EU contract staff FG I to FG IV and temporary staff: what is the difference?

EU vacancies use the word contract in several ways. A contract agent belongs to the contract-staff category and is classified in FG I, II, III or IV. A temporary agent belongs to the temporary-staff category and usually occupies a post classified AD, AST or AST/SC.

Both are non-permanent forms of EU employment. Their legal bases and grade structures differ, so FG IV should not be presented as another spelling of AD.

The four contract-staff function groups

Article 80 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants defines the groups, their grades and their duties.

FG I covers grades 1 to 3. It is used for manual and administrative support-service tasks performed under supervision. Successful completion of compulsory education is the normal minimum qualification.

FG II covers grades 4 to 7. Its work includes clerical and secretarial tasks, office management and equivalent functions. The normal educational route is post-secondary education, or secondary education giving access to post-secondary study plus at least three years of appropriate experience.

FG III covers grades 8 to 12. It includes executive work, drafting, accountancy and equivalent technical tasks. The formal minimum qualification routes are the same as for FG II, though a particular call may demand specific training or experience.

FG IV covers grades 13 to 18. It includes administrative, advisory, linguistic and equivalent technical work under the supervision of officials or temporary staff. Completed university studies of at least three years are the standard educational requirement.

The official EU Careers function-group page uses the same four-part classification. The Roman numeral is the function group. The Arabic number, when shown, is the grade within that group. A post described only as FG III still needs a vacancy or offer to establish the recruitment grade.

What temporary staff means

Temporary agents fill posts for a defined period or perform work that an institution, office or agency needs under the temporary-staff provisions. EU Careers says contracts can range from a few months to several years.

Their work may be regulatory, legal, scientific, financial, technical or administrative. Administrator posts are often advertised at AD5, AD6 or a higher grade. Assistant posts commonly appear at AST1 to AST3, with higher grades used for some specialist functions.

The governing regulation contains several legal subcategories of temporary staff under Article 2. They cover different institutional situations, and their rules on renewal are not identical. The vacancy should cite the relevant article. Candidates do not need to memorize every paragraph, though they should retain the article reference and read the stated duration carefully.

A temporary agent occupies a post in the establishment plan and has the AD, AST or AST/SC classification stated in the contract. A contract agent has an FG classification and works under the contract-staff title of the Conditions of Employment.

Duration is more specific than the label

EU Careers says contract staff commonly receive an initial contract of six to twelve months. General CAST information states that contract agents are generally employed on fixed-term contracts for up to six years within an EU institution. Some bodies can offer an indefinite contract under the applicable rules.

Those public descriptions are broad. An agency vacancy can set a shorter first term, a renewal limit or a probation period. The possibility of an indefinite contract at some bodies does not attach to every CAST registration.

Temporary-agent duration depends on the Article 2 category and the employing body. Some contracts can be renewed and later become indefinite; others remain subject to a firm legal ceiling. The exact clause in the vacancy and contract settles the matter.

CAST Permanent does not mean a permanent job

Many contract-agent candidates register in CAST Permanent. Permanent describes the continuously open selection database. It does not promise an indefinite employment contract.

Recruiting services search the database when a need arises and shortlist candidates. Those candidates sit EPSO reasoning tests and may then face an interview or further tests run by the recruiting service. EU Careers asks applicants to update their CAST applications at least every six months to remain visible.

Passing the tests keeps the result valid under the rules of the procedure. It does not require an institution to offer a job. Registration for several profiles or function groups requires separate applications where the procedure says so.

Temporary-agent posts are normally advertised as individual vacancies. The notice identifies the agency or institution, grade, contract term and selection timetable. There is no general temporary-agent register that turns every successful applicant into a candidate for every AD or AST opening.

Comparing an FG IV and an AD vacancy

FG IV and AD roles may both require a university degree and may use similar titles. Their salary tables, career structures and employment provisions remain separate. Article 80 places FG IV in contract-staff grades 13 to 18. AD posts use the administrator grades in the Staff Regulations.

Compare the gross basic salary stated for the exact grade and step, the correction coefficient at the duty station, allowances, contract ceiling and pension arrangements. Check whether the notice accepts only EU nationals and which languages it requires. General eligibility guidance is useful, but the call or vacancy supplies the rules used for that selection.