Three MEPs from The Left group have asked the European Commission whether the pay and career conditions of directors of general and administrative services (DGSAs) in Italian schools violate the European Pillar of Social Rights. In a parliamentary question submitted on 23 June 2026, Danilo Della Valle, Valentina Palmisano and Carolina Morace argue that DGSAs, who perform highly complex and independent roles overseeing school management and accounts, face unfair disparities compared to equivalent civil service positions. The MEPs claim that DGSAs receive a variable managerial allowance based on outdated 2007 indicators and statutory teaching staff numbers rather than actual employment, receive no overtime pay, and are ineligible to transition to managerial roles in other departments.
The question invokes the fifth principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which guarantees equal treatment and proper recognition of professional skills. The MEPs also link the issue to Italy's recovery and resilience plan, arguing that the absence of a dedicated career path undermines efficient administration. They ask the Commission whether the disparity is compatible with EU social principles, whether it will call on Italy to remove restrictions on professional mobility for DGSAs, and what steps it will take to ensure fairer recognition for senior roles in Europe's public education sector.
The Commission typically has six weeks to reply. Its answer will signal whether it considers the matter a national competence or a potential breach of EU social principles, and whether it will use its monitoring role under the recovery plan to press for reforms. The question highlights a tension between national labour law and EU social standards, and could affect thousands of school administrators in Italy if the Commission takes a proactive stance.