Does anyone working in the EU institutions know whether the "special" ID card has any advantages over a "normal" Belgian ID card?
Thanks!
mik123
I have a special ID and after seven years I still haven't figured out what the advantages are. It doesn't show my address and every time I have to make sure people spelt it correctly. In some cases I had to provide a proof of residence showing my address. When we buy a house, I'll opt for a Belgian ID with the address on it.
Jan 21, 2015 20:05
becasse
But surely neither the Belgian eID cards nor the Belgian E-style driving licences show your address either, although I seem to recollect that last time I read the chip on my eID the address was on that.
Jan 21, 2015 20:28
Mikek1300gt
Ah, the EU commission brigade are just working for the benefit of us all, and for less than that would otherwise have netted.
You, J, are a special person. :-)
Jan 21, 2015 22:02
Mikek1300gt
""If you are working in the EU institutions, there are people there who will give you much better advice on the ins & outs of the "special" ID than anyone here will.""
Absolutely! You will be given advice that includes making sure you get a tax free vehicle on arrival from your car journey a full two hours away. On how to maximise (and not risk the loss of) a whole raft of benefits that will leave you slightly stunned.
In a couple of years time, brainwashed and convinced that there is nothing wrong with the system, you can come back here and tell us stupid people that the gravy train for taxpayers money is all OK, because there is a competition.....
Jan 21, 2015 22:11
RPPKN
The fact that EU officials who move to Belgium because they start working in an EU institution are allowed to buy a car without paying the VAT (as well as certain furniture and household items) is a benefit offered by the Belgian state and could be fully withdrawn at any time if the state so wishes. I suggest you start lobbying the relevant Ministry and request that this outdated and discriminatory practice is stopped.
Also, I'm not exactly sure what your problem is with the "competition" you keep mentioning in your messages, but indeed these competitions which one must succeed in to be offered a permanent post, are open to all EU citizens and are fully transparent. All the relevant information can be found on the EPSO web site.
Jan 22, 2015 07:37
Mikek1300gt
My problem with the "competition" is with those who are so smart as to pass one, yet who are too stupid to realise that a "competition" to get on the tax payer funded gravy train does not justify it's existence.
The standard response to any criticism is there is a competition and we are all welcome to apply so there is no justification for anybody to complain . Total bull droppings.
I was unaware that it is actually the Belgian State that allows new recruits to have tax free cars and other goods, but I would point out that this is still tax payers that are paying for this completely over the top perk.
I'm still chuckling at the suggestion that many of these people are working for the commission at lower net pay and compensation than could be achieved in the private sector. Honestly, that's a good one.
Jan 22, 2015 09:13
RPPKN
It would be helpful if you could give more details on how in your opinion these things should be run. If you think that a free-to-all, equal opportunity open competition is not the correct way to select staff for EU institutions, how then should it be done? Or is it more that you think that EU institutions should not have any staff at all? Or is it even that you think that there should be no EU institutions at all?
Jan 22, 2015 09:24
J
EU civil service are good jobs, there's no denying that. But then they have to be, otherwise they would not be able to attract the best people to do what are basically some very difficult and technical jobs.
I'm not at all surprised that Mike fails to make the grade...
Jan 22, 2015 09:30
Mikek1300gt
Your post, RPPKN, has all the hallmarks of a politician. Where did you read that I had a problem with competition for posts?
Jan 22, 2015 09:34
RPPKN
Indeed, I have misunderstood this sentence: " a "competition" to get on the tax payer funded gravy train does not justify it's existence". Apologies.
So let's elaborate on that. You accept that a free-to-all, equal opportunity open competition is an acceptable way to select staff for the EU institutions.
Do I understand correctly that you are opposed to the fact that these staff are selected for a "tax payer funded gravy train" (as you see it; whether it really is a "gravy train" any more, especially after the 2014 changes, is another debate)?
What are the things that should be changed in the Staff Regulations to make the conditions of employment of EU staff acceptable to you?
I have a special ID and after seven years I still haven't figured out what the advantages are. It doesn't show my address and every time I have to make sure people spelt it correctly. In some cases I had to provide a proof of residence showing my address. When we buy a house, I'll opt for a Belgian ID with the address on it.
But surely neither the Belgian eID cards nor the Belgian E-style driving licences show your address either, although I seem to recollect that last time I read the chip on my eID the address was on that.
Ah, the EU commission brigade are just working for the benefit of us all, and for less than that would otherwise have netted.
You, J, are a special person. :-)
""If you are working in the EU institutions, there are people there who will give you much better advice on the ins & outs of the "special" ID than anyone here will.""
Absolutely! You will be given advice that includes making sure you get a tax free vehicle on arrival from your car journey a full two hours away. On how to maximise (and not risk the loss of) a whole raft of benefits that will leave you slightly stunned.
In a couple of years time, brainwashed and convinced that there is nothing wrong with the system, you can come back here and tell us stupid people that the gravy train for taxpayers money is all OK, because there is a competition.....
The fact that EU officials who move to Belgium because they start working in an EU institution are allowed to buy a car without paying the VAT (as well as certain furniture and household items) is a benefit offered by the Belgian state and could be fully withdrawn at any time if the state so wishes. I suggest you start lobbying the relevant Ministry and request that this outdated and discriminatory practice is stopped.
Also, I'm not exactly sure what your problem is with the "competition" you keep mentioning in your messages, but indeed these competitions which one must succeed in to be offered a permanent post, are open to all EU citizens and are fully transparent. All the relevant information can be found on the EPSO web site.
My problem with the "competition" is with those who are so smart as to pass one, yet who are too stupid to realise that a "competition" to get on the tax payer funded gravy train does not justify it's existence.
The standard response to any criticism is there is a competition and we are all welcome to apply so there is no justification for anybody to complain . Total bull droppings.
I was unaware that it is actually the Belgian State that allows new recruits to have tax free cars and other goods, but I would point out that this is still tax payers that are paying for this completely over the top perk.
I'm still chuckling at the suggestion that many of these people are working for the commission at lower net pay and compensation than could be achieved in the private sector. Honestly, that's a good one.
It would be helpful if you could give more details on how in your opinion these things should be run. If you think that a free-to-all, equal opportunity open competition is not the correct way to select staff for EU institutions, how then should it be done? Or is it more that you think that EU institutions should not have any staff at all? Or is it even that you think that there should be no EU institutions at all?
EU civil service are good jobs, there's no denying that. But then they have to be, otherwise they would not be able to attract the best people to do what are basically some very difficult and technical jobs.
I'm not at all surprised that Mike fails to make the grade...
Your post, RPPKN, has all the hallmarks of a politician. Where did you read that I had a problem with competition for posts?
Indeed, I have misunderstood this sentence: " a "competition" to get on the tax payer funded gravy train does not justify it's existence". Apologies.
So let's elaborate on that. You accept that a free-to-all, equal opportunity open competition is an acceptable way to select staff for the EU institutions.
Do I understand correctly that you are opposed to the fact that these staff are selected for a "tax payer funded gravy train" (as you see it; whether it really is a "gravy train" any more, especially after the 2014 changes, is another debate)?
What are the things that should be changed in the Staff Regulations to make the conditions of employment of EU staff acceptable to you?
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