BRUSSELS — A major overhaul of the EU’s executive branch has staffers worried for their livelihoods, as the bloc sets its sights on delivering value for money and doing more for less.
On Tuesday, the European Commission’s TAO staff association wrote to its tens of thousands of employees in Brussels, calling on management to ensure that the voices of rank-and-file workers are heard as part of what the Commission has called an ongoing “large-scale review” of the civil service.
POLITICO reported last month that the bloc’s budget and public administration chief, Piotr Serafin, has been asked to conduct the reassessment to bring about a “modern, efficient public administration to deliver on our political priorities,” while reducing both complexity “and, where possible, costs.”
According to the TAO, “this change cannot come about without discussing with staff to co-build new ways of working.” The email warns “it is impossible to pave the way for a new Commission organization based on simple polls or consultations — we must therefore involve staff through its representative trade unions from the outset.”
The working group responsible for the restructuring, advised by former Commission Secretary-General Catherine Day, has held a series of workshops with staff. However, internal documents obtained by POLITICO reveal they have encountered “resistance and cynicism” from colleagues, “hierarchical and rigidity issues” as well as “poor communication and engagement” compounded by a “lack of leadership.”
In their notes, senior Commission officials warn the review will now have to navigate a “loss of trust” among their teams and tackle “perceived hidden agendas or lack of transparency [that] can endanger change efforts.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Commission insisted that “staff members will be an important stakeholder throughout the review process … Staff representatives will also be engaged once the review starts in Autumn.”
The push for a more streamlined administration comes as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeks to ensure the service can respond faster to changing geopolitical situations, with potential mergers of departments under consideration. The review’s recommendations will be delivered by the end of 2026.
However, without a clear sense of which jobs — if any — could be cut or restructured, fears are growing that junior staff could be the ones bearing the brunt.
“Those who have an indefinite contract have a bit less of a worry about losing their job, at least so far,” said one mid-level official granted anonymity to speak about the mood inside the Commission. “They’re more worried about losing some of their benefits or employer contributions.”
“The ones who are more at risk are the ones on short-term contracts and contract agents,” the official added. “They are who we need to support right now and they don’t have representation because they are afraid of being vocal and to participate in trade unions. They tend to be like phantoms, they don’t want to be exposed so you don’t hear their voice.”
According to a 2023 staffing breakdown, over a quarter of the Commission’s more than 30,000 staff are temporary or contract workers. Responsible for delivering the EU’s day-to-day administrative functions, they include researchers, lawyers, policy officers and translators.
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