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.
For more information regarding "Who may apply ?" and the generic notice about vacancies, please visit the dedicated section.
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.
Temporary agents
In exceptional circumstances, NEAR may consider engaging temporary agents.
Contract Agent Vacancies - Delegations
| ENTITY | NEAR.B.3.DEL.United Arab Emirates.002.95 Trade and Other EU Policies |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Policy Officer - Energy cooperation in the Gulf region |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 444571 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Policy officer at the EU Delegation in the United Arab Emirates in charge of sustainable energy cooperation in the Gulf region, working at policy level, in the trade and other policies section of the Delegation, in coordination and under the authority of the Head of Delegation. The official will support the acceleration of clean energy transition as well as the development of Global Gateway Flagship projects in the Gulf region, with a view to developing new clean energy partnerships and new sustainable energy corridors (i.e.: hydrogen, renewables) with the EU and its Southern Neighborhood. To this effect, the policy officer will in particular identify, and pursue, possible concrete projects that can be implemented in collaboration with the Gulf states. In collaboration with the CLIMA/ENER mixed post, aim at better integrating the Gulf region with the EU and its Southern Neighborhood thanks to better alignment of EU Energy and Neighbourhood Policies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Establish contacts with relevant Ministries, civil society organisations and stakeholders, work closely with EU Member States’ embassies and international & regional organisations and act in close cooperation with Headquarters. Defend and promote the interests of the EU and promote the Green Deal, including via existing regional projects that promote bilateral and regional cooperation with the Gulf Countries as well as cooperation for investments in clean energy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. |
| CONTACT | Sandor [dot] SZELEKOVSZKY Please indicate your CAST Application ID in your application and mention the post number in subject line. Security Clearance is compulsory for all EU Staff in delegations and has to be requested by selected candidate before departure. |
| DEADLINE | 28 June 2024 |
Contract Agent Vacancies - Headquarters
| ENTITY | NEAR.C.1 Georgia, Moldova, Economic Investment Plan |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG III |
| TITLE | Programme Assistant - Local economic development and Private sector development |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 249955 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Under the supervision of an official, design, formulate and ensure the implementation of regional actions in the areas of local economic development and private sector development for partner countries in the Eastern Neighbourhood and provide thematic support for bilateral actions and reforms in these areas. Assignments may also include contribution to the climate change portfolio of the unit. |
| CONTACT | Gerald [dot] AUDAZ (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 27 June 2024 |
| ENTITY | DG.NEAR.B.2 Regional Cooperation Neighbourhood South, Economic Investment Plan |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Programme Manager ‐ EU policies – Regional Programmes Neighbourhood South in the field of Economic development, including blending |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 409159 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | The contract agent IV position will, under the supervision of an official, contribute to programming, management, monitoring and evaluation of regional policies and programmes for an Economy that works for people (on issues such as social entrepreneurship and impact finance), including blending under the EFSD+. Work also covers policy analysis and dialogue on economic issues in the region in the context of the Union for the Mediterranean as well as contribution to EU policies and contacts with line DGs. |
| CONTACT | henrike [dot] trautmann (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 9 July 2024 |
| ENTITY | DG.NEAR.B.1 Middle East |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Policy Officer |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 91927 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | To contribute under the supervision of an official toward the definition of EU co-operation with Israel and Palestine, to coordinate, implement and monitor multi-annual and annual programming for Israel, Palestine, the Middle East Peace Process and UNRWA. Act as back-up to other team members as necessary. |
| CONTACT | Armelle [dot] LIDOU (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 10 July 2024 |
| ENTITY | DG.NEAR.D.3 Albania, North Macedonia |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Programme Manager - Reform and Growth Facility |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 449074 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Under the supervision of an official, to take forward the implementation of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, for Albania and North Macedonia, including through the coordination of policy dialogue and of monitoring and assessment of progress in the fulfilment of the qualitative and quantitative steps set out in the partner countries’ respective Reform Agendas, as well as coordination of the related decision making and financial workflows for disbursements. |
| CONTACT | Sigrid [dot] BRETTEL (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). Please note that this post is financed under the Western Balkan Facility and limited in time. The end date of the post is expected to be 31 December 2027 (initial contract and possible renewal(s) where appropriate), subject to budget availability. |
| DEADLINE | 10 July 2024 |
| ENTITY | DG.NEAR.DGA2.01 Migration Unit |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Programme Officer - Migration Governance |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 445551 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | To contribute to the implementation of the EU's migration policies through the programming, contracting and monitoring of projects and programmes on migration governance in particular rights-based border management and fighting smuggling of migrants and trafficking of human beings mainly in the North of Africa; ensure close coordination with relevant EU Delegations and other services. Capitalise and share lessons learnt. |
| CONTACT | %20Heinke [dot] VEIT (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). Please note that this post is financed under the Ukraine Facility and limited in time. The end date of the post is expected to be 31 December 2027 (initial contract and possible renewal(s) where appropriate), subject to budget availability. |
| DEADLINE | 15 July 2024 |
| ENTITY | DG.NEAR.DGA2.01 Migration Unit |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Programme Officer - Migration North of Africa with focus on protection and respect of human rights |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 442963 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | To contribute to the implementation of the EU's migration policies through the programming, contracting and monitoring of projects and programmes addressing migration related protection issues in the North of Africa and the respect of human rights; ensure close coordination with relevant EU Delegations and other services. Capitalise and share lessons learnt. |
| CONTACT | %20Heinke [dot] VEIT (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 15 July 2024 |
Please read our Privacy Statement (in French - English version will be available soon) to know how we collect, process, and protect your data.
- Candidates should be aware that they are only eligible for posts which have at least the same function group level as the function group level of the EPSO test they succeeded (e.g. holder of a FGIV CAST are eligible for CA FG IV, III and II) or the function group for which they have registered within the Commission call for expression of interest for contract staff in generalist profiles.
- 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).
Who may apply?
- Candidates who have passed a full CAST competition or who have created a profile on the EPSO website and linked it with the respective Call for expressions of interest. However, before being recruited in the European Commission the candidates should have passed the CAST competition.
Please note:
- Posts in Headquarters are covered by 3b contracts. This means that a contract agent working in delegations and covered by 3a contracts selected for a post in Headquarters (outside the annual mobility exercise) will have to resign his/her 3a contract and conclude new 3b contract 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 years in total.
- The selection procedure is organised by NEAR Headquarters (unit to which the post is attached).
Who may apply?
- Contract agents who have served in the same job in the same delegation for at least 3 years or more.
- Contract agents whose request for early mobility on personal grounds outside the annual mobility exercise was accepted by Headquarters. Please note that contract agents included in the mobility exercise for duly substantiated personal reasons are automatically authorised to also apply for vacancies published outside the annual mobility exercise for the same reasons.
- Candidates who have passed a full CAST competition or who have created a profile on the EPSO website and linked it with the respective Call for expressions of interest. However, before being recruited in the European Commission the candidates should have passed the CAST competition.
Please note:
- The selection procedure is organised by each delegation concerned;
- After a pre-selection based on the CVs, the delegation will invite pre-selected candidates to participate in a phone interview panel and will request the recruitment of the selected candidate to NEAR Headquarters for validation.