What Does a Career in the EU Institutions Offer?

Working for one of the EU institutions can provide a very rewarding career. It can provide you with:

• A fascinating and responsible job at the heart of the EU.
• A secure and lifelong career.
• A very well-paid post with excellent allowances, benefits, working conditions and pension.
• The opportunity to influence the development of the EU.
• The chance to change careers - perhaps several times - within the institutions.
• The possibility of travel.
• Training, especially in the field of languages.
• Significant opportunities for promotion.

Qualifications needed

To work for the EU Institutions candidates normally need to:

• be EU nationals. Note: The Institutions sometimes recruit staff from candidate Member States before they have formally joined the EU.
• have a thorough knowledge of one official EU language and a satisfactory knowledge of another; This does not mean you have to be fluent in your second language.
• possess the required educational qualifications, depending on the grade, see below.
• have fulfilled any military service requirements in your own country.

Grading Structure

Following the reforms of the organization of the EU Institutions a new grading structure for permanent staff was established with effect from 1/4/2004. The career structure has changed from the old A, B, C and D Grades to a continuous “ladder” of 16 levels. Each level is determined according to the nature and importance of the duties.

This structure is basically split into two function groups, the Administrator Grade (AD) and the Assistants’ Grade (AST). These 2 function groups, which in parts overlap (see shaded areas on table below), are sub-divided into a series of grades: within each grade there are several steps.

Salary can be adjusted up or down, depending on the cost of living in the country, where the official is working.

Until early 2006 the Institutions will use an interim grading system for recruitment purposes only. The following table shows the approximate comparisons between the old and new grades for recruitment during this transitional period.

QUALIFICATIONS

AD (A*) - To participate in these competitions you must have a university level of education. The minimum educational qualifications are:

- for grades AD5 and 6 (A*5, A*6):

(i) a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma or

(ii) where justified in the interests of the service, professional training of an equivalent level.

- for grades AD7 to 16 (A*7 - A*16):

(i) a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies certified by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or

(ii) a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years, or

(iii) where justified in the interests of the service, professional training of an equivalent level.

AST (B* and C*) - Participation in such competitions requires a level of secondary or post-secondary education. The minimum educational qualifications are:

(i) a level of post-secondary education certified by a diploma, or

(ii) a level of secondary education attested by a diploma, giving access to post-secondary education and appropriate professional experience of at least three years, or

(iii) where justified in the interests of the service, professional training or professional experience of an equivalent level.

ALLOWANCES

Expatriation – an allowance is payable for working outside the country from which you are recruited, normally around 16%.

Domestic - there are also various family allowances and household allowances payable.

Special allowances – can be paid for arduous working conditions and/or difficult living conditions, especially in Third World countries.

Travel - as well as travel and removal costs on moving to, between or from places of employment, travel costs can also be allowed for the official to his/her place of origin each year.

DEDUCTIONS

Deductions from salary range from income tax – payable to the EU, not the country of employment, at rates lower than those in Member States – to a special levy of 2 to 3 per cent. There are also deductions for healthcare etc.

PENSION

The maximum retirement pension is 70% of basic final salary.

ANNUAL LEAVE

Annual Leave starts at 24 days per year. Extra leave is granted to officials, who have to travel long distances on leave between their place of work and their place of origin.

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EU Careers