Jean-Pierre Halkin joined the DG Development of Commission in 1986

In 1992, Jean-Pierre Halkin went to Côte d'Ivoire as Economic Adviser where he dealt with a broad portfolio included national and regional programmes in the field of rural development, agriculture, value chains. Jean-Pierre Halkin was also responsible for important food security and rehabilitation interventions in Liberia, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire.

Since 1997, Jean-Pierre Halkin has been working in Brussels, in the field external relations.

During five years, he has been working on Justice and Home Affairs and was notably responsible of a task force focusing especially on drug trafficking and money laundering.

Jean-Pierre Halkin worked also the food security Unit where he was responsible for Asian countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka …) before becoming in 2006 the Head of the "Natural Resources" Unit of EuropeAid.

This Unit provides methodological supports on the following sectors: Food Security and Nutrition, Rural Development and Agriculture, Environment and Climate Change.