The Union Syndicale had a meeting with Commissioner Johannes Hahn on 22 January to make an initial contact. He recalled the importance of contributing, exchanging and reaching a compromise when it comes to social dialogue. That is why he asked that the presidents of each local staff committee and each president of the trade union organisations express their expectations and objectives for the future.

The representatives of Union Syndicale wished to emphasise the following points, which they consider crucial to establishing a constructive and federating social dialogue:

• Union Syndicale is not at all in favour of a reform of the Staff Regulations and is instead asking the Commissioner to undertake a re-humanisation of the institution.
• The recruitment of temporary staff must be totally transparent.
• Meetings and consultations should be planned for the next six months.
• The career prospects of staff were also put on the table.
• Finally, despite Brexit, continuity must be ensured. Union Syndicale highlights the situation of staff members and asks that the impact on them be clarified.

At the end of the meeting, the Commissioner Hahn said that he had heard Union Syndicale’s concerns and agreed that the social dialogue should be better planned. He also expressed the wish that exchanges with the trade union representatives should be permanent in order to be able to administer the European Institutions in the best possible way.