Finding a job in EU Affairs in Brussels
EU standards and policies did not appear out of nowhere. They are the result of tough negotiation processes at several levels – from technical experts to adoption at the political level. Moreover, it is imperative that the formulation of this legislation and policy is done in cooperation with relevant stakeholders, both national and European. We have to take their knowledge, skills, legitimate sectoral interests and any technical alternatives into account, and this will contribute to a balanced political decision making process. Most legal entities present in Brussels exist mainly for this purpose: to advocate or communicate their views or the views of their members as stakeholders in EU affairs – and they need employees to accomplish this.
Brussels hosts more than 100.000 persons working in EU affairs. Only 50% of the jobs are to be found in the EU institutions. The other 50.000 EU actors work at industry federations, consultancies, media, corporate organisations, non-profit organizations, think tanks, region and city representations, etc. As Europe’s capital, Brussels has an a-typical and specific job-market. It hosts sectorial, national, regional, and international stakeholders that, together with the EU Institutions, make up the so called “Community of EU actors”. Statistics show that 5.000 jobs from all levels (start- mid- and high level), are available every year, due to the dynamics of the Brussels EU job market.
Programme:
- Explaining the “market”: a detailed presentation on the EU job market in Brussels. The speaker, who has worked over 25 years in Brussels, explains each sector and all the stakeholders involved. This gives a complete overview of the relevant sectors, such as corporations, associations, NGOs, regions, think-tanks, and consultancies.
- “How to get the job you want”: tips and tricks on how to improve your CV, motivation letter and presentation during an interview are some of the main points of this lecture.
Your mentor for this session
Dr. Dan LUCA is active in Brussels since 1997. He graduated from the Institut d’études européennes of the ULB in 1998. In 2008 he obtained a PhD in ‘International Relations and European Studies’ with a specialisation in Communication. He is teaching now at several European universities. His lectures mainly focus on the non-institutional actors in the making of EU law. His most relevant book is Mapping the Influencers in EU Policies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). Dr. Luca started working in 2001 for EURACTIV. This practical aspect gives him an insight in how different EU policies and legislation have developed over the years.
Practical information
This mentoring session is co-organised by SAIES and Eyes on Europe with the support of the IEE-ULB
When: February 21st, 4:00 p.m.
Where: Institut d’études européennes (Room Spaak)
Registration: