Comparative Law Library 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 'Comparative Law Library' Unit focuses on preparing and publishing Comparative Law studies in five languages: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. The studies are written either within Parliament or by collaborating Law professors. The Unit also organises conferences to present the studies. Current areas of research include various aspects of the rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms, analysed from a Comparative Law perspective.

• You will be required to contribute to the preparation of studies to be published, and in checking them and making sure they are consistent, as well as to help in organising conferences to present them;
• A major part of your work during the traineeship will involve revising the French versions of studies originally drafted in German, English, Italian or Spanish. This revision will be made in parallel with a Comparative Law exercise, leading to a comparison with the other legal orders analysed;
• You will also be able to attend meetings of European Parliament bodies, including committee meetings and plenary sittings, and other conferences organised on Parliament's premises. 

• You should be interested in and motivated by legal research, particularly in Comparative Law;
• You should have completed studies in Law - preferably a PhD - at a faculty which teaches the legal order of its own State in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish (the languages in which the studies are published);
• You must therefore be proficient in one of these languages (at least level C2) and should have a very good knowledge of one of the other languages, as you will need to be able to analyse complex legal texts in both languages;
• A good knowledge of one or more of the other three languages would be an important advantage. In the interest of the service, the ideal language combination would be German and French.