The EUI and US IUE Florence Florence

The European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, while neither an EU institution nor an agency, has been very closely tied to the EU since its inception in 1976. The EUI is an intergovernmental entity founded in 1972 by the six original members of the then European Communities.

A transnational hub of research and higher education dedicated to social sciences and humanities (Political and Social Sciences, Economics, Law, and History and Civilization), the EUI has over 1000 scholars, ca. 350 administrative staff members and ca. 170 faculty and over 100 other academic staff. It has doctoral, postdoctoral, master and executive education programmes in a community of scholars from over 60 countries.

The EUI is funded by the signatory states (mostly EU members but also others) and receives a significant part of its budget from the European Commission. The EUI Staff Regulations – thanks in large measure to numerous battles waged in the past by the US IUE Florence– have remained very closely tied (following the concept of “parallelism”) to those of the EU agencies and related bodies.

Reflecting the growth of the European Union, the Institute now has 23 contracting states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The Union at the EUI

The first union at the EUI was founded on 2 May 1977, as a branch linked to the Brussels division of the Union of European and International Civil Servants (SFEI) — so we are still under 50!

Thanks to the signature of a framework agreement in 1992, the Institute officially recognised the organisation as being representative of the administrative and academic staff. The right of association is also recognised under Article 24b (Title I) of the Statutory Rules for Administrative Staff. Later, following developments of the Unione Italiana del Lavoro (UIL) at Ispra, and upon joining the European Public Service Union (Union Syndicale), the US-IUE Florence (US IUE Florence) was established.

Today the US IUE Florence is the Institute’s only labour Union. In 2018, to reach compliance with legal requirements, the US IUE Florence association was founded. US IUE Florence defends the trade-union liberties of its affiliates, members of the EUI administrative and academic staff.

The US IUE Florence Executive Board, according to the statutory rules, is elected by the members for a three-year term.

The main purposes of the EUI Union are:
• to serve and defend the economic, social, professional and moral interests of its members and of the entire staff of the European University Institute;
• to share in the principles and objectives of the Union Syndicale Fédérale, the PSI, the ITUC, the ETUC, and the European Movement, in the sense of real solidarity with the European and international work world.

A process of consultation can be opened at any time at the request of either the EUI authorities or the union, on any issue of general interest relating to the Staff and the Staff Regulations. This process takes shape in the form of a joint working group or separate meetings with the EUI authorities (the President and the Secretary General). The Convention governs the founding of the EUI and in the last resort, issues of concern for the Union can be brought up for discussion and decision in the EUI High Council.

Being part of the Union Syndicale Fédérale represents an opportunity to share our experiences and build solidarity by participating in the meetings of the Federal Committee and the Congresses. The exchange of information and the possibility of driving battles together on common themes make us stronger. (In 2016 US IUE Florence hosted the members of the USF Federal Committee in Florence).