Our local DG Trade helpdesk, along with all individual helpdesks, will be replaced by a centralised system (ITIC) with waiting times of up to two days until a problem is solved. This decision appears to be final.

At this critical junction where we are aiming to increase productivity delays that will be the result of centralising the IT helpdesk may come at a huge cost. The only thing we can now do is express our concern and point out the key issues we see with these plans. That’s what this petition aims to do.

We, the undersigned of this petition, would like to keep our helpdesk local, in the same building, and sufficiently staffed so that problems can be solved quickly and efficiently within the same day. Issues we see with an understaffed central helpdesk and waiting times of up to two days include:

• Repercussions on the preparation of briefing books, including for the Commissioner or the Director General, especially when last minute modifications are required as is often the case. 
  

• Being cut off from essential working tools with risks that work cannot be done on time, for example due to printers that are not working at a critical moment. Secretaries trying to connect their PC to a different printer may not be immediately helped either.
  
• Lack of flexibility of changing missions if there is no access to the relevant software, with a risk of missions having to be approved a posteriori, which represents an increased and unnecessary workload.
  
• Respecting deadlines relating to the Management of Finances in each unit may be at hazard.

The negative consequences of the decision to centralise the IT helpdesk which are outlined above could easily affect the output and enthusiasm of our working environment, and this is what we want to bring to the attention of our management.