European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiations

Career opportunities

Career opportunities

Career opportunities

Job opportunities at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is the single point of contact for all EU citizens who wish to work for the European Institutions.

Contract agents

There are two types of contract agents:

  • contract agents on a contract of limited duration (up to a maximum of six years) work at Commission headquarters;
  • contract agents on longer-term contracts can work in satellite offices, agencies and eventually in EU delegations.

To work in Commission (Headquarters and Delegations) candidates need to have successfully passed a full CAST competition.

Trainees

The European Commission has an official traineeship scheme mainly aimed at young university graduates. For further information, please consult the traineeship web pages.

Seconded national experts (SNE)

SNEs are typically seconded from the civil services of EU Member States. They are usually recruited via their Permanent Representations to the EU.

Please read carefully the eligibility criteria.

Contract Agent Vacancies - Delegations

ENTITY NEAR.DGA1.SGUA.DEL.Ukraine.004
FUNCTION / GRADE FG IV
(25% allowance)
TITLE Programme Officer 
VACANCY NOTICE /
JOB DESCRIPTION		 303055
CONTACT

Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to:
 Stefan SCHLEUNING with copy to: Martin KLAUCKE
(Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line).
DEADLINE 4 June 2019
ENTITY NEAR.DGA1.SGUA.DEL.Ukraine.005
FUNCTION / GRADE FG IV
(25% allowance)
TITLE Programme Officer
VACANCY NOTICE /
JOB DESCRIPTION		 303039
CONTACT

Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to:
 Stefan SCHLEUNING with copy to: Frederik COENE
(Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line).
DEADLINE 4 June 2019
ENTITY Beirut, Lebanon
FUNCTION / GRADE FG IV
(20% allowance)
TITLE International Aid / Cooperation Officer
VACANCY NOTICE /
JOB DESCRIPTION		 194724
CONTACT

Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to:
DELEGATION LEBANON RECRUITMENT
with copy to: Mr. Rein Nieland
(Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line).
DEADLINE 30 May 2019

Contract Agent Vacancies - Headquarters

ENTITY NEAR.A4
FUNCTION / GRADE FG II
TITLE Secretary
VACANCY NOTICE /
JOB DESCRIPTION		 199275
CONTACT

Ms Ana PIRES
Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to:
 NEAR-A4@ec.europa.eu with copy to Ms Ana PIRES
(Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line).
DEADLINE 10 June 2019
ENTITY NEAR.DGA2.B.1
FUNCTION / GRADE FG III
TITLE International Aid / Cooperation Assistant
VACANCY NOTICE /
JOB DESCRIPTION		 316530
CONTACT

Mrs Isabelle COMBES
Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to:
 NEAR-B1@ec.europa.eu
(Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line).
DEADLINE 28 May 2019
ENTITY NEAR.A.2
FUNCTION / GRADE FG IV
TITLE Policy Officer for External Communication –
Enlargement region
VACANCY NOTICE /
JOB DESCRIPTION		 224546
CONTACT

Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to:
NEAR-A2@ec.europa.eu
(Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line).
DEADLINE 27 May 2019

Eligibility criteria to work in Commission headquarters

Contract agents

To work in Commission headquarters one needs to have:

 Please take note that:

  • This list will be updated regularly.
  • Interested candidates may contact the mentioned contact points in the relevant vacancy notice to obtain more information. Possible applications and CVs should be sent to the mentioned contact points.
  • Candidates should be aware that they are only eligible for posts which have the same function group level as the function group level of the EPSO test they succeeded or the function group for which they have registered within the Commission call for expression of interest for contract staff in generalist profiles. Posts in headquarters are covered by 3b contracts. This means that contract agents working in delegations and covered by 3a contracts who apply for posts in headquarters will have to resign their 3a contracts and conclude new 3b contracts for maximum 6 years. First contract will be concluded for 1 year. Extension of 2 years will follow provided positive probation period report. Any subsequent extensions will be of 1 year up to a maximum of 6 year contract in total.
  • The selection procedure is organised by NEAR headquarters.

Eligibility criteria to work in EU Delegation

Contract agents

To work in EU delegations, only candidates who successfully passed full CAST competition are eligible.

Who may apply?

  • Contract agents whose name already appears on the list of contract agents eligible for transfer to another delegation.
  • Contract agents whose request for an early mobility on personal grounds was accepted by the headquarters.
  • Contract agents posted to the same delegation for 6 years or more.
  • Contract agents posted to the same delegation with 30% LCA for 5 years or more.
  • Contract agents posted to the same delegation with 35% to 40% LCA for 4 years or more.
  • Contract agents posted to a delegation where only key staff are authorised (countries designated as ʻnon-family postingsʼ as defined in EEAS Decision DEC(2014)010 of 3 April 2014) for 2 years or more.
  • Colleagues working in headquarters.
  • Only candidates who passed full CAST competition (that is DB3) are eligible to work in EU delegations. See also text below.

Message from NEAR headquarters to candidates who passed an EPSO test which is still valid: Please bear in mind that for EPSO CAST 27, EPSO CAST 2008 and EPSO CAST 2010, only DB3 candidates who also passed the test held in July 2011 are eligible. Candidates who passed CAST Croatia cannot apply for vacant contract agent posts in EU delegation as this CAST competition was not organised in full (DB2 only).

Please take note that:

  • The below list will be updated regularly.
  • Interested candidates may contact the mentioned contact points in the EU delegations to obtain more information. Possible applications and CVs should be sent to the delegation concerned. Please use the mentioned contact point. Services in NEAR headquarters should not be contacted.
  • Please be aware that certain vacant posts are filled, by transfer, with contract agents who are already jobholders in a delegation.
  • Candidates should be aware that they are only eligible for posts which have the same function group level as the function group level of the EPSO test they succeeded.
  • The selection procedure is organised by each delegation concerned and not by NEAR headquarters.