Local Agents in EU DEL: How the EU DEL backbone is threatened - USHU’s take on EU DEL modernisation

USHU is determined to deliver on the mandate that you entrusted to us when you voted for USHU in the recent CLP HU elections!

Your USHU elected members to the CLP HU represented you in the recent plenary that took place in Brussels from 2-6 June and demanded more precise information on the revamping of the EU DEL Network

USHU’s take on the proposed EU DEL model:

Posts for Officials will be reduced in EU DEL, posts for Contract Agents will not be increased and Local Agents will be dismissed – this will be the reality on the ground as both the EEAS and the Commission struggle to cut costs

USHU has written regularly on the revamping of EU Delegations where the change management process must be handled optimally in order to maintain staff morale and ensure the best possible outcomes. We argue for a “SOCIAL PLAN” to identify the consequences for each and every staff member affected by these institutional changes and to ensure that there are specific and targeted measures to assist both Local Agents and Expatriate staff. The impact of the proposed changes will be far-reaching and will affect some staff more than others. The ramifications will be numerous and disruptive for all staff. Changes will be irrevocable and will have a lasting impact on job security, working conditions and career prospects.

Changes will provide opportunities however in this case, it is difficult to understand which staff will be positively impacted as the management of both the EEAS and the Commission have sought to agree politically among themselves on a model, which is being unilaterally imposed on staff serving in EU DEL. The references to “consultations” undermine the true meaning of the word as elected staff representatives / staff trade unions and professional organisations are excluded from all internal consultations.  USHU does not claim to have a mandate to determine or prevent management decisions however USHU does have a legitimate claim to act on behalf of its members to ensure that their interests are protected and that their working conditions are not eroded due to short-sighted decisions that will potentially damage the EU DEL network for decades to come.

USHU raises alarm bells in relation to the over-emphasis on reinforced EU DEL to achieve savings that will inevitably lead to over-centralisation. Staff who have worked in non-EU countries for decades, recognise the unique needs and contexts of our partner countries. USHU openly questions how servicing East Timor from Fiji will be more efficient and effective over time? Will this new model truly obtain efficiencies or draw us into an increasingly complex and overly bureaucratic system, where colleagues will have little idea of their added value and where costs may actually be considerably higher in the short-term.

Reinforced Delegations, standard and status-quo Delegations will lead to additional layers of bureaucracy, a slowing down of the decision-making process and will potentially hamper our response in times of emergency. The new model will reduce cultural and contextual awareness in diplomacy, political systems and behavioural patterns, information which is vital for development and cooperation to succeed. Without the need for in-country knowledge and expertise, INTPA could arguably deal with all partner countries remotely and from Brussels! Reinforced Delegations may well be physically closer to the EU DEL they will serve however, there is no guarantee they will fully understand all the political and cultural complexities of our partner countries!

USHU CALLS FOR A SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT and ACCOMPANYING MEASURES FOR BOTH LOCAL AGENTS and EXPATRIATES

🚨 MODERNISATION OF EU DELEGATION NETWORK - DIRECT IMPACT ON LAs

The EEAS Secretary-General announced the most significant reorganization of the EU Delegation network in recent history, following the 14 May 2025 political agreement by the Commissioners' Project Group on External Relations (CPGEA). The modernization process will entail a multi-tier system for EU Delegations where posts will be suppressed and redeployed over the next 18 months.

Local Agents cannot participate in annual or ad hoc institutional rotation and mobility exercises therefore they are the most vulnerable as they will not be redeployed with their posts to other EU DEL or to HQ. USHU wants to ensure that all channels are exhausted before any LA dismissals take place.

USHU has requested repeatedly to have access to the numbers and types of posts affected, the sequencing of implementation and the budgetary impact statement. No such written information has been provided to USHU or any Trade Union. Trade Unions and elected staff representatives are left in the dark as both the Commission and the EEAS move ahead with their proposal whilst claiming that staff are being fully consulted.

USHU has already received many requests from Local Agents in EU DEL for more precise information as they are clearly fearful for their future and need to know what their rights are when it comes to redundancy packages. 

Quick Recap on the proposal:

Eleven Delegations will transition to minimum EEAS diplomatic presence with significantly reduced staffing and limited core activities: Belarus, Eritrea, Eswatini, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Kuwait, Lesotho, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Timor Leste, and Trinidad & Tobago. These delegations will rely heavily on support from nearby standard/reinforced delegations and headquarters, raising legitimate concerns about potential job losses for Local Agents and redeployment for expatriates. USHU members were informed that approximately 130 dismissals of Local agents will take place across these 11 places of work where the Commission and EEAS will withdraw posts.

Six Reinforced Delegations will serve as regional hubs: Barbados, Côte d'Ivoire, Fiji, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa. These locations will house additional regional expertise and staff, creating potential opportunities for career advancement and specialization in areas such as Global Gateway, migration, complex settings, and strategic communication. Reinforced Delegations will serve as hubs and for a regional cluster of EU DEL:

1.     Senegal: will cover Mauritania, Capo Verde, Guinea Conakry, and Gambia;

2.     Ivory Coast: will cover Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Sierra Leone;

3.     Kenya: will cover Sudan, Somalia;

4.     South Africa: will cover Botswana, Mauritius, Madagascar and the office of the Comoros;

5.     Barbados: will cover Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, Guyana, and the office of Belize;

6.     Fiji: will cover the office of New Caledonia.

The exact distribution of tasks and responsibilities between the Reinforced and Standard Delegations is not entirely clear and still needs to be clarified by the administration.

 “Standard Delegations” or “Status Quo Delegations”: these are the remaining places of work that represent the vast majority and will maintain continued capacity for core functions while gaining access to expertise from ‘Reinforced Delegations’ and Headquarters.  The future of both “standard” and “status quo” delegations will very much depend on the outcome of the new MFF Negotiations for the period 2028 and beyond. Given the need to increase defence spending, it is clear that the Commission will have an uphill battle to convince the European Parliament and the European Council of the need to ring-fence adequate funds for international partnerships, external action policies focussing on cooperation and more.

⚡ WESTERN BALKANS – ACCELERATED CHANGES – IMPACT ON LAs IN 2025

The Western Balkans region, specifically the regionalization of contract and finance functions, has already begun in 2025. For other geographic regions, changes will be reflected in the 2026 rotation/mobility exercises.

The regionalization and centralization of contract and finance functions across Western Balkans delegations represents a fundamental shift in operations, with consequential effects on operational sections. Management emphasized this modernization is not budget-driven but aims to adapt delegations for new policies including the Global Gateway and Growth Plan initiatives.

While definitive organizational charts do not yet exist, delegations are being requested to implement the reorganization process immediately. Finance and contracts staff will be offered opportunities to transition to cooperation and policy sections. However, management confirmed the possibility of dismissals among Finance and Contracts staff, with specific plans including deadlines and quotas to be finalized by the end of 2025. Critically, no absorption capacity quotas have been provided for alternative positions in cooperation or operational sections.

USHU members secured the commitment that all Western Balkans staff reshuffling and modernization will be handled by RM.BHR.5 in full accordance with local legislation, ensuring legal compliance throughout the process.

📋 FIXED-TERM CONTRACTS - REDUCED JOB SECURITY FOR FUTURE LAs

Despite the fact that USHU fought and succeed in ensuring indefinite contracts for all Local Agents, the EEAS and the Commission have now decided on a new policy framework promoting fixed-term contracts for future local agents as a general principle on recruitment, where local labour law permits such a practice.

Currently LA indefinite contracts represent 97% with just 3% of LAs on fixed term contracts. Over time, the proportion will change as new LAs are recruited increasingly on fixed term contracts. Fixed-term contracts will be applicable in non-EU countries where local law does not prohibit such arrangements. 

The new HQ policy will propose initial contracts of two years, renewable twice for a maximum total employment duration of seven years under successive fixed-term arrangements. There will be an obligatory nine-month probationary period (in compliance with national legislation) for all new LA recruitments.

Contract renewals require headquarters approval and assessment of both ongoing job necessity and the local agent's ability to meet evolving requirements. After completing this seven-year period, indefinite contracts may be offered subject to headquarter’s approval. 

USHU advocates for job security for Local Agents who are the backbone of EU DEL.  USHU received assurances from EEAS management that all LAs in-service will continue with their indefinite contracts even if they are successful in future LA recruitments in the same EU DEL. 

Acquired rights must not be eroded by any new LA policy recruitment framework

USHU will strive to ensure that all staff categories, including Local Agents, are fully represented and defended in all HR policies affecting EU DEL staff