First of all, congratulations on your election! Can you tell us a bit more about the role and objectives of the Federal Bureau?
Before I explain the role of the Federal Bureau, I would like to first talk about the structure of the Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF). USF has 21 affiliates, of which five are agencies: Cedefop, ETF, Eurofound, OSHA and, of course, Eurojust.
The USF Congress is the most important body of the Union. It convenes every four years and sets resolutions and decisions binding on all its affiliates. USEJ was accepted as part of USF during the last Congress in Bratislava on 31 May 2019.
The Federal Committee meets four times per year. It is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Congress; it also sets up the budget and elects the Federal Bureau. I was part of the Federal Committee in the past and I will continue to represent Eurojust in the upcoming meetings.
The Federal Bureau is the executive body of the union. It is composed of up to 11 members elected by the Federal Committee. One of the 11 spots is reserved for a staff member of the Agencies. I was nominated by Lars Nyctelius (USF Treasurer) during the Federal Committee on 13 July 2019, and I was elected to the Federal Bureau. Taking into account that Eurojust is a new Agency in USF, I am truly honoured to be elected and able to represent the Agencies for the next four years.
What will be your role in the Federal Bureau?
I will learn more about the specifics of my role during the first meeting which will take place in Ispra on 20 September 2019. My main objective is to represent Agencies within the Federal Committee and to try to harmonise the rights of Contract and Temporary Agents with Officials as much as possible.
What do you aim to achieve in your new role?
During the Congress in Bratislava, I worked hard to draft and adopt a resolution on Agencies. Jean-Marie Jungblut (Eurofound) and I presented the draft resolution that was adopted by the Congress. It is an ambitious paper, covering topics such as Certifications of TA AST, Pension Rights, Childcare Allowances, and Job Perspectives. I will strive to achieve as much of it as possible.
Can you tell us more on why this election is important for Eurojust as well?
We have all heard in the past about how we need to “put Eurojust on the map”. My election will certainly put Eurojust on the map, as I will be a member and part of the executive body of the largest and most influential trade union within the EU. For the first time, Eurojust will have a staff member who will participate in the negotiations on implementing rules and, most importantly, in the negotiations on the new Staff Regulations.
If you want to know more about the USF structure and rules you can check them out here.