The Commission, with approximately 30,000 employees, appointed Lene Naesager as chief confidential counsellor in May 2024 to handle staff harassment issues. She leads a team of 40 counsellors within the Commission and its executive agencies.
From September 2024, the chief counsellor, reporting to Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin, received 960 reports from employees feeling harassed, alleged harassers, witnesses, managers, and HR correspondents, as stated by a Commission spokesperson.
The spokesperson noted that the chief counsellor “lacks the mandate to investigate and cannot legally classify the conduct as harassment per the Staff Regulations.”
To file a formal complaint, staff must approach the Investigation and Disciplinary Office (IDOC) or the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The Commission processes about 20 to 25 formal complaints annually, according to the spokesperson.
The Commission reported that 14,000 staff members attended anti-harassment policy presentations, while 2,400 managers participated in mandatory training in the past two years. This has increased awareness and led to a “relatively high number” of reports to the chief confidential counsellor, the spokesperson indicated.
A Commission spokesperson affirmed the organization’s dedication to being a “modern, respectful and attractive workplace,” highlighting a review initiated by President Ursula von der Leyen into the Commission’s operations. An internal survey revealed that 74 percent of staff viewed the Commission as an attractive employer, an increase of six percentage points from 2023.
However, a senior official mentioned that the same review will not provide recommendations on anti-harassment policy, as it is outside its “scope.”
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