REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the use made in 2018 by the institutions of Council Regulations No 495/77, last amended by Regulation No 1945/2006 (on standby duty), No 858/2004 (on particularly arduous working conditions), and No 300/76, last amended by Regulation No 1873/2006 (on shift work)
Date: 2020-10-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, European Commission
Subjects: European official, allowances and expenses, application of EU law, continuous working day, servant (EU), shift work, staff regulations (EU), working conditions

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.10.2020  COM(2020) 634 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the use made in 2018 by the institutions of Council Regulations No 495/77, last amended by Regulation No 1945/2006 (on standby duty), No 858/2004 (on particularly arduous working conditions), and No 300/76, last amended by Regulation No 1873/2006 (on shift work)  
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT 

on the use made in 2018 by the institutions of Council Regulations No 495/77, last 
amended by Regulation No 1945/2006 (on standby duty), No 858/2004 (on particularly 
arduous working conditions), and No 300/76, last amended by Regulation No 1873/2006 
(on shift work) 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  Council  Regulations  on  standby  duty  (No 495/77)  and  on  particularly  arduous  working 
conditions  (No 858/2004)  require  the  Commission  to  report  annually  to  the  Council  on  the 
number of officials and other servants in each category receiving the allowances referred to in 
the respective Regulations and the total related expenditure. 

This report is based on the latest full-year figures available at the time of its preparation and 
thus  refers  to  2018.  It  covers  all  the  Institutions,  and  for  the  sake  of  completeness  also 
contains  the  same  type  of  information  on  the  use  of  shift  work  (Council  Regulation 
No 300/76). 

2. 

STANDBY DUTY ALLOWANCE 

The  legal  bases  for  this  allowance  are  Articles 55  and  56b  of  the  Staff  Regulations  and 
Council Regulation No 495/77 of 8 March 1977, as amended. 

Payment  of  the  allowance  is  limited  to  officials  and  other  servants  paid  from  research 
appropriations and employed in: 

– 
– 

an establishment of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), or  
indirect action, or 

paid from operating appropriations and employed in: 

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

the running or supervision of technical installations, 
a safety and security department, 
an information and communication technology (ICT) services department, 
a department  providing  support for the Common Foreign  and Security Policy 
(CFSP)/European Security  and Defence Policy  (ESDP) or for emergency and 
crisis coordination arrangements, or 
a  mechanism  established  to  provide  assistance  to  Member  States  24 hours  a 
day,  7 days  a  week  (MS 24/7),  for  emergency  and  crisis  coordination 
arrangements or services where there is a confirmed necessity for the execution 
of  tasks  in  order  to  guarantee  a  mechanism  for  providing  assistance  to 
Member States. 

The  standby  duty  allowance  is  expressed  in  points.  The  number  of  points  granted  for  each 
hour of actual standby duty is fixed as follows: 

– 

standby duty at home, working day: 2.15 points; 

1 

 
 
 
– 
– 
– 

standby duty at home, weekend and public holidays: 4.3 points; 
standby duty at the place of work, working day: 11 points; 
standby duty at the place of work, weekend and public holidays: 22 points. 

Each point is equal to 0.032% of the basic salary of an official in grade 1, step 1 (= EUR 0.93 
in 2018). 

The following figures indicate the number of allowances granted by each institution for 2018. 

2.1. 

Number of beneficiaries (officials/temporary staff and contract staff)1: 

Institution 

AD 

SC/AST 

CA 

Total  

Commission 
- of which JRC: 
Council 

Parliament 

Court of Justice 

Court of Auditors 

EESC 

CoR 

EDPS 

Ombudsman 

EEAS 

FG I 

FG II 

FG III  

FG IV 

120 

210.33 

51.67 

10 

16 

46 

81 

19 

0 

1 

3 

14 

0 

10 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

14 

158 

59 

0 

16 

0 

2 

3 

0 

0 

9 

4 

0 

1 

17 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 
0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 
0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

5 

299.33 

73.67 

11 

22 

Total 

8 

0 
0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

8 

416 

150 

77 

0 

27 

17 

2 

4 

0 

0 

29 

572 

1 At OLAF, standby duty is carried out 24/7 by 0.33 AD/0.33 SC/AST/0.33 FG I (total = 1 beneficiary) from the 
security standby team. 

2 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
2.2. 

Number of beneficiaries per type of standby duty: 

1- Number of beneficiaries  
per type of standby duty 

Institution 

Commission 

- of which JRC: 

Council 

Parliament 

Court of Justice 

Court of Auditors 

EESC 

CoR 

EDPS 

Ombudsman 

EEAS 

Total 

At home 
399 

134 

6 

77 

0 

27 

17 

2 

4 

0 

0 

29 

555 

2018 

At home and at 
the place of 
work 

At the place of 
work 

10 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

6 

11 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

11 

Total  

416 

150 

77 

0 

27 

17 

2 

4 

0 

0 

29 

572 

2.3. 

Number of beneficiaries per type of employment: 

Institution 

JRC 

Indirect 
action 

Technical 
installations 

Security 

ICT 

CFSP/  
ESDP 

MS 
24/7 

Total 

Commission 
- of which JRC: 
Council 
Parliament 
Court of Justice 
Court of Auditors 
EESC 
CoR 
EDPS 
Ombudsman 
EEAS 

Total 

150 

150 

0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
150 

0 

2 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2 

70 

0 
0 
15 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
85 

41 

103 

0 

50 

416 

0 

0 

0 

0 

150 

21 
0 
12 
17 
2 
4 
0 
0 
4 
101 

44 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
9 
156 

12 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
16 
28 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
50 

77 
0 
27 
17 
2 
4 
0 
0 
29 
572 

3. 

ALLOWANCE FOR PARTICULARLY ARDUOUS WORKING CONDITIONS 

The  legal  bases  for  this  allowance  are  Article  56c  of  the  Staff  Regulations  and 
Council Regulation No 858/2004 of 29 April 2004, as amended.  The  allowance  is  granted 
to compensate for particularly arduous working conditions relating to (1) ‘personal protection’ 
(wearing of uncomfortable special clothing, partial protection), (2) ‘place of work’ (confined, 

3 

 
 
 
 
noisy  and  dangerous  places)  and  (3)  ‘nature  of  work’  (for  example,  handling  of  corrosive 
substances, work with explosives)2.  

The  allowance  is  expressed  in  terms  of  points  granted  for  each  hour  of  actual  work.  The 
number of points varies between 2, e.g. for an average sound level exceeding 85 decibels, and 
an  upper  limit  of  50  in  the  case  of  an  official  wearing  a  self-contained  fire  protection  suit. 
Each point is equal to 0.032% of the basic salary of an official in grade 1, step 1 (= EUR 0.93 
in 2018). 

3.1. 

Number of beneficiaries (officials/temporary staff and contract staff): 

Institution 

AD 

SC/AST 

Contract staff 

FG I 

FG II 

FG III 

FG IV 

Total 

Commission 
- of which JRC: 
Council 
Parliament 
Court of Justice 
Court of Auditors 
EESC 
CoR 
EDPS 
Ombudsman 
EEAS 

31 

31 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
31 

Total 

145 

139 

16 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
145 

1 

24 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
24 

1 

1 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 

7 

1 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 

7 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
7 

195 

209 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
209 

4. 

SHIFT WORK ALLOWANCE 

The  legal  bases  for  this  allowance  are  Article  56a  of  the  Staff  Regulations  and 
Council Regulation No 300/76 of 9 February 1976, as amended. 

Payment  of  the  allowance  is  limited  to  officials  and  other  servants  paid  from  research 
appropriations and employed in: 

–  an establishment of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), or 
– 

indirect action, or  

paid from operating appropriations and employed in: 

–  an information and communication technology (ICT) services department, 
–  a safety and security department, 
–  a telephone switchboard/information service or on a reception desk, 
–  a  department  providing  support  for  the  Common  Foreign  and  Security  Policy 
(CFSP)/European  Security  and  Defence  Policy  (ESDP)  or  for  emergency  and  crisis 
coordination arrangements, 

–  a service providing support for emergency or crisis coordination arrangements, or 
– 

the running or supervision of technical installations. 

The following figures indicate the number of allowances granted by each institution for 2018. 

2 Article 3 of Council Regulation No 858/2004. 

4 

 
 
 
                                                 
4.1. 

Number of beneficiaries (officials/temporary staff and contract staff): 

Institution 

AD 

SC/AST 

FG I 

FG II 

FG III 

FG IV 

Total  

CA 

Commission 
- of which JRC: 
Council 
Parliament 
Court of Justice 
Court of Auditors 
EESC 
CoR 
EDPS 
Ombudsman 
EEAS 

0 

0 

0 
4 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
4 

76 

16 

20 

5 

0 

65 
57 
0 
0 
2 
3 
0 
0 
37 
240 

10 
527 
0 
19 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
572 

25 

0 

12 

0 
5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
17 

1 

8 

0 
8 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
17 

0 

0 
2 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2 

112 

75 
603 
0 
19 
2 
4 
0 
0 
37 
852 

Total 

Four different rates of the monthly allowance are provided for (2018 figures): 

– 

– 

– 
– 

rate 1:  work  involving  two  shifts,  excluding  weekends  and  public  holidays: 
EUR 420.64; 
rate 2:  work  involving  two  shifts,  including  nights,  weekends  and  public  holidays: 
EUR 634.89; 
rate 3: 24 hours a day, excluding weekends and public holidays: EUR 694.17; 
rate 4: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: EUR 946.38. 

4.2. 

Number of beneficiaries per rate: 

Institution 

Rate 1 

Rate 2 

Rate 3 

Rate 4 

€420.64  

€634.89 

€694.17  

€946.38  

Total 

Commission 
- of which JRC: 
Council 
Parliament 
Court of Justice 
Court of Auditors 
EESC 
CoR 
EDPS 
Ombudsman 
EEAS 

0 

14 

25 
48 
0 
2 
2 
4 
0 

0 
25 

Total 

120 

0 

0 

8 

0 
500 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

500 

17 

8 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

8 

25 

90 

50 
55 
0 
17 
0 
0 
0 

0 
12 

224 

112 

75 
603 
0 
19 
2 
4 
0 

0 
37 

852 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
4.3. 

Number of beneficiaries per type of employment: 

JRC 

Crisis/ 
emerg.  
coord. 

ICT 

Security  Switchboar

d/  
reception 

CFSP/  
ESDP 

Tech. 
Inst. 

Ind. 
Action 

Total 

Institution 

Commission 
- of which JRC: 
Council 
Parliament 
Court of Justice 
Court of Auditors 
EESC 
CoR 
EDPS 

Ombudsman 
EEAS 

25 

25 

0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

Total 

25 

9 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

9 

14 

0 

0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
13 

27 

0 

64 

75 
545 
0 
17 
2 
4 
0 

0 
12 

719 

0 

0 

0 
58 
0 
2 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

60 

0 

0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
12 

12 

0 

0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

0 

0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 

0 

25 

112 

75 
603 
0 
19 
2 
4 

0 
0 
37 

852 

5. 

SERVICES CONCERNED AND REASONS 

The Council, the Commission, the EEAS, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice and 
the Court of Auditors use standby duty and/or shift work and pay the allowances provided for 
by the legislation.  

From 2017, the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee have been 
running a joint standby duty and shift work service. 

The  Commission  is  still  the  only  institution  that  pays  allowances  for  particularly  arduous 
working conditions, at the JRC, the Office for Infrastructure and Logistics in Brussels (OIB) 
and for the nuclear inspectors at DG ENER (creation of a new service in 2018). 

5.1. 

Reasons for standby duty 

Commission:   
In  2018,  the  Commission  paid  allowances  for  standby  duty  to  416  members  of  its  staff 
(394 staff in 2017). About 36% (150) of them work at one of the research centres. The reasons 
for standby duty are, as in previous years, generally security- and safety-related (fire-fighting 
service,  radiation  monitoring,  radiation  protection,  etc.).  In  most  cases  at  the  JRC,  standby 
duty is carried out at home, with the exception of Ispra, where the duties are undertaken at the 
place of work or at home owing to the specific nature of the tasks to be performed. 

In the other Commission Directorates-General, there was a significant increase in the number 
of beneficiaries in IT services (103 compared to 83 beneficiaries in 2017). This trend can be 
the  creation  of  3  new  services,  namely 
noted 

in  particular  in  DIGIT  following 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
  
(1) DISS (central  management  of  digital  identities  and  access  rights),  (2)  TESTA  (secure 
communication  with  the  Member  States  and  the  European  institutions/agencies)  and 
(3) EU SEND (secure  electronic communication  between the European institutions). For the 
other services, there was little change compared  to  2017. There was a slight  increase in  the 
number of beneficiaries in DG ECHO providing assistance to Member States 24/7 (50 staff in 
2018  compared  to  45  in  2017)  in  order  to  monitor  incidents  in  real-time  and  respond 
immediately to disasters around the world.  

Council:  The  Council  paid  allowances  for  standby  duty  to  77  members  of  its  staff  in  2018 
(71 in  2017).  Three  services  have  been  set  up  to  cover  the  following  areas:  (1)  Information 
and Communication Technologies (ICT), to guarantee the protection and proper functioning 
of  the  IT  and  communications  networks,  (2)  Safety/Security  to  respond  immediately  to  any 
incident that could affect the staff of the General Secretariat of the Council and the activities 
of the Council and the European Council, and to provide 24/7 support to security officers on 
mission,  (3)  swift  action  to  draft,  publish  on  the  internet  and  disseminate  immediate  and 
urgent statements by the rotating Presidency and the President of the European Council in the 
context of the CFSP/ESDP. In 2018, standby duty was performed exclusively at home.  

Court of Auditors: In 2018, the monthly planning of the security and safety department set up 
in 2011 includes standby duties at home for 17 staff members (14 in 2017). They ensure the 
safety of buildings and their occupants round the clock throughout the year. 

EEAS:  In  2018,  the  EEAS  paid  allowances  for  standby  duty  to  29  members  of  its  staff 
(15 staff in 2017). These standby services covered three areas of work: (1) security services, 
to  provide  round-the-clock  protection  to  EEAS  staff,  visitors,  premises  and  property  in 
Brussels  and  to  protect  classified  information  (at  Headquarters  and  in  the  Delegations); 
(2) support  to  the  CFSP/ESDP  to  monitor  events  around  the  world  24/7,  respond  to  crises, 
incidents,  critical  events,  specific  situations  or  emergencies,  provide  support  to  the 
High Representative and EU actors, facilitate meetings of the EEAS Crisis  Platform  outside 
normal  working  hours;  (3)  the  information  and  communication  technology  service  via  the 
COMCEN (Communication Centre) which provides services for the transmission of classified 
the 
information 
General Secretariat  of  the  Council  in  order  to  ensure  swift  handling  of  urgent  classified 
information.  

to  all  EEAS  staff  members,  while  also  providing  services 

to 

Court of Justice: In 2018, the Court of Justice paid allowances for standby services at home 
to  27  members  of  its  staff.  This  service  was  established  in  November  2014  at  the 
Directorate-General for Infrastructure. The Buildings Directorate is responsible for protecting 
the  institution,  fire  prevention,  and  health  and  safety  at  work.  It  comprises  three  units 
responsible for new work, buildings management and safety and security.  

CoR-EESC: There has been a joint standby service within the security service at the CoR and 
the  EESC  since  1  March  2017  to  ensure  that  security  staff  can  be  reached  and  are  ready  to 
react  at  all  times  should  incidents  requiring  action  arise  when  the  institution  is  closed.  In 
2018, the standby service at home concerned 4 CoR staff and 2 EESC staff. 

5.2. 

Reasons for using the allowance for particularly arduous working conditions 

Commission:  The  Commission  is  the  only  institution  to  have  used  this  possibility  in  2018. 
The  Office  for  Infrastructure  and  Logistics  in  Brussels  (OIB)  introduced  it  in  one  of  its 

7 

 
 
 
services  (reproduction  service)  in  2008;  the  Joint  Research  Centre  was  already  using  it.  In 
2018,  DG  ENER  also  introduced  it  for  inspections  of  installations  at  nuclear  sites 
(19 beneficiaries with a total of 986.5 hours).  

In 2018, the total number of hours worked under particularly arduous conditions was broken 
down as follows: 
  65 808.19 hours relating to individual protection (for example, the wearing of particularly 

uncomfortable protective clothing); 

  117 127.13 hours relating to the place of work (for example, high noise level, dangerous 

sites); 

  11 539.68 hours  relating  to  the  nature  of  the  work  (for  example,  handling  of  corrosive 

substances); 

  26.20 hours relating to the combination of personal protection and places of work (nuclear 
inspectors: high noise level, protective clothing with self-contained breathing apparatus). 

5.3. 

Reasons for shift work 

Commission: Within the Commission, the JRC (for reasons relating to the nature of the tasks) 
and  DG  HR  (safety  and  security  department)  made  the  greatest  use  of  this  type  of  work 
organisation (25 and 56 persons respectively in 2018).  

In  2018  shift  work  was  performed  in  the  other  Directorates-General  (operating  budget)  by 
31 persons in the following areas: 

– 
– 
– 

Security and prevention: 8 (OIL) 
Information and Communication Technologies: 14 (DG COMM) 
Assistance to Member States: 9 (DG ECHO) 

The shift work arrangement at DG COMM was established in 2015 in order to prepare press 
reviews for the President, the College and the Spokesperson’s Service. 

The  around-the-clock  service  at  DG  ECHO  has  been  operational  since  2013  following  the 
establishment  of  a  Monitoring  and  Information  Centre  to  assist  Member  States  and  the 
Commission during disasters. 

Rates 1, 3 and 4 (types of allowance) are applied in the Commission, with rate 4 (continuous 
service) being used mainly in the security services. 

Council: The Council has a system of shift work, which is essential to ensure the continuity 
of  the  services  responsible  for  prevention  and  for  the  safety  and  security  of  buildings  and 
persons in the two Council buildings. 

There  was  a  slight  decrease  in  the  number  of  beneficiaries  in  2018  (75  compared  to  85  in 
2017) and in the cost (EUR 637 506.99 compared to EUR 672 443.72 in 2017). This decrease 
was  due,  first,  to  the  abolition  of  the  service  in  two  shifts  in  the  Safety  and  Security 
Directorate and, second, to the fact that several posts in the services organised in shifts were 
not occupied for various reasons. 

European Parliament: In 2018, the European Parliament paid shift work allowances to cover 
(1)  safety  and  security  services  in  the  3  places  of  work  (Brussels,  Strasbourg  and 
Luxembourg),  (2)  services  related  to  the  reception,  security  and  control  of  visitors 

8 

 
 
 
(Parlamentarium,  House  of  European  History  (since  2017),  Sports  Centre  (since  2017))  and 
communication via the switchboard, which offers a variety of services in  several languages, 
including  the  transfer  of  incoming  and  outgoing  calls,  the  provision  of  contact  information 
(telephone  and  fax  numbers,  email  and  office  addresses),  information  on  meetings  and  the 
buildings of the European Parliament.  

The  set-up  consists  of  either  a  two-shift  arrangement  (rate  1),  a  two-shift  arrangement 
including  nights,  weekends  and  public  holidays  (rate  2)  or  a  continuous  24-hour  service 
(rate 4).  There  were  603  beneficiaries  in  2018  (581  in  2017).  This  increase  is  due  to  the 
reinforcement  of  DG  COMM’s  services  for  the  Parlamentarium  and  the  House  of 
European History  (+  10  persons)  and  the  sports  centre  for  MEPs  and  staff  in  Brussels 
(+ 5 persons). Staff involved in security missions were also increased by 7.  

The new work organisation introduced in 2018 for monitoring and prevention missions led to 
a  significant  increase  in  the  number  of  people  receiving  the  rate  2  allowance.  There  were 
500 beneficiaries in 2018 (205 in 2017). 
This year, an average of 140 persons were moved from rate 2 to rate 4 for 4 to 5 months. 

Court of Auditors: The Court of Auditors has been using shift work in the fields of security 
and  telephone  service/reception  since  2011.  The  types  of  shift  work  put  in  place  are  a 
two-shift  arrangement  (rate 1)  and  a  continuous  24-hour  service  (rate 4).  There  were 
19 beneficiaries in 2018 (16 in 2017). 

EEAS:  In  2018,  the  EEAS  paid  37  shift  work  allowances  to  ensure  the  daily  monitoring, 
assessment and flagging up of politically significant events or situations on a 24/7 basis and to 
provide  services  for  the  transmission  of  classified  information  to  all  EEAS  staff  and  to  the 
High Representative and other EU actors (European Commission, General Secretariat of the 
Council, EU Agencies, EU Member States). 

Two types of allowance are applicable at the EEAS, mainly rate 1 and rate 4. The number of 
beneficiaries remained stable.  

CoR-EESC: The joint shift work service has been operating at the CoR and at the EESC since 
1 March 2017 to meet the need for continuous presence in the security service. The CoR pays 
allowances to 4 beneficiaries (rate 1) and the EESC to 2 beneficiaries (rate 1). 

6. 

BUDGET EXPENDITURE, PER INSTITUTION AND PER ALLOWANCE (IN EUR) 

Institution 

Shift work 

Standby duty 

Arduous working 
conditions 

Total 

Commission 

1 048 653.70 

1 448 792.37 

587 286.38 

3 084 732.45 

- of which JRC: 

238 496.39 

570 567.92 

562 839.26 

1 371 903.57 

Council 

Parliament 

Court of Justice 

Court of Auditors 

EESC 

637 506.99 

242 336.00 

4 861 738.73 

0 

164 473.07 

10 011.00 

0 

60 065.09 

13 829.08 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

879 842.99 

4 861 738.73 

60 065.09 

178 302.15 

10 011.00 

9 

 
 
  
CoR 

EDPS 

Ombudsman 

EEAS 

20 022.00 

13 159.26 

0 

0 

0 

0 

217 847.34 

52 616.36 

0 

0 

0 

0 

33 181.26 

0 

0 

270 463.70 

Total 

6 960 252.83 

1 830 798.16 

587 286.38 

9 378 337.37 

The  amount  spent  on  the  three  allowances  in  all  the  European  Institutions  stood  at 
EUR 9 378 337.37 in 2018 (EUR 8 118 966.55 in 2017).  

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