“Working in the Council of the EU has given me a great opportunity to be in the middle of the EU decision-making processes on tax policy. The Council adopts tax legislation by unanimity, therefore negotiations between 27 Member States can be difficult. Sovereignty and competitiveness of Member States are at stake. My task is to help the rotating Presidency in forging deals as an honest broker. Since every six months a new Presidency takes office, I have been able to experience different national administrations and working cultures - a very enriching experience.”

What does an EU auditor do?

At the European Court of Auditors, we are the guardians of the EU's finances. We conduct financial and performance audits to check if money is accounted for and if it's delivering true value. My job involves analysing complex programmes and meeting international partners to ensure EU support delivers real results, both inside and outside the Union. 

What do you enjoy most about your job?

What I love the most is the tangible impact and the international scope. Recently, I audited health systems in Burundi and Zimbabwe, focusing on sustainability and coordination. It is incredibly rewarding to issue recommendations that directly improve how funding is allocated, knowing my work leads to better, lasting outcomes for people on the ground.

One tip for someone considering applying to the audit competition?

For this level, we need professionals who can think strategically about performance and risk. My tip is to study the EU financial regulation and read a few of our recent audit reports to understand our methodology and tone. If you want a career where your expertise drives real change, apply today.

Piotr, Auditor

Country of origin: Poland

“Working for the Quality of Legislation (LEG) team at the Legal Service is to be part of a highly professional and inspiring team.

We constantly seek and find the best way to apply drafting rules to exciting aspects of Union life such as the Covid crisis, rules on chemicals, the environment, health and safety protection, and finance. There is a strong reliance on team discussions to achieve the best approach for new situations – and discussions are invariably collegial and fruitful: no colleague is alone, we find solutions together.

On a daily basis, I feel that my colleagues and I are playing a meaningful, useful and vital role in Union law, and in participating in the project of an ever-closer Union, for citizens and businesses, in all 24 languages.”

“Since 2017, I have been working in the Directorate General for Competition, with the last 2,5 years focused on State aid and taxation. I particularly enjoy the wide variety of topics that my current job covers. In the end, there are many forms of taxation and tax is not limited to specific sectors or companies. From energy to retail and from VAT to corporate taxation, it is all part of my job. What I enjoy most in my current role is offering a helping hand on tax-related questions to other parts of the Commission.

The Directorate General for Competition is a dynamic, well organised service and a great place to work for both new and established colleagues. I really feel that my work/private life balance is respected here.”

“I joined the English language unit of the General Secretariat of the Council in December 2011, after passing a translators’ competition. At that point, I was translating from French, German and Spanish, and I have since added Portuguese and Czech. I particularly appreciate the variety of work in the English unit. Whereas other units predominantly translate legislation from English into their mother tongue, the English unit translates all kinds of documents from all EU official languages and edits texts written by non-native speakers. Our unit is a very friendly and welcoming place in which to work, with many opportunities for career development and learning new languages.”

“As an engineer, I have always had a passion for improving people’s lives through the use of technology. My job gives me the opportunity to improve the lives of 450 million European citizens every single day!

Working at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre allows me to use my engineering skills to support EU policies in space applications and telecommunications. 

With access to state-of-the-art research facilities and a pool of incredibly talented colleagues, I can contribute to fascinating projects that shape Europe’s future in space and terrestrial communications. That is what I call a dream job!”

‘Working for the General Secretariat of the Council (GSC) is a unique experience and a great opportunity to contribute to a bigger and common project that concerns every single EU citizen.  Indeed, you get to work at the place where the political priorities of Europe for the future are discussed and decided.

In order for the different political and other horizontal Directorates of the GSC to work as efficiently as possible, the "Digital Services Directorate" (DG SMART) provides them support through various IT assistance and projects.

I work at DG SMART as a financial verifying agent within a team where we make sure that the DG SMART's budget is correctly implemented and spent.

So, if you like finance and wish to evolve in an international and multicultural environment that offers interesting professional challenges and continuous learning opportunities take the step and apply now for this competition!’

“Since I was a translation student, I have been fascinated by how multilingualism works in the EU institutions. Working as an Intercultural and Language Professional at the European Parliament has given me the chance to contribute to EU multilingualism and democracy. What I enjoy most is the variety of linguistic tasks: we translate texts using clear language, edit parliamentary documents, and localise content for websites and exhibitions. It’s a very supportive and welcoming place to work with plenty of opportunities to pick up new skills and knowledge! “

Working as a lawyer-linguist at the Directorate of Legislative Acts in the European Parliament allows me to use my languages and legal expertise to play a vital role in the democratic process of the Union.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is advising Members of the European Parliament on legal drafting, helping to shape the legislation that affects millions of Union citizens. I really feel that I am at the heart of European law making!

The collaborative, multilingual environment makes every day intellectually stimulating, and I take great pride in ensuring that Union law is accessible to all.

“As a biomedical scientist at the Joint Research Centre, I am proud to be part of a team that bridges the gap between science and policy. 

We empower EU decision-makers with reliable data, tools, and expertise that will help build resilient healthcare systems and safeguard the health and well-being of Europeans. 

This job also allows me to learn and specialise in various domains, as we collaborate with top experts from across Europe and the globe.”