JUNE 2014 – Cucumbers and grapes: How we should use the promotion system to strengthen fairness, reward performance and reduce inequality in the EU institutions

Come spring and summer it is again promotion time in the EU institutions. This year’s promotion exercise is the first one under the new staff regulations. From 2014 staff with high grades (AD12-AD13 and AST9) can benefit from promotions only through nominations. However, somewhat paradoxically, the promotion rates specified in Annex IB of the staff regulation still apply, also to these high grades. This means that on the basis of these fixed percentages applied to the reference population of staff, specific promotion quotas are allocated to these grades (really it is “a bit” complicated than that, but we’re sure you get the picture…). Continue reading Cucumbers and grapes →

MARCH 2014 – The great freeze: How the ‘aquired rights’ and benefits of the pre-2004 ‘Gucci’ generation are being protected while the post-2004 staff has to shoulder the burden of the budget cuts

A loud sigh of relief swept through the EU institutions when at a trilogue meeting on 4 March, EU legislators agreed on a salary increase for EU civil servants of 0.8% for 2012, which decision they finally endorsed on 12 March. Continue reading The great freeze →