Join the !

1 The members of the staff of the EU institutions play their part every day in building the Europe of today and of tomorrow. Working for hundreds of millions of people is a goal they all share, and every EU citizen potentially has the chance to join them. Whether you are interested in traineeships or in embarking on a career at the European Parliament, this guide provides an overview of the opportunities on offer and the application procedures. We hope that it answers all your questions and that one day we will have the pleasure of working with you.

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Unit for Relations with Personnel

Directorate-General for Personnel

The competent authorities exercise broad discretionary powers in the area of recruitment. Please note, therefore, that the information contained in this guide may not in any circumstances be used against the European Parliament in legal proceedings. Table of contents

1 Background information on the European Parliament 4

2 Becoming a European Parliament official 6

3 Fixed-term contracts in the Secretariat 10

4 Parliamentary assistants 11

5 Jobs in the European Parliament’s political groups 12

6 Traineeships and study visits 13

7 European Personnel Selection Office 18

8 Work environment 20 1 Background information on the European Parliament

As the only European institution means that voters now have elected by direct universal a real say in who becomes suffrage, as it has been since the head of the EU’s 1979, the European Parliament body. is one of the cornerstones of democracy in the European For more information visit the EP Union. This assembly, which website at http://www.europarl. has 751 Members in its eighth .eu/portal/en, and follow term, is the voice of more than our activities on Facebook 500 million Europeans in https://www.facebook.com/ 28 Member States. europeanparliament and Twitter https://twitter.com/Europarl_en The European Parliament has powers in three main areas: The European Parliament legislative powers, budgetary has three main places of powers and the power to work: , exercise political scrutiny over and Strasbourg. Whilst the the other European institutions. Secretariat is located in Its role is constantly evolving. Luxembourg, the Members of By way of an example, EU the European Parliament (MEPs) Member States are required and the departments which to take account of the results of work closely with them are in the European elections when Brussels. This is where political choosing a nominee for the post group and parliamentary of President of the Commission. committee meetings and mini- That nominee is then approved sessions (additional sessions to by the new Parliament. Under the main plenaries) are held. the terms of the Treaty, therefore, The European Parliament holds the President of the Commission 12 one-week part-sessions per is ‘elected’ by Parliament, which year in Strasbourg, its official seat.

4 The Secretariat is the European are supported by their own Parliament’s administration. It parliamentary assistants and consists of 12 directorates- political group staff. In total, the general and a Legal Service. European Parliament employs Its role is to assist MEPs in their some 9 000 people. A wide daily work and to provide range of possibilities are on offer, facilities and logistical support. from traineeships to careers in The Secretariat also assists the the European . political groups, whilst the MEPs

5 2 Becoming a European Parliament official

If you would like to embark on other than their own. EPSO is a career as an official in the responsible for organising open Secretariat of the European competitions for all the European Parliament, you first have to pass institutions. Future European a competition organised by the civil servants are recruited from European Personnel Selection reserve lists drawn up on the Office (EPSO). The selection basis of these competitions. procedure involves various tests to assess candidates‘ Recruitment to the European reasoning skills, their knowledge Parliament’s Secretariat there­ of the , their fore follows a procedure professional skills and their which is common to all the EU knowledge of an EU language institutions. 6 While the European civil service criteria are the same for everyone. embraces many different activi­­ In order to be admitted to a ties and professions, the eligibility­ competition, candidates must:

• be a citizen of a Member of the European Union, at State of the European Union; least one of which must be English, French or German; • enjoy full rights as a citizen; • where appropriate, have the • have fulfilled any obligations necessary qualifications and imposed on them by national professional experience for laws concerning military the degree of specialisation service; required by the post and • have a thorough knowledge the grade at which it is of two official languages published.

All information on current and Personnel Selection Office forthcoming procedures and how (EPSO). Further information can to register for them can be found be found in Chapter 7 of this on the website of the European brochure.

Areas of activity

The varied and stimulating languages are spoken, and the work performed by the staff excellent work-life balance are of the European Parliament is just some of the advantages crucial to democracy in Europe. of working at the European The countless opportunities Parliament. With a view to giving for professional development, MEPs the support they need, the multicultural working the Secretariat offers a wide environment in which 24 official range of jobs for candidates 7 with professional experience in a • finances, range of areas: • information technology, • Parliamentary assistance, • legal assistance, • linguistic assistance, • administration, • communication, • logistical assistance. • management,

Function groups and professions

Staff in all the European institutions are divided into three categories:

Administrators (AD) • financial administrators, • translators and interpreters, There are 12 AD grades. etc. Administrators perform admin­ istrative, advisory, linguistic, scientific and management Assistants (AST) duties. The European Parlia­ ment offers a wide variety There are 11 AST grades. of career paths for university Assistants perform executive graduates: duties in all the institution’s areas • administrators in parliament­ of activity. The wide range of vital ary bodies, tasks they carry out in the areas of budgetary and financial • press officers, affairs, personnel management, • lawyer-linguists, IT and document management, to name but a few, make them indispensable.

8 Secretaries and clerks perform secretarial and office (AST/SC) management duties, and other practical, support and There are six AST/SC logistical tasks, which in many grades. These staff members cases call for the ability to work unsupervised.

Career progression in the Secretariat is governed by the Staff Regulations and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants. Staff are promoted either within the same function group or, on the basis of specific procedures, to a higher function group.

9 3 Fixed-term contracts in the Secretariat

In addition to careers as an needs. Contracts usually run for official, the European Parliament a maximum of six years. also offers fixed-term contracts. The purpose of these contracts Contracts for temporary staff as temporary or contract staff members are also usually valid members is to provide cover for for a maximum of six years. permanent posts which remain However, open-ended contracts vacant due to an unsuccessful are available for people with internal or interinstitutional certain specific profiles. These selection procedure, if they could types of jobs are rare, and not be filled from a reserve list, or application procedures are to strengthen a team for a specific usually tailored to the post in purpose. Fixed-term contracts question. are available for all posts and professional profiles. Special rules apply to staff recruited on fixed-term contracts. Contract staff members are Further information can be found selected following a ‘call for on the European Personnel expressions of interest’ and Selection Office’s (EPSO) successful applicants are placed website: on a reserve list. If selected, candidates are employed in http://europa.eu/epso/ accordance with departmental

10 4 Parliamentary assistants

Parliamentary assistants, who Local parliamentary assistants work directly for MEPs, make up are based in an MEP’s home another category of temporary constituency. They help the staff. MEP concerned with his or her dealings with constituents, Parliamentary assistants help authorities and associations. MEPs in their day-to-day They provide a link between their work and are either based in MEP, the public and local party Brussels (accredited parlia­ bodies. mentary assistants) or in the MEP’s home constituency MEPs work closely with their (local assistants); they work in assistants and rely heavily on Strasbourg during part-sessions. them, which is why they choose their staff personally. If you Accredited parliamentary wish to apply for a job as a assistants work in Brussels and parliamentary assistant, you are responsible for compiling should contact the office of the background information on MEP concerned directly. important political issues relating to their MEP’s work and for A full list of MEPs – by country and writing the draft reports, opinions political group – can be found on and amendments tabled by their the European Parliament website MEP. They also draft speeches, at the following address: answer questions from members of the public and look after http://www.europarl.europa. groups of visitors, and are in eu/meps/en/map.html charge of the day-to-day running of their MEP’s office.

11 5 Jobs in the European Parliament’s political groups

Rather than forming national Staff recruited by the Political blocs, MEPs at the European groups are normally offered Parliament sit in political groups open-ended contracts. Political in accordance with their political group staff are divided into the leanings. same three function groups as staff in the Secretariat of the Political group staff help the European Parliament. MEPs in their group with their daily work, and their role is If you want more information highly political in nature. on recruitment procedures, or if you wish to apply for a job They are mainly involved in in a political group, you should formulating and defending the contact the group directly. political positions that their group will take and drafting opinions A list of Parliament’s political on specific topics, but they also groups can be found at the do the preparatory work for the following web address: reports that MEPs produce. http://www.europarl.europa. eu/portal/en

12 6 Traineeships and study visits

The European Parliament’s Once you have confirmed and Secretariat offers a range sent your online application, of general and specialised you will receive a confirmation traineeships and study visits e-mail. The message will contain which are designed to a confirmation number, which enable members of the public you should quote in all future to familiarise themselves correspondence concerning the with Parliament’s work and traineeship, and a copy of your activities. application in PDF format. If you are offered a traineeship you The traineeships are paid or will be asked to send us a paper subsidised. They include ‘general’ copy. and ‘journalism’ traineeships for university graduates, training You will find an overview of the placements and translation various types of traineeships traineeships. below. More information can be found on the European Applications for all traineeships Parliament’s website, including are completed online. You are details of the selection criteria, advised not to wait until the last the internal rules and the day to apply, as the fact that application form: large numbers of applications are being submitted at the same http://www.europarl. time can overload the system. europa.eu/aboutparliament/ en/007cecd1cc/Stages.html

13 For further information, please contact the relevant departments:

For general and journalism For translation traineeships: traineeships for university graduates, training placements and study visits:

European Parliament European Parliament Traineeships Office Translation Traineeships GEO 02A016 TOB 02B005 Plateau du Kirchberg Plateau du Kirchberg 2929 Luxembourg 2929 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG LUXEMBOURG +352 4300-24284 +352 4300-23107 [email protected] dgtrad.translationtraineeships@ ep.europa.eu

14 Traineeships for university graduates - general option or journalism option (Schuman Scholarships)

These traineeships are awarded in particular, the European only to graduates of universities Parliament. or equivalent institutions. Their purpose is to give such graduates They include: the opportunity to build on the • Robert Schuman scholarships, knowledge acquired during general option; their studies and to familiarise themselves with the activities • Robert Schuman scholarships, of the European Union and, journalism option.

Training placements

The European Parliament higher or technical course to an offers training placements to equivalent level. Priority is given young people who, before the to students who are required to application deadline, have complete a training placement as obtained a secondary-school part of their studies. Applicants leaving certificate corresponding must be aged 18 or over on the to the level required for entry to first day of the placement. university or have completed a

Traineeship programme for persons with a disability

The European Parliament is an with a disability to apply for equal opportunities employer its traineeship programmes. and encourages persons This programme offers paid 15 traineeships to persons with a their integration into working life. disability as a positive action Special arrangements are made measure in an effort to facilitate for these trainees.

Translation traineeships for university graduates

These traineeships are awarded their studies and to familiarise only to graduates of universities themselves with the activities or equivalent institutions. Their of the European Union and, purpose is to give graduates in particular, the European the opportunity to build on the Parliament. knowledge acquired during

Translation training placements

The European Parliament offers to an equivalent level. These translation training placements placements are intended in to applicants who, before the particular for students who are application deadline, have required to complete a training obtained a secondary-school placement as part of their leaving certificate corresponding studies. Applicants must be aged to the level required for entry to 18 or over on the first day of the university or have completed placement. a higher or technical course

Study visits – for specific research

Study visits are designed to give subjects relating to European persons aged 18 or over the integration in greater depth. opportunity to study specific Applicants also have the option 16 of carrying out research at the European Parliament, you are European Parliament’s library or asked to wait six months before historical archives in Luxembourg. applying for a study visit.

Study visits last a maximum of The European Parliament makes one month. If you have already no contribution towards expenses completed a traineeship at the of any kind incurred by visitors.

Traineeships with an MEP or a political group

MEPs and political groups is determined by the ability of regularly accept trainees in a given group or MEP to cater Brussels and Strasbourg. Students for trainees and traineeships are and recent university graduates governed by the relevant internal are given the opportunity to rules of the political groups and experience everyday political life the rules laid down by each in the European Parliament at first MEP. As a result, the terms of hand. Some MEPs also accept the traineeships, their duration, trainees in their constituencies. the application deadlines and the remuneration arrangements Unlike those organised by vary. You are therefore advised the European Parliament’s to contact the relevant MEP or Secretariat, these traineeships political group directly. are not part of Parliament’s official programme. Availability

17 7 European Personnel Selection Office

The European Personnel • sample tests; Selection Office (EPSO) is • ... responsible for most of the staff recruitment procedures for the Competition notices are European institutions. published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) and It organises the competitions for in national newspapers. officials and the tests taken by candidates for non-permanent posts, in particular contract staff For further information, please members. contact EPSO: All information concerning • by post: applications can be found on the European Personnel EPSO website (http://europa. Selection Office eu/epso), including: Candidate Contact Service Office C-25 5/40 • a provisional calendar of 1049 Brussels forthcoming competitions giving details of the relevant fields and the languages in • by phone: which the competition can be +32 22993131 taken; • by fax: • official competition notices; +32 22957488 • overview of the application • online procedure; • portal where you can Once you have been placed follow the progress of your on a reserve list, you may application(s); be contacted by any of the European institutions.

18 Departments interested in your EPSO does not deal with the CV will usually invite you to an recruitment of parliamentary interview. assistants or European Parliament political group staff.

19 8 Work environment

As a European Parliament staff children in Parliament’s crèche member you will enjoy social and the European schools. security cover (sickness and accident insurance, pension) European Parliament staff provided by the Community remuneration is governed by the health insurance scheme, as well Staff Regulations of Officials and as tailored training throughout the Conditions of Employment of your career and a working Other Servants of the European environment where equal Union, which apply to staff in opportunities, diversity, staff all the European institutions. It well-being and environment are consists of a basic salary linked respected. Parliament’s staff to the grade and step at which policy also encourages career you have been recruited, your mobility. Moreover, you will remuneration may include have the option of enrolling your allowances granted on the basis

20 of your personal circumstances of different fields. If you take (expatriation allowance, family this opportunity, you will be allowances, etc.). Salaries are choosing a unique, multicultural subject to European Union and international working tax and social insurance environment. contributions. The European Parliament looks for excellence in a range of Conclusion areas and recruits candidates with extremely varied profiles. Joining the European Parliament Do you want to be part of this ? offers you the opportunity of What are you waiting for ? Join an interesting career in a range the European Parliament today!

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