Last Updated on 22/09/2025

Your career perspectives

There are different career perspectives depending on your contractual status (Official, Temporary Agent (TA), Contract Agent (CA)). You can change your contractual status and become an Official, if you succeed in a competition.

In terms of career perspectives, all Officials, some Contract Agent types and some Temporary Agent types can move forward either through a promotion (Officials) or a reclassification (CA or TA).

If you are an Official, you can only be promoted in your Function Group (AD, AST, AST/SC). Besides, within AD and AST function groups there are intermediate glass ceilings (AST9 and AD12 grades). Indeed, if you are an AST you need to be nominated as a Senior Assistant in order to become an AST10, and if you are an AD you need to be nominated as a Senior Expert in order to become AD13. The latter ceiling does not apply if you are a manager (Head of Unit and higher).

The number of promoted and reclassified staff depends on the available annual budget and the related rules (Implementing rules of Article 45 and Annex IB of the Staff Regulations for Officials, various decisions for Contract Agents). The average time spent in each grade before you are promoted varies. Of course, your promotion or reclassification depends primarily on the quality and efficiency of your work. However it is not always enough. The reclassification and promotion are yearly processes consisting of different steps (self-assessment, dialogues and appeal). Below, you may find a visual of all the processes steps:

We at USF-L very actively participates in the promotion and reclassification processes for more than two decades. We are also there to help you assess your situation and to advise you on what you should do and when to do it.

Disclaimer:

We always try to provide you with the latest information. However, the fast evolution of the situation does not always allow us to timely update this page content. The references hereunder (leaflets and news) might provide you with additional information. However, if you need to have a quick update don't hesitate to contact us: REP-PERS-OSP-USF-LUXEMBOURG@ec.europa.eu

LEGAL BASIS:

  • Staff Regulations: Officials: Title 3, Chapter 3 (Art 43 to 45 and their implementing rules that can be found here), Annex IB // Other Agents : Temporary Agents article 43, Contract Agents: Art 80, 83, 93, 113

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