View source for European Civil Service

{{Short description|Staff serving the institutions and agencies of the European Union}}
{{Politics of the European Union}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

The '''European Civil Service''' is a generic term applied to all staff serving the [[Institutions of the European Union|institutions]] and [[Agencies of the European Union|agencies]] of the [[European Union]] (EU). Although recruitment is sometimes done jointly, each institution is responsible for its own internal structures and hierarchies.

==Principles of public service==
The rules, principles, standards and working conditions of the European civil service are set out in the ''Staff Regulations''.<ref name="StaffRegs">{{CELEX|01962R0031-20230101|text=Consolidated text (1 January 2023): Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community}}</ref>

In 2012, the [[European Ombudsman]] summarised the following five principles of public service which should apply to all staff of the EU institutions:<ref name="Ombudsman">{{cite web|url=http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/document/en/11650|title=Public service principles for the EU civil service|first=European|last=Ombudsman|date=19 June 2012|website=www.ombudsman.europa.eu}}</ref>

:1. Commitment to the European Union and its citizens 
:2. Integrity
:3. Objectivity
:4. Respect for others
:5. Transparency

==Staff==
The European Commission's civil service is headed by a [[Secretary-General of the European Commission|Secretary General]], currently [[Ilze Juhansone]] holding the position.<ref>{{cite web |title=Secretary-General Ize Juhansone |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/persons/secretary-general-ilze-juhansone_en |website=European Commission |publisher=European Commission |access-date=26 May 2021}}</ref> According to figures published by the commission, 24,428 persons were employed by the commission as officials and temporary agents in their 2016 budget.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.keele.ac.uk/pressreleases/2016/howmanypeopleworkfortheeu.html|title=How many people work for the EU?|last=Huggins|first=Christopher|date=3 June 2016|website=News and Events|publisher=Keele University|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> In addition to these, 9,066 additional staff were employed; these are largely people employed on time-limited contracts (called "contractual agents" in the jargon), staff seconded from national administrations (called "Detached National Experts"), or [[Traineeship scheme of the European Commission|trainees]] (called "stagiaires"). The single largest DG is the [[Directorate-General for Translation (European Commission)|Directorate-General for Translation]], with 2261 staff.<ref name="staff figures">{{cite web|title=Civil Service: Staff figures|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|url=http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/about/figures/index_en.htm |access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref>

===Popular terminology===
European civil servants are sometimes referred to in the anglophone press as "[[Eurocrat]]s" (a term coined by [[Richard Mayne (journalist)|Richard Mayne]], a journalist and personal assistant to the first Commission president, [[Walter Hallstein]]).<ref name="Mayne">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2009/dec/21/richard-mayne-obituary|title=Richard Mayne obituary|date=22 December 2009|work=The Guardian|page=30|access-date=22 December 2009 | location=London | first=Gillian | last=Tindall}}</ref> High-ranking officials are sometimes referred to as "European [[Mandarin (bureaucrat)|Mandarins]]".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission|last=Eppink|first=Derk-Jan|publisher=Lannoo|year=2007|isbn=978-9020970227|url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi}}</ref>

These terms are sometimes erroneously used by the anglophone press, usually as a derogatory slur, to describe [[Member of the European Parliament|Members of the European Parliament]], or [[European Commissioner]]s. MEPs are directly elected representatives, whilst the European Commissioners, despite often being confused as civil servants, are politicians holding public office and accountable to the European Parliament. Much like [[government ministers]] at the national level, they instruct the policy direction of the civil service.

===Nationality===
As of 1 January 2018 there are staff from all member states, with the largest group being [[Belgium|Belgian]] (15.7% – 5,060 out of 32,196). From the larger member states, 12.1% were Italian, 9.9% French, 7.5% Spanish, 6.7% German, 4.4% Polish and 2.8% British.<ref name="staff figures"/>

Most administration is based in the [[Brussels|Belgian capital]],<ref name="staff figures"/> Often, those states under-represented in the service tend to have more of their nationals in the higher ranks.<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.35</ref>

===Qualifications===
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2016}}
The qualifications needed to enter the European civil service depend on whether the job is a specialist one and the grade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/europeanunionofficial.aspx|title=Entry requirements|date=2016|website=Job profiles European Union official|publisher=UK Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> One of the entry qualifications for the European civil service is that the candidate speak at least two of the official European languages, one of which must be English, French or German. Candidates whose mother tongue is English, French or German must pass the competition for entry in one of the other two official languages.

Prior to their first promotion, officials must demonstrate competence in a third EU official language.

A candidate also needs to have a first degree in any discipline with a diploma issued by a University from any member state of the EU, or, if issued by a University from a non-EU member state it must be homologated by at least one of them in order to be eligible. The services have traditionally hired candidates with degrees in law, Economics, or Audit; competition is tougher for graduates of all other disciplines, although the procedure for the open competitions, known as "Concours", is now under review.

===Grades===
Staff are divided into a set of grades: from AD 5, the most junior administrator grade, to AD 16, which is a director-general (AD = administrator). Alongside the AD category is AST (assistant). It is now possible for civil servants to be promoted from AST to AD grade, not previously possible (see below); however in practice the grades remain entrenched.<ref name="Eppink, 2007, p.37">Eppink, 2007, p.37</ref> While promotion is in theory according to merit, many management posts are now taken by officials 'parachuted in' from member states. Moreover, staff reforms introduced in 2004 have severely reduced the possibilities for career progression and have created divisions within the service, with pre-2004 entrants enjoying greater pay and privileges. According to the commission's own internal statistics, even though new officials possess an average of eight years work experience, it would take an average of over 40 years to climb from AD 5 to AD 16.

Prior to this new system, introduced in the 2000s (decade), civil servants were traditionally divided into four categories. "A" was policy making (what is now AD), "B' was implementing, "C" was secretarial and "D" was drivers and messengers (B, C and D are now all part of the AST category). There were various grades in each category. The major ranks used to be in the form of A8 (new appointment without prior work experience) to A1 (director-general).<ref name="Eppink, 2007, p.37"/>

===Salary and allowances===
{{Citation needed span|date=January 2016|text=EU civil and other servants work 40 hours a week, though they are theoretically available 24/7.}} They receive a minimum of 24 days of leave a year (maximum of 30), {{Citation needed span|date=January 2016|text=with additional leave entitlements on grounds of age, grade but no longer distance from home country (this is now a flat-rate 2.5 days for all)}}.

The lowest grades receive between €1,618.83 gross (FG 1 step 1)<ref name="salary FG1">[http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/docs/toc100_en.pdf Chapter 7, page II-30, Staff Regulation],</ref> each month, while the highest grades (AD 15–16 – i.e. Directors General at the end of their career) receives between €14,822.86 and €16,094.79 a month. This salary is taxed by the EU, rather than at the national level. Taxation varies between 8% and 45% depending on individual circumstances. This is paid into the [[Budget of the European Union|Community budget]].<ref name="salary">[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:124:0001:0118:EN:PDF COUNCIL REGULATION (EC, EURATOM) No 723/2004], Annex I, Amendment 60</ref>

Earnings are augmented by allowances, such as allowances for those living outside their own country, those who are the principal earner in their household, those with children in full-time education, and those who are moving home in order to take up a position or leaving the service. Earnings are also lowered by various additional taxes (i.e. "Special Levy" alias 'crisis levy' introduced in 1973 and increasing regularly every year)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Special Levy|url=https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/thinktank/index.php/Special_levy|url-status=live|archive-date=5 March 2016|website=Think Tank [decommissioned 12 October 2020]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011133/https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/thinktank/index.php/Special_levy}}</ref> and indexes (for EU staff working out-side Brussels).

For a contribution of 2% basic salary, employees are provided with health insurance which covers a maximum of 85% of expenses (100% for serious injury).<ref name="salary"/> Employees have the right to a parental leave of six months per person and child during which they obtain an allowance and have (as of January 2014) the possibility of an extension by further 6 months with a smaller allowance.<ref name="staff-reg-changes-2013">{{cite news|url=http://edz.bib.uni-mannheim.de/edz/pdf/swd/2013/swd-2013-0452-en.pdf|title=Summary document on changes relating to Staff Regulations review. Measures included in the compromise text agreed by COREPER on 28 June 2013 and voted in plenary session of the European Parliament on 2 July 2013. Ref. Ares(2013)2583641 – 05/07/2013|publisher=European Commission|access-date=7 November 2014}}</ref>

{{Citation needed span|date=January 2016|text=Salaries were considerably reduced for new entrants from 1 May 2004 onwards as a result of a significant number of reforms effected by Commissioner Neil Kinnock. Staff undertaking the same work may receive very different salaries, depending on their date of recruitment. Careers are also sharply affected, with new staff tending to constitute a 'second division' of workers with limited managerial prospects. 
As a consequence of these changes, the institutions recruit with difficulty staff from certain countries like UK, Luxembourg, Denmark as wages are the same or lower than in the home country. For example, a Director General's salary is below what a senior executive with similar responsibilities could expect to be earning at the end of their career in the UK and in some countries (like Luxembourg) the lowest wages (FG I – FG II) are even under the legal [[minimum salary]] in the respective country, which raise the question about legality of such terms of employment.}}

In January 2010, The European Commission took the EU member states to court over the Member States' refusal to honour a long-standing formula under which wages for the staff of the European institutions are indexed to the salaries of national civil servants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anz.com/edna/dictionary.asp?action=content&content=wage_indexation|title=Glossary of terms – ANZ|website=www.anz.com}}</ref> The formula led to a salary adjustment of 3.7% but the council, representing the member states, was only willing to grant a pay rise of 1.85%.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 January 2010|title=EU civil servant pay row goes to court|url=https://www.euractiv.com/en/pa/eu-civil-servant-pay-row-goes-court/article-188646|url-status=live|archive-date=12 January 2010|access-date=15 September 2021|website=euractiv.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112093607/https://www.euractiv.com/en/pa/eu-civil-servant-pay-row-goes-court/article-188646}}</ref> In November 2010, the European Court of Justice ruled that there was no legal basis for the council to set the pay rise to 1.85%.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.euractiv.com/pa/eu-officials-win-pay-rise-battle-news-499987|title=EU officials win pay rise battle with member states|date=26 November 2010|publisher=EuroActiv|access-date=18 December 2014}}</ref> It has been noted that the ECJ judges who would decide in this case would be themselves to benefit from any salary increase agreed.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/6942443/EU-mounts-challenge-to-MEP-pay-rise-cuts.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Bruno | last=Waterfield | title=EU mounts challenge to MEP pay rise cuts | date=6 January 2010}}</ref> To be noted that the index is published and applied one year and half later, and this delay cause the quarrels like in the 2010 (full crisis) where should be applied the adaptation related to the increases of wages of the national civil servants from 2007 to 2008; while in 2011 the index was already negative (as the national wages has been lowered).

===Pensions===
Employees contribute about 11.3% of their basic salary to a pension scheme.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:348:0009:0009:EN:PDF|title=COUNCIL REGULATION (EU, EURATOM) No 1295/2009 of 22 December 2009 adjusting with effect from 1 July 2009 the rate of contribution to the pension scheme of officials and other servants of the European Union}}</ref> This scheme does not constitute a separate, ring-fenced pension fund; rather, pension payments are made from the general administrative budget of the commission.

Pensions are paid as a percentage of the final basic salary, with the percentage increasing by an annual accrual rate (a fixed percentage per year of service) up to a ceiling of 70%. Early retirement is possible as of 58 years, albeit with the pension being reduced by a fixed pension reduction coefficient per year before the pensionable age. For staff who entered service 2014 or later, the annual accrual rate is 1.8%, the pensionable age is 66 years, early retirement is possible as of 58 years with a pension reduction coefficient of 3.5%.<ref name="staff-reg-changes-2013"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/job/official/index_en.htm|title=Permanent officials|publisher=European Commission|access-date=7 November 2014}}</ref>

Different conditions apply to those hired before 2014: Those who entered service between 1 May 2004 and 31 December 2013 have an annual accrual rate of 1.9%, a pensionable age between 63 and 65 years, the same early retirement age limit of 58 years and a lower pension reduction coefficient of 1.75% for years above the age of 60. Those in place before 1 May 2004 have an annual accrual rate of 2.0%, a pensionable age between 60 and 65 years, the same early retirement age limit of 58 years and a lower pension reduction coefficient of 1.75% for years above the age of 60.<ref name="staff-reg-changes-2013"/>

Before 1 January 2014, other conditions had applied: For those who entered service on 1 May 2004 or later, the pensionable age had been 63 years, and for those who entered service before 1 May 2004 it had been between 60 and 63 years. Early retirement had been possible as of 55 years for all staff, with a pension reduction coefficient of 3.5% per year before the pensionable age, except that a small percentage of officials could retire early without that pension reduction if it was in the interest of the service.<ref name="pensions_en_2012">{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/human-resources/pensions_en.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325101012/http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/human-resources/pensions_en.htm|title=Retirement pension and early retirement: Frequently asked questions|publisher=European Commission|date=6 January 2012|archive-date=25 March 2012}}</ref> To mitigate the changes implemented as of 2014, transitional pension rules were put in place for staff in place on 1 January 2014, which included setting the pensionable age for staff between 55 and 60 years of age on 1 January 2014 to lie between 60 and 61 years. Transition measures applied also to early retirement: Staff already aged 54 years or older on 1 January 2014 could still retire, albeit with application of the pension reduction coefficient, in 2014 or 2015 at the age of 56 years or in 2016 at the age of 57 years.<ref name="staff-reg-changes-2013"/><ref>{{cite web|author=Irene Souka|url=http://www.u4unity.eu/document2/SR_HR20130712.pdf#page=12|title=Review of the Staff Regulations|date=July 2013|format=PDF|page=12}}</ref>

Before 1 May 2004, the pensionable age had been 60 years. When this age was raised in 2004, this was accompanied by transition measures so that it remained unchangedly at 60 for officials aged 50 or more as well as for officials who had already completed 20 years of service or more on 1 May 2004, and it varied from 60 years and 2 months to 62 years and 8 months for officials who were aged 30 to 49 on 1 May 2004.<ref name="pensions_en_2012"/>

===Recruitment===
Recruitment is on the basis of competitions organised centrally by EPSO ([[European Personnel Selection Office]]) on the basis of qualifications and of the need for staff.

==Organisational culture==
During the 1980s, the commission was primarily dominated by French, German and Italian cultural influences, including a strictly hierarchical organisation. Commissioners and Directors-General were referred to by their title (in French) with greater prestige for those of higher ranks. As one former servant, [[Derk Jan Eppink]] has put it, even after new staff had passed the tough entrance exams: "Those at the top counted for everything. Those at the bottom counted for nothing."<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.32</ref> One example of this was the [[Chief of staff|chef de cabinet]] of [[President of the European Commission|President]] [[Jacques Delors]], [[Pascal Lamy]], who was particularly notable for his immense influence over other civil servants. He became known as the ''Beast of the [[Berlaymont building|Berlaymont]]'', the ''[[Gendarmerie|Gendarme]]'' and the ''[[Exocet]]'' due to his habit of ordering civil servants, even [[Directorate-General|Directors-General]] (head of departments) "precisely what to do – or else." He was seen as ruling Delors's office with a "rod of iron", with no-one able to bypass or manipulate him and those who tried being "banished to one of the less pleasant European postings".<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.22–3</ref>

However, since the enlargement of the EU, and therefore the arrival of staff from the many newer Member States, there has been a change in the culture of the civil service. New civil servants from northern and eastern states brought in new influences while the commission's focus has shifted more to "participation" and "consultation". A more egalitarian culture took over, with Commissioners no longer having a "status equivalent to a sun God" and, with this new populism, the first women were appointed to the Commission in the 1990s and the service gained its first female secretary general in 2006 ([[Catherine Day (civil servant)|Catherine Day]]). In stark contrast to the 1980s, it is not uncommon to see men without ties and children playing football in the corridors.<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.34–5</ref>

===Criticisms===
It has been alleged that, for want of a common administrative culture, European Civil Servants are held together by a "common mission" which gives DGs a particularly enthusiastic attitude to the production of draft legislation regardless of the intentions of the Commissioner.<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.111</ref> They are also notably bound by their common procedures, in the absence of a common administrative culture, which are best known by the [[Secretariat-General of the European Commission|Secretariat-General]], thus considered a prestigious office, just below the [[Cabinet (European Commission)|President's cabinet]].<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.218</ref>

There has been some criticism that the highly fragmented DG structure wastes a considerable amount of time in [[wikt:turf war|turf war]]s as the different departments and Commissioners compete with each other, as is the case in national administrations. Furthermore, the DGs can exercise considerable control over a Commissioner unless the Commissioner learns to assert control over his/her staff.<ref name="LEM">{{cite web|last=Amies|first=Nick|title = Former EU Mandarin Spills the Beans on Commission Intrigue|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]|date=21 September 2007|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2790009,00.html|access-date=17 October 2007}}</ref><ref name="Press Releases">{{cite web|last =Mahony|first=Honor|title=EU carefully manages PR through 1000s of press releases|publisher=EU Observer|date=17 October 2007|url=http://euobserver.com/9/24971|access-date=17 October 2007}}</ref> The DGs work closely with the [[Cabinet (European Commission)|Commissioner's cabinet]]. While the DG has responsibility for preparation of work and documents, the cabinet has responsibility for giving the Commissioner political guidance. However, in practice both seek a share of each other's work.<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.109</ref> It has been alleged that some DGs try to influence decision making by providing Commissioners with briefing documents as late and large as possible, ensuring that the Commissioner has no time to do anything but accept the version of facts presented by the DG. In doing this the DG is competing with the cabinet, which acts as a "[[bodyguard]]" for the Commissioner.<ref>Eppink, 2007, p.107-8</ref>

==Organisational structure==

{{further|Directorate-General}}
The commission is divided into departments known as Directorates-General (DGs or ''the services''), each headed by a director-general, and various other services. Each covers a specific policy area or service such as External Relations or Translation and is under the responsibility of a [[European Commissioner]]. DGs prepare proposals for their Commissioners which can then be put forward for voting in the college of Commissioners.<ref name="Europa Institutions">{{cite web|title=Institutions of the EU: The European Commission|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|url=http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|access-date=18 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623104055/http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|archive-date=23 June 2007}}</ref>

Whilst the commission's DGs cover similar policy areas to the [[Ministry (government department)|ministries]] in national governments, European Civil Servants have not necessarily been trained, or worked, in a national civil service before employment in the EU. On entry, they do not therefore share a common administrative culture.

===List of Directorates-General===
The Directorates-General are divided into four groups: Policy DGs, External relations DGs, General Service DGs and Internal Service DGs. Internally, the DGs are referred to by their [[abbreviation]]s; provided below.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! colspan=3 | Departments (DGs)<ref name="DGs and services">{{Cite web|access-date=29 December 2021|title= European Commission: Departments (Directorates-General) and services
|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments_en}}</ref> 
|-
! DG
! Abbreviation
! Relevant Commissioner
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development|Agriculture and Rural Development]]
| AGRI
| [[European Commissioner for Agriculture]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Budget (European Commission)|Budget]]
| BUDG
| [[European Commissioner for Budget and Administration]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Climate Action (European Commission)|Climate Action]]
| CLIMA
| [[European Commissioner for Climate Action]]
|-
| [[Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology|Communications Networks, Content and Technology]]
| CONNECT
| [[European Commissioner for Digital Agenda]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General Communication|Communication]]
| COMM
| [[President of the European Commission]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Competition (European Commission)|Competition]]
| COMP
| [[European Commissioner for Competition]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space|Defence Industry and Space]]
| DEFIS
| [[European Commissioner for Internal Market]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (European Commission)|Economic and Financial Affairs]]
| ECFIN
| [[European Commissioner for Economy]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Education and Culture (European Commission)|Education and Culture]]
| EAC
| [[European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion|Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion]]
| EMPL
| [[European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Energy (European Commission)|Energy]]
| ENER
| [[European Commissioner for Energy]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations|European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations]]
| NEAR
| [[European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs|Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs]]
| GROW
| [[European Commissioner for Internal Market]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for the Environment|Environment]]
| ENV
| [[European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for International Partnerships|International Partnerships]]
| INTPA
| [[European Commissioner for International Partnerships]]
|-
| [[Eurostat]]
| ESTAT
| [[European Commissioner for Economy]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union|Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union]]
| FISMA
| [[European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety|Health and Food Safety]]
| SANTE
| [[European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs|Migration and Home Affairs]]
| HOME
| [[European Commissioner for Home Affairs]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations|Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid]]
| ECHO
| [[European Commissioner for Crisis Management]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security|Human Resources and Security]]
| HR
| [[European Commissioner for Budget and Administration]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Informatics (European Commission)|Digital Services]]
| DIGIT
| [[European Commissioner for Budget and Administration]] 
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Interpretation (European Commission)|Interpretation]]
| SCIC
| [[European Commissioner for Budget and Administration]]
|-
| [[Joint Research Centre]]
| JRC
| [[European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers|Justice and Consumers]]
| JUST
| [[European Commissioner for Justice]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries|Maritime Affairs and Fisheries]]
| MARE
| [[European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (European Commission)|Mobility and Transport]]
| MOVE
| [[European Commissioner for Transport]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy|Regional and Urban Policy]]
| REGIO
| [[European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (European Commission)|Research and Innovation]]
| RTD
| [[European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth]]
|-
| [[Secretariat-General of the European Commission|Secretariat General]]
| SG
| [[President of the European Commission]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support|Structural Reform Support]]
| REFORM
| [[European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (European Commission)|Taxation and Customs Union]]
| TAXUD
| [[European Commissioner for Economy]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Trade (European Commission)|Trade]]
| TRADE
| [[European Commissioner for Trade]]
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Translation (European Commission)|Translation]]
| DGT
| [[European Commissioner for Budget and Administration]]
|}

=== List of Services ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! colspan=2 | Services
|-
! Service
! Abbreviation
|-
| [http://ec.europa.eu/libraries/index_en.htm European Commission Library]
| EC Library
|-
| [[European Political Strategy Centre|Inspire, Debate, Engage and Accelerate Action]]
| IDEA
|-
| [[European Anti-fraud Office|European Anti-Fraud Office]]
| OLAF
|-
| [[European Commission Data Protection Officer]]
| DPO
|-
| [[Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority]]
| HERA
|-
| [[Historical Archives of the European Union]]
| HAEU
|-
| [[Office of Infrastructure and Logistics (European Commission)|Infrastructures and Logistics – Brussels]]
| OIB
|-
| [[Office of Infrastructure and Logistics (European Commission)|Infrastructures and Logistics – Luxembourg]]
| OIL
|-
| [[Internal Audit Service (European Commission)|Internal Audit Service]]
| IAS
|-
| [[Directorate-General for Legal Service (European Commission)|Legal Service]]
| SJ
|-
| Office for Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements
| PMO
|-
| [[Publications Office of the European Union|Publications Office]]
| OP
|-
| Recovery and Resilience Task Force
| RECOVER
|-
| [[European Personnel Selection Office]]
| EPSO
|-
| [[European School of Administration]]
| EUSA
|-
| [[Service for Foreign Policy Instruments]]
| FPI
|}

=== List of Executive Agencies ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! colspan=2 | Executive Agencies
|-
! Executive Agency
! Abbreviation
|-
| [[European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency]]
| CINEA
|-
| [[Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency|European Education and Culture Executive Agency]]
| EACEA
|-
| European Health and Digital Executive Agency
| HADEA
|-
| European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency
| EISMEA
|-
| [[European Research Council|European Research Council Executive Agency]]
| ERCEA
|-
| [[Research Executive Agency|European Research Executive Agency]]
| REA
|}

=== Staff trade unions ===
The European Civil servants working for the European Civil Service can vote for representatives amongst several trade unions which then sit in representatives instances of the institution, for example:
*[https://unionsyndicale.eu/ Union Syndicale]
*[http://www.ffpe-bxl.eu/ European Civil Service Federation (FFPE)]
*[https://u4unity.eu/ Union 4 Unity]
*Renouveau et Démocratie

==See also==
* [[College of Europe]]
* [[European Union Civil Service Tribunal]]
* [[EU Concours]]

==References==
* {{cite book | last = Eppink | first = Derk-Jan | author-link = Derk Jan Eppink | others = Translated by Ian Connerty | title = Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission | publisher = Lannoo | edition = 1st | location = Tielt, Belgium | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-90-209-7022-7 | url = https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi }}
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last = Eppink | first = Derk-Jan | author-link = Derk Jan Eppink | translator1 = Ian Connerty | title = Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission | publisher = Lannoo | edition = 1st | location = Tielt, Belgium | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-90-209-7022-7 | url = https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi }}

== External links ==
* [http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/index_en.htm European Commission Civil Service], [[Europa (web portal)]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071011192012/http://careers.civil-service.gov.uk/index.asp?txtNavID=166&635132= Opportunities in Europe] UK [[Cabinet Office]]: Careers
* {{Cite web
|url= https://eur-lex.europa.eu/search.html?or0=DN%3D01962R0031*,DN-old%3D01962R0031*&qid=1549272035601&DTS_DOM=EU_LAW&type=advanced&lang=en&SUBDOM_INIT=CONSLEG&DTS_SUBDOM=CONSLEG
|title= Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community
|access-date= 19 November 2023
}}, {{CELEX|01962R0031-20230101|text=Consolidated text d.d. 2023-01-01}}

{{Eu-directorates-general}}
{{Civil service}}

[[Category:Civil Service of the European Union|*]]
[[Category:Public administration]]