Secretariat of the Committee on Foreign Affairs - Post D: EU foreign policy priorities

The Directorate-General for External Policies (DG EXPO) is made up of four directorates: Committees, Regions (covering interparliamentary delegations), Resources and Democracy Support. Staff of DG EXPO form a European team of advisers supporting the European Parliament's President and political bodies in their work on the EU's external policies. Colleagues in DG EXPO provide advice on matters of substance and procedure, liaise with other EU institutions and manage resources. The focus is on legislation, parliamentary oversight of the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), and support for parliamentary democracy. Most of the work is done in Brussels.

The Secretariat of the Foreign Affairs Committee provides support and expertise to one of the largest committees in the European Parliament, made up of 79 MEPs. We prepare the Committee meetings (hearings, workshops, debates with foreign representatives etc.) and bilateral meetings of the Chair and Rapporteurs with high-profile counterparts. We draft briefing notes, parliamentary reports and opinions, compromise amendments, voting lists and many other documents used by the Chair and the MEPs in their daily work. For more information about the Committee and our work, please visit http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/afet/home.html

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Want to find out more about what being a trainee in DG EXPO is like? Check out our DG EXPO podcast for trainees, by trainees: CLICK HERE

You will take part in the work related to your supervisor’s field of responsibility, with a specific focus on EU foreign policy priorities (particularly on relations with the United States, Canada and countries of Latin America). You may be expected also to cover other regions and countries as well as work on horizontal policies.

The most common tasks include specific research linked to the agenda of the Committee, feeding into briefing notes, providing input to parliamentary documents such as draft reports and opinions, as well as supporting the organisation of public hearings and delegation visits. You would also be involved in meetings with colleagues from the Commission, the EEAS, embassies, NGOs, MEP assistants, political group advisors etc.

• You have obtained/will obtain a university degree (level 6 of EQF or higher) at least three months before the starting date of the traineeship;
• Preferably a graduate in the field of international relations, law, political science or related fields with strong drafting skills;
• A proactive team player who is able to prioritise effectively, to work independently as well as in a multi-cultural environment, and to deliver against tight deadlines with a focus on quality;
• Able to work fluently in English and possibly other EU languages (in particular Spanish);
• Knowledgeable about the EU, its institutions, decision making processes, and foreign policy priorities and objectives (such as the Common Foreign and Security Policy);
• Able to adjust to a work environment where tasks and activities may have to be carried out remotely.

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.