European Union Visitors Programme Unit (EUVP)

The Directorate-General for Parliamentary Democracy Partnerships (DG PART) is tasked with fostering cooperation with national parliaments as well as coordinating the efforts made by Parliament liaison offices and representations outside of the European Union with the objective to streamline actions aimed at promoting and upholding parliamentary democracy in Europe and beyond.

The European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) is the key, strategic public diplomacy initiative of the European Union, jointly supervised by the 1st Vice-President of the European Parliament, Ms Sabine VERHEYEN, and by the High Representative of the EU for the Foreign and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, Ms Kaja KALLAS.

The EUVP was established in 1974 as an individual visit programme for promising young political leaders, high-level civil servants and opinion-formers from countries outside the European Union (EU). It offers its esteemed Participants access to the EU and its Member States Institutions and other bodies to gain first-hand and complete information on EU activities, as well as a better understanding of the EU's values, policies and interests. It also allows perspectives and best practice on issues of mutual concern to be shared, creating a sustained network of EUVP Alumni, friends of Europe.

Each visit is individually tailored to meet the participant's work profile and statement of purpose. A typical EUVP programme lasts five working days in Brussels, and may include Strasbourg during Parliament’s plenary sessions, Luxembourg or elsewhere depending on the participant’s interests.

The EUVP helps promote common EU values through strengthening long-term bilateral relations between the EU and other countries. Moreover, an important aim is to create an external network of contacts for the European Parliament and the European Commission. The European External Action Service (EEAS) directly benefits from this network.

The EUVP currently welcomes around 300 visitors per year.

During the traineeship with the EUVP, the trainee will be expected to take personal responsibility for supporting the EUVP in the following tasks:

• Preparing and coordinating visits, including handling logistics;
• Evaluating the outcomes of visits;
• Reaching out to EUVP Alumni and incorporating their feedback into EUVP communications;
• Managing EUVP databases and administrative systems.

• The ideal candidate should be agile, resilient, and able to work effectively under pressure while managing demanding stakeholders and customers;
• The candidate must demonstrate the ability to quickly assimilate new information, particularly with respect to understanding the complex structure of the European Union, and be capable of communicating the activities of the EUVP Unit and its participants via the EUVP website and social media platforms;
• Proactive and well-organised, the candidate should be a reliable team member, always ready to support colleagues when needed;
• A strong command of English is essential, along with a very good knowledge of at least one additional EU language. Knowledge of French and strong writing skills would be considered an asset.

The European Parliament is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We welcome all candidates, regardless of their geographical, racial or ethnic origin, political or religious beliefs, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, civil status, or family situation.