Brussels, 21/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 24 February, the majority of unions at the European institutions will be organising a demonstration in front of the Berlaymont building, to support the right of local agents. The message they will be sending out is “No Discrimination of Non-EU Citizens (local agents) employed by the EEAS (European External Action Service) and the Commission”.
Local agents (LAs) is the category of personnel hired by the European institutions locally in third countries. They are non-EU nationals and belong to a particular statutory staff category. Today there are 135 local EU delegations around the world that employ 3,500 local agents. These agents carry out different jobs ranging from administrative, advisory and supervisory to manual duties. After the creation of the European External Action Service all aspects related to the career of local agents, including recruitment, salary adjustment, promotion etc, will be managed by the EEAS.
According to a press release from the unions at the EU institutions: - Local agents work anything from 30-40 years in a delegation and leave with no medical cover; salary adjustments have not been implemented in delegations and there are huge delays; local agents are obliged to take annual leave at the same time as other staff categories and the life and working conditions for local agents at the delegations, appear to be “without any value” for the European institutions. (L.C./transl.fl)