Maurizio is press officer in the European Parliament in Italy. He is blind and has been working for the EU institutions since 2015.
We asked him how he found the selection procedure and if he feels integrated in his team.

"The EPSO Accessibility Team was great! Everything went very well during the competition. I had my test in Brail and a personal assistant; I also had a test in an electronic version. In terms of proper job selection, it was only the interview so I didn’t really need any accommodation. I don’t feel any obstacles. I never had problems because I was disabled. If you have a positive attitude, even if people are ignorant or sceptical, if you’re keen on sharing your experience, you can break walls."

Maurizio advises other candidates with special needs to apply for an EU Career.

"I would say, it is absolutely feasible, it can be done, and you don’t need to be polyglot or a super hero! It’s just something very feasible. It takes so little of your time, that you don’t have anything to lose, and what you have to win is a very interesting career. Cost benefit analysis is definitely interesting. The only thing painful thing is the application…. But once you’ve done with it, it’s very little time and potentially a huge opportunity! Don’t be discouraged by the application!"

Krystle works as a communications assistant in the European Commission in Brussels, she has reduced mobility and has been working for the European institution since 2002.
We asked her what kind of special arrangements were provided to her and if she feels her disability has been an obstacle for her job.

"The Commission provided me with a wheelchair, a footrest, a medical chair and a reserved parking space. Support bars were placed in the washroom. I feel totally integrated in my team. When we have a meeting, my colleagues come spontaneously to offer help to take me or ask what they can do. It is a pleasure to feel appreciated and recognized for my work. I do not have any special treatment, I work as hard as the others, under a benevolent look when it comes to mobility."

Krystle also gives her advice to other candidates with special needs applying for an EU Career.

"I highly recommend applying! No physical handicap is an obstacle, competitions are based on knowledge, not a marathon. Everyone is accepted, nationality, color, gender, physical disability, ... nothing is an obstacle. All EU nationalities from all horizons are represented, the difference is positive. Maltese PRM or Estonian visually impaired, it has no importance. Multicultural means working with others, without making any distinctions. The Institutions have set up services that welcome all types of people, equal opportunities are a real right."

I’m responsible for coordinating the organisation of the European Youth Event (EYE). The EYE brings together thousands of young people at the European Parliament in Strasbourg to shape and share their ideas on the future of Europe.

I very much enjoy what I do: my daily tasks are quite varied and I find it rewarding to work with and for young people from the European Union and beyond.

In my role, I coordinate the different teams responsible for the programme, external communication and logistics of the event. I also liaise with the different external parties involved in such a large-scale event to make sure everything comes together smoothly.

I have a background in communication and languages. After my Bachelor’s degree in Communication studies in Lisbon, my hometown, I took a Master's in Cultural and Creative Industries at King's College in London.

After a variety of work experiences - mostly working as a freelancer and in the private sector - I joined the European Parliament in 2013. I started working as a translator in Luxembourg, then moved to Brussels to work in internal communication in the field of IT, before taking up my current position in communication and events at the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Communication.

I joined the European Commission’s department for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA) financial stability and financial services in 2019. I first worked on digital and sustainable finance policies before joining the press team. We promote our policies to the press, stakeholders and the wider public in close cooperation with policy units, the Spokesperson service and the Commissioner’s Cabinet.

My duties are to design, plan and deliver communication activities on retail and digital finance, such as press releases, events and campaigns, speaking points, press reviews, or content for our monthly newsletter and social media. I am also in charge of coordinating Eurobarometer surveys, i.e. opinion polls directed at EU citizens, on financial services on for the department. Finally, I am DG FISMA’s internal communication correspondent: I promote staff engagement by relaying important news, organising all-staff meetings, and managing our very own “FISMA TV”!

I have a background in public policy, law and economics and hold a Master in European Affairs. I previously gained experience on European political and economic issues in the French civil service and Senate, Commission representation in the UK, Commission competition department, and in a public affairs consultancy.

I joined the European Commission in 2002 and I currently work at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC). I am a Programme Manager for Erasmus+ and part of “European Year of Youth 2022” team.

I am proud to have launched an incredible project called DiscoverEU that gives a chance to 18 years old to win a free travel pass. The fact that my job has an impact on European youth is something that I find very rewarding. My day is spent liaising with youth organisations and young people all over Europe, using social media, disseminating information and building a community of DiscoverEU travellers.

I completed my studies in Marketing and my career path was in advertising. I was always attracted by an international and multicultural environment; and this is why the European Commission was a natural choice for me.

Hi, I’m Michelle G. – I come from the tiny island of Malta. I have been working at the EEAS in the Strategic Communications Division for over a decade! Due to my academic background in communications and professional experience in video production with a local TV station in Malta, besides making part of the web team where I am responsible for the daily management of the EEAS website, providing web support to Delegations, and also writing web stories, I was initially going around the EEAS building carrying a camera and tripod for almost 5 years interviewing staff from different divisions, producing videos to allow colleagues to get to know each other and eventually moved on to planning and implementing digital campaigns. I think this is quite a great opportunity for those of you with a communications background to take the plunge and sit for this competition which will steer you directly where you wish to go!