European Added Value Unit

The European Parliament's Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services (DG EPRS) provides comprehensive research and analytical support to the Members of the European Parliament, its parliamentary committees and the European Parliament as a whole. The EPRS philosophy is to provide independent, objective and authoritative information. More than 300 staff work in the DG's 25 units and services.  

More information about EPRS is available here:

• https://youtu.be/sMBLKXKhOhE?si=W7_bKixnb382sEq4
• https://epthinktank.eu/about/

 Why choose a traineeship at DG EPRS?   

'Empowering through knowledge' is the guiding principle of EPRS. As an EPRS trainee, you will be exposed to the core of the research and analysis process in the European Parliament. Surrounded by colleagues working on publications covering a wide range of EU policies, you will gain detailed knowledge of the EP's workings while honing your skills in your specific topic of interest. If you choose a traineeship in one of EPRS's library units, you will help the parliamentary community find the resources they need for their work.  

The European Added Value Unit (EAVA) analyses the potential benefit (in particular economic impacts) of future action by the European Union. We assess where greater efficiency or a collective public good could be realised through common action at European level but we also identify the added value of existing EU policies in practice. In our daily work we basically answer two questions: What the EU has done for you? But also: what else could the EU do for you? Our independent quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of potential gains from EU action supports the work of the European Parliament committees. By doing that we hope to contribute with data, facts and figures to a positive and constructive narrative about the future of the European Union. The results of our research will result into different publications such as Cost of Non-Europe Reports, EU Added Value Assessments and EU in Action briefings. Some of these publications are also presented in committee meetings or during public events. The Unit works for the European Parliament's committees, so we liaise closely with them, we advise them, and we ensure that our products and services respond to their specific needs.        

Here below few examples of our publications:           

• Towards a joint European approach on vaccination: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/642828/EPRS_BRI(2020)642828_EN.pdf;  
• Coronavirus and the cost of non-Europe: An analysis of the economic benefits of common European action: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_IDA(2020)642837;
• Improving the quality of public spending in Europe - Budgetary 'waste rates' in EU Member States: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2020)654197; 
• Artificial intelligence in road transport - Cost of non-Europe report: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2021)654212;  
• Gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU - European added value assessment : https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2021)662640;
• Legal migration policy and law: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2021)694211;
• Fair and simpler taxation supporting the recovery strategy - Ways to lower compliance costs and improve EU corporate income taxation: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/de/document/EPRS_STU(2021)694224;
• EU energy system transformation - Cost of Non-Europe: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2021)694222;  
• Digital transformation - Cost of Non-Europe: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2022/699475/EPRS_STU(2022)699475_EN.pdf.

Last but not least, the unit is also responsible for the flagship Parliament publication, Mapping the Cost of Non-Europe, which helps to frame the legislative and political programme at EU level. It builds on a series of more detailed pieces of work undertaken by the unit for individual EP committees since 2012. You can find the latest version of the publication here below: 

'Mapping the cost of non-Europe 2022-2032' : https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2023)734690

As trainee in the EAVA Unit, you will be actively involved in our search for the benefits but also the costs of action at EU level across the different policy areas. In fact, the Unit deals with a broad range of issues, from Economic to Social issues, from Digital to Energy, from Justice and Home Affairs, from Robotics and Artificial Intelligence to Environmental policy, from Gender issues to Rule of Law:  

The Covid-19 crisis is requesting additional efforts to ensure a quick and properly recovery. 

• You will be asked to conduct quick economic analysis and data collection;
• To help colleagues working on statistical tools;
• To provide economic literature research, comparative analysis, cost estimations and added value assessment of the measures the EU Institutions are going to implement to overcome the crisis. 

Ideally an economist or someone:

• With a strong economic background so to be able to conduct research, collect and analyse data and monitor economic trends on a wide variety of issues;
• Familiar with European policies and recent developments; 
• Able to use a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods, own strong writing skills, particularly in English;
• Enjoying working in multicultural environment.