

More than a job, a cause.

20/10/2025

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