This petition calls upon VP/HR Federica Mogherini, Development Commissioner Neven Mimica and ENP & Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to support Local Agents serving in EU Delegations by providing them with the following measures to mitigate the impact of the staff downsizing related to the Regionalisation of Administrative Support, the OPTIMUS, and the Work Load Assessment:

a) To extend the notification period for contract termination to 12 months, taking into consideration that Local Agents are not covered by the mobility/rotation scheme as are other staff categories and cannot be deployed to other places of employment of the EEAS and the Commission;

b) To negotiate with the EU funded actions implemented by International Organisations, NGOs and with the EU Member States diplomatic missions the possible recruitment of Local Agents leaving the Delegations to support their transition to another employment;

c) To provide a compensation package, in addition to what is foreseen in the special conditions of employment and in accordance with Framework Rule Article 18.6, inclusive of training and educational opportunities, extension of non-contributory health coverage until redundant staff is re-employed or for a maximum period of one year, and financial compensation based on local conditions in consultation with local staff representatives;

d) To redeploy Local Agents to any vacant posts within the same Delegation by providing relevant training to allow 'redundant staff' to take up such positions;

e) To establish the necessary measures to deploy Local Agents to other Delegations in the region. Considering that this is subject to the national rules of the hosting countries, an improvement could be reached by including in the Accord de siége, that the EU signs with the beneficiaries, a provision to allow Local Agents to be reassigned to other Delegations in the region.  

This Regionalisation of Administrative Support will affect a high number of Local Agents in the EEAS, by making redundant local positions, whilst at the same time creating several posts in Brussels for other staff categories. It is fair that a public institution like the EU should strive to ensure a smooth transition and feasible exit strategy, and that affected Local Agents are assisted adequately.

You therefore have the opportunity to support several hundreds of Local Agent colleagues affected by the job downsizing. By doing so you will support them and their families, and will acknowledge in a tangible manner the crucial role that they have played, often in very difficult and risky conditions, in the implementation of the EU's external policies.