Open Letter to the High Representative/Vice President Ms. Kaja KALLAS and Mr. Jozef SIKELA, Commissioner for International Partnerships

RS USHU/U4U requests the initiation of a Social Dialogue process to meaningfully discuss the modernisation of the EU DEL Network

Subject: Request for a structured dialogue in the interest of staff

On 23rd of May, staff representatives and trade unions were convened at short notice to a briefing meeting with INTPA and EEAS management.

This information session revealed details on the proposal for the modernisation of the EU Delegation Network. 

The EEAS and Commission informed that they had reached a political agreement to establish a 3–tier system over the next five years with changes to commence as of 2026 and subject to further changes under a future MFF :

·       130 Standard EU Delegations (where operations with continue with no indications of changes in staffing)

·       6 Reinforced Delegations (additional posts will be made available for this function)

·       11 EU DEL with minimal diplomatic representation (a reduction in posts with the termination of Local Agent contracts and the redeployment of expatriates)

130 Local Agents posts will be terminated and redeployment for expatriates will be already factored into the next 2026 Rotation/Mobility exercises. DG ENEST of the RELEX family also announced its aim to centralize the Finance & Contracts Sections in Brussels through the repatriation of certain posts that may also result in potential dismissals.  Potentially many 100’s of expatriate and local staff will be affected as posts are terminated and staff redeployed elsewhere.

Under Article 10, the Staff Committee shall be consulted by the appointing authority on any proposal to amend the Staff Regulations or the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants. An organizational restructuring inherently affects working conditions and the internal functioning of the institution.

Any decision in relation to a restructuring process must be preceded by genuine and structured dialogue to ensure compliance with the principles of transparency, participation, and institutional accountability as enshrined in the Staff Regulations.

While information sessions may serve a useful purpose in communicating the broad outlines of proposed decisions, they do not fulfil the legal requirement of consultation, which implies a structured, two-way dialogue allowing staff representatives and trade unions to express views, propose alternatives, and influence outcomes before decisions are finalized.

Pursuant to Article 9(3) of the Staff Regulations, each institution establishes a Staff Committee, elected by the staff, which represents the interests of the staff vis-à-vis the institution. Similarly, the Trade Unions and staff associations foreseen in Article 24b shall also act in the general interest of the staff and framework agreements between the Institutions and representative trade unions must be respected. Article 9(6) provides the Staff Committee with the right to submit suggestions concerning the organisation and operation of the service, thereby reinforcing the expectation of meaningful engagement.

Given the above, we request the EEAS and the Commission to immediately launch a formal consultation process with the Staff Committees and Trade Unions, in accordance with its obligations under the Staff Regulations.  We have a joint responsibility to ensure that the voices of staff are genuinely heard and taken into consideration before any decision is adopted to determine the future of the EU DEL network.

USHU and U4U call on the EEAS and the Commission to engage in social dialogue urgently and ensure a transparent process.

 Helen Conefrey            Georges Vlandas

 USHU                                 U4U