At all costs, we wish to avoid that through the simplification of procedures, the use of imagination and fantasy, and the dismissal of the staff representation … the scenario reported above may become a sad reality within our institution. To avoid this risk, we must ensure the greatest clarity and transparency of our recruitment procedures, as well as equal access to all jobs.

The last approach envisaged by DG HR doesn’t go at all in the right direction and we ask for an immediate correction of the new proposal.

Indeed, DG HR is once again showing creativity and proposes, as usual without any consultation with staff representatives, a new “first class” recruitment channel reserved to some “trainees” of our Institution…

Nothing seems to fascinate our administration more than the elitist approach “happy fews” … provided that it is the sole responsible for their selection, by carefully avoiding any involvement of staff representatives.

This is the new “Young Professionals Program”, whose pilot phase will be launched in March 2017.

The fact is that, as with other files managed in an equally opaque way, the staff representation must disguise itself as a detective in order to discover the information making it possible to understand what DG HR is excogitating in its “Laboratory”.

It is somewhat reassuring to note that in these investigations we are often in good company with DGs who, as in this case, are addressing us in order to try to understand what is going on and to know whether these measures have been discussed with the staff representation … quod non.

For some “Happy fews”: an EPSO test, two years as CA (FGIV), one year as TA (AD5) with final destination … internal competition to be appointed as permanent!

According to the information available to us, among the hundreds of trainees hosted by our institution there are a few “happy fews” who, after passing an EPSO test, will be pre-selected by their DG and then selected by a central panel and will be offered:

– first, a contract of two years as GFIV Contract Agent

and then

– a one-year contract as Temporary Agent (AD5),

This with the declared purpose of allowing them to attend the next internal competition that will be organised to enable their establishment as permanent staff.

Non-respect for the principle of equal treatment and motivation of staff are left behind

This program has just been announced by DG HR to the directors of resources, which have already expressed their fears about the non-respect of the principle of equal treatment and the consequences of these facilitated recruitments for the motivation of the rest of the staff.

Indeed, how to explain this “first class” treatment to the thousands of CA colleagues who already work in Commission services … in less than a “low cost” class?

Moreover, since the pool of these future CA posts would be centrally managed by DG HR, DGs are also afraid of the repercussions of this system on the reduction of the resources earmarked to each DG for colleagues hoping for the renewal of their current CA contracts and for the recruitment of new CAs.

It is worth reminding DG HR that these “happy fews” who have just finished their studies would have access to FGIV contracts and then even TA AD5 ones, while in Commission services thousands of CA colleagues, with a range of diplomas and years of experience, are offered contracts in lower Function Groups and called to perform tasks of a much higher level in an absolutely detestable social dumping approach that R & D has always denounced.

Moreover, hundreds of CA colleagues who have reached the limit of their contract, but not yet the 7-years one, must leave our institution because the services explain them that it is not possible to grant a TA contract because DG HR does not authorize them to do so.

The “act of the Prince” again and again

And here is that the same DG HR proposes to grant automatically to these “happy fews”, who have just finished their studies, a TA AD5 contract after only 2 years of FGIV contract!

It has to be said that the purpose of the exercise has not been clarified, as DG HR has merely explained to the DGs that it does not aim at selecting specialists since other “recruitment tools” do already exist for this purpose.

As everyone knows, the act of the Prince is self-sufficient and requires no explanation.

There is no need to stress that R&D supports all efforts to open up the possibility for young candidates to exploit their experience as trainees by making their enthusiasm and skills available to Commission services.

However, this needs to be done with the utmost transparency, with the greatest respect for equal treatment with the rest of staff, taking care to avoid any risk of nepotism and favouritism by artificially creating “Happy fews” in an already very sensitive population like the one of our CA colleagues.

On the one hand, inventing a “happy fews” channel for some privileged trainees after having proposed the inadmissible project of new GIPs for CA staff – which is now subject of a request for unions’ conciliation – inflicting a deterioration in recruitment conditions that would make the Commission the worst employer among all institutions, is an absolutely unacceptable provocation and a slap in the face of thousands of CA colleagues!

On the other hand, the traineeship represents the showcase that we offer to these young colleagues, it is the image of our institution that they will keep and transmit.

Thus everything, absolutely everything, before, during and after the traineeship must be managed in an irreproachable manner by establishing the confidence and recognition of our young trainees and, possibly, future colleagues without bringing them into an artificial competition to obtain access to the artificial paradise of “happy fews”.

In view of the above, R&D asks Vice-President Oettinger not to validate the approach presented by DG HR, to provide all required clarity in relation to this project and to open a formal negotiation between DG HR and the staff representation by taking into account the rights and expectations of hundreds of CA colleagues who work in our services with dedication, under contracts often well below their competences.