The 2025 promotion exercise for Commission officials has just begun, and as every year, TAO – The Independents will be actively participating in the first stage of this process, the “meetings with the DGs,” which take place in May and June.

We have proposed several colleagues from our team to the Central Staff Committee (CCP), which coordinates this work for all Commission sites.

This step is essential to the proper management of the promotion process, as it allows staff representatives to form an opinion on the DGs’ proposals while reviewing colleagues’ files according to current rules. It also allows us to be responsive to the needs of DGs, both large and small, and to minimize any potential inconsistencies between assessments and departmental proposals. We are the trade union organization that has long considered that this stage of the promotion exercise is both necessary and educational for colleagues who actively participate in it because it allows them to have not only an overview of the promotion system and its rules but also of how DGs organize their work, and how decentralized management of Human Resources works in each DG.

We will also be involved in the reclassification of Category 3 bis Contract Agents, even though we think reclassification opportunities are still insufficient and would require additional budgetary resources.

Finally, please note that these “meetings with the Directors General” are only one step of the promotion and reclassification system. Our work will continue thereafter in the working groups for appeals and the Joint Promotion and Reclassification Committee.

We will, of course, return to this issue later, and for any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our services.

As a reminder, the promotion and reclassification procedure is based on a comparison of merits, taking into consideration:

–      Performance reports since the last promotion

–      Language use in the position

–      Level of responsibility

–      Other factors may also be taken into consideration

Annex IB of the Staff Regulations defines the average rates of promotion for civil servants and remains an important reference point to achieve a balanced system and ensure compliance with collective guarantees. The same applies to Contractual Agents 3bis, as per Article 6 of the General Implementing Provisions.

We remain, as always, available throughout this process to answer your questions, concerns, and requests for assistance.