If you have not been dealt with in 6 months, I think it is really important to contact Solvit (
http://europa.eu.int/solvit/), especially if your case is clearly one that can be processed quickly. They may be able to help, but they also try to look for patterns which may require EC legal intervention.
You should also send them a polite registered letter reminding them of their obligations to process it within 6 months. This is outlined in the excellent posting by zen63 (
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=11898).
Finally, I do not see anything that prevents you from suing them for lost wages if they are slow. They are breaking their own law. Talk to a lawyer, and gather evidence of what you would be making if you had a job. Better yet, get a job offer! You could try in small claims court, and it would at the very least wake them up very quickly.