Frederic is in charge of accessibility for people with reduced mobility at the OIB (the European Commission's office for infrastructure and logistics). Frederic is blind and has been working for the EU institutions since 1998.
We asked him what kind of special arrangements were provided to him at his job.

"Computer equipped with speech synthesis software (JAWS), Braille keyboard. When I arrived, DG Research & Innovation offered me more than what I really needed, it was very impressive and great as a welcome. My first experience was great. Afterwards, during my mobility it was less obvious, but I always knew how to have what I needed by being patient."

Frederic also shares that his disability is not an obstacle within his team.

"The handicap is an advantage here! I present it in a joyful way. I do not give the impression of dragging all the misery of the world behind me. And because I have a dog, it helps, it is the mascot."

"In 2014, I joined the European Commission as a team leader in the IT department of the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD). In that role, I led a team of four great colleagues with whom I managed seven trans-European customs projects.

It was very gratifying to see the systems we had developed being used throughout the European Union and beyond. I was also very happy to participate in various customs-related negotiations between the EU and non-EU countries, including Serbia, Montenegro, China, Russia and Japan.

Since 2019, I have been the head of the service management sector in the Directorate-General for Informatics (DIGIT). My job is to lead a team of over 65 professionals who provide support to users of the European Commission’s corporate systems.  

I like working in DIGIT very much because I have wonderful and professional colleagues who are always ready to help me as well as others, if needed.  They are so good at what they do that there is no problem they cannot solve. My sector’s team leaders are both good managers and experienced IT professionals and make it easy for me to coordinate complex assignments."

Head of Sector – Service Management, Directorate-General for Informatics (DIGIT), Solutions for Legislation, Policy & HR, European Commission

“My life philosophy is that it is never late to explore new professional career paths. Being aware of the continuous demand for IT profiles in all areas of the European job market and with a long-term interest in IT systems and cybersecurity, I have decided to embrace the digital world professionally.

I have joined the Directorate-General for Informatics to lead the Coordination Hub team in the Digital Transformation and Coordination unit. It is exciting to be part of the unit shaping the new digital strategy of the European Commission, helping to establish paperless processes to save our fragile environment, and helping colleagues in other directorates to implement digital-ready policy making processes from the first stages of drafting future EU policies.

My job brings me several opportunities, such as networking, supporting, and learning. Each day, I am getting to know colleagues from various backgrounds, in different positions, and with varying responsibilities. My team provides the ultimate support to corporate clients and undergoes a constant learning process when sharing knowledge and best practices.”

Team Leader, Directorate-General for Informatics (DIGIT), European Commission