G.P.A.F.I. – Groupement de Prévoyance et d’Assurance des Fonctionnaires Internationaux

Provident and Insurance Group of International Officials

  In January 2013, UNOG Administration informed GPAFI of their wish to exclude GPAFI from the Palais des Nations and remove the international civil servant status of its staff. For the reasons outlined in this paper, we believe this decision is unjustified and detrimental to the interests of UN staff. We ask that it be rescinded. 

 A recent study undertaken by Deloitte has revealed that if this happens and GPAFI becomes an association subject to Swiss law, within as little as six years GPAFI could possibly be no longer financially viable and would have to close.

 Closure of GPAFI will impact 8,300 members, who are staff members of international organizations, retired staff members, their family members, diplomats and permanent missions.  These members currently benefit from the various collective insurance policies with highly favourable conditions, for complementary health insurance, loss of salary insurance in case of sick leave, non-professional accident coverage and health insurance for expatriates.

 The impact on the 8,300 members will be significant as GPAFI will no longer be negotiating collective contracts on their behalf. If the association no longer exists, an insurer will simply integrate GPAFI members into its current portfolio, but then will be free to change the conditions, reduce the benefits, increase the premiums, literally take any decision detrimental to the members, as they will no longer be represented by an entity capable of ensuring competition between insurance companies.  Currently, thanks to the constant increase of membership, GPAFI has significant bargaining power when dealing with insurers.

 GPAFI is not an insurance broker.   It is not a commercial activity, which would act as an agent for its clients and whose objective would be to generate profits from the sale of insurance products.   GPAFI is its own client, presenting itself to insurers as a group, as a company, in the same way as a private company or an international organization that wishes to enter into a collective contract for its staff.

 The removal of GPAFI from the UN simply doesn’t make sense.   GPAFI is an entirely self-funded association whose activities, staff costs and all its operating expenses are fully covered by the commissions paid by insurers, the annual membership fees etc. GPAFI is completely financially independent and is not dependent on any budget nor on any subsidy of any organization of the United Nations system.  There is zero liability for UNOG.

 Further,  GPAFI has significant  financial reserves (approximately CHF 3 million at the end of 2013) and can totally fulfil its obligations in the case of closure including all its obligations as an employer, in accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations (payment of accumulated unused annual leave, termination indemnity and after service health insurance (ASHI)).

 The non-profit association was formed in 1958 by the Staff Coordinating Council of the United Nations Office at Geneva.   It comprises of two statutory organs, the a General Assembly and the Committee.  The operational side is carried out by the Secretariat, comprising of four staff  (one Professional and three GS staff). The current official status of the 4 GPAFI staff as international civil servants was approved in 1987 by the then Director-General of the UNOG.