„Esu dviejų šunų šeimininkė, todėl džiaugiuosi, kad Briuselis yra šunims patogus miestas. Jame daugybė erdvių, kuriose šunys gali laisvai lakstyti. Be to, aplink miestą gausu žalių erdvių, pavyzdžiui, Kambro ar Suanji miškai (Bois de La Cambre, Fôret des Soignes), kuriuose yra pasivaikščiojimui pėsčiomis ar pasivažinėjimui kalnų dviračiais tinkamų takų. Be to, Belgija turi pakankamai gerą traukinių tinklą, todėl nesunku susiorganizuoti vienos dienos kelionę ir susipažinti su Belgijos miestais ir kaimais. Be to, būtina paminėti intensyvų kultūrinį gyvenimą. Mieste nuolat vyksta kažkas įdomaus“.

Sandra joined the European Personnel Selection Office on 16 December 2025 as Head of the Outreach and Communication Unit.

She brings over 25 years of experience in institutional communication, having held senior roles in EU and UN organisations as well as in Italian public service broadcasting (RAI).

Before joining EPSO, Sandra worked at the European Commission, including as Deputy Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and at the Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM), where she coordinated EU-wide communication activities and networks such as Europe Direct. As Head of Sector for communication governance and strategic coordination, she contributed to the Commission’s external communication on disinformation and served as Equality Coordinator for DG COMM. She was a member of the Brexit Task Force (2018–2019).

Previously, she has also held senior communication roles with UNDP in Ukraine and Moldova, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the European Training Foundation (ETF).

“DG ENV is very active in global environmental affairs, works with the United Nations Environment Programme and negotiating Multilateral Environmental Agreements. It is a great opportunity to promote EU values globally.”

« Je travaille en tant que juriste-linguiste au sein de l’unité de traduction de langue française à la Cour de justice de l'UE depuis huit ans. Les tâches qui incombent à cette unité consistent principalement en la traduction de pièces de procédure dans des affaires portées devant la Cour et le Tribunal et de conclusions rédigées par les avocats généraux. 

Ce métier permet d’allier une expertise en matière juridique et la pratique des langues, en exerçant dans une institution qui joue un rôle essentiel au sein de l’Union européenne. 

Il offre également un environnement de travail propice à l’acquisition constante de compétences au fil de la carrière, notamment par l’apprentissage de langues étrangères et la formation à l’utilisation de nouveaux outils de travail dans le domaine de l’informatique et des technologies. »

“Applying for EPSO’s competition for economists can be a great opportunity from many respects!

Hi, my name is Adja and I am a macroeconomist at the European Commission, DG ECFIN. I have a Ph.D. in applied international economics (major econometrics) from the University of Namur. Before joining the European Commission, I worked in the Federal Planning Bureau in Brussels.

Since 2019, I am working in the field of EU fiscal policy. I first spent some years in the unit in charge of the coordination of Member States’ surveillance in the context of the Stability and Growth Pact. Being in constant interaction with many units and colleagues across the DG, was a great experience, which definitely has developed both my practical knowledge on the application of the Pact, a cornerstone of the EU policy, and my leadership skills. It also widened my horizon as regards the different factors driving the EU fiscal policy and public debt developments.

As a result, I recently joined the unit responsible for monitoring and assessing the sustainability of EU public finances in relation to fiscal risks stemming, for instance, from ageing population and related issues (like pensions, health care and long-term care spending), green transition or banking sector. This is a very exciting job, involving a holistic approach to consider fiscal risks arising outside the realm of public finances stricto sensu, some of these risks being also part of the EU major challenges ahead.

So, what can you expect if you work for the European Commission?

• First, you will have the opportunities to deal with many challenges and responsibilities, that are linked to EU policies with a direct impact on Member States,
• Second, you will work with various talented and inspiring colleagues from different backgrounds, both cultural and professional ones.
• Finally, you will also have many occasions to be involved in a broad variety of topics ranging, for instance, from macroeconomic forecasts to the implementation of EU fiscal rules.

So just give it a try, have a look at the Notice of Competition and apply!”

"I am a lawyer by training and have been working for the European Commission since 2005. I started my career in the legal team of DG Agriculture, then moved around inside the same DG, dealing with topics as diverse as international trade negotiations and organic farming. But after 10 very intense and interesting years, I moved to DG ECHO. I worked as an Assistant to the Director-General and later joined the Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Crisis Management. Especially these two assignments gave me a good overview of the diversity of work carried out by DG ECHO: From coordinating international emergency response in case of natural disasters in the EU to supporting humanitarian funding across the globe.

More recently, I became the Manager of a Unit of 27 colleagues that deal with the development of the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network, a structure that will help civil protection and disaster management stakeholders to connect better and share knowledge. It also entails assisting in civil protection field exercises, organising expert trainings and many more things.

Working in DG ECHO is very special. Because it is essentially about helping people in need and preparing better for disaster. Ultimately, to save lives. I consider this a great privilege: to be part of what is probably one of the most noble policy areas of the Union. It is not about pushing paper, but delivering concrete help when it is most needed. And the COVID-19 pandemic as well as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine have shown how important it is to stand together in solidarity.

In fact, I would probably not have thought during my studies of international law at Tübingen and Bonn, London and Berne Universities that I would end up here. But I have not regretted that choice ever since.

And by the way, Brussels is also a very nice place to live and to raise a family. I cannot think of a more international and inspiring workplace. For the three children, growing up in an international environment is a huge opportunity. They grew up bilingual from the beginning and the European Schools make sure that they become enthusiastic young Europeans.

The only thing I should also point out: The weather in Belgium is not always what you would like it to be … but Belgian food and drink compensate."

"Hi! My name is Cristina and I come from Alicante, Spain. I graduated in Law at the University Miguel Hernández, and I completed a master’s degree in intellectual property right after that. In my early career, I worked at a law firm specialised in trade mark and design portfolios, and a few years later, I spent some time working as inhouse counsel in the private sector, covering Spain and Portugal. I joined the EUIPO back in 2012 on a Temporary Agent contract, and a few years afterwards, with the firm determination to become an Official, I passed an IP Competition. 
I work now in the Opposition division, drafting decisions on relative grounds. In the past I have been in other teams, and I have also been a Team Leader, which has allowed me to work closely with other IP experts. I work in Spanish, French and English, and sometimes I participate in horizontal projects, such as IPforYOU, collaborating with national IP offices in other countries by delivering presentations, seminars and trainings to top users. Currently, I am a structural teleworker, which means that I work 90% of the time remotely and I go to the office a few days per month. This arrangement benefits my work life balance enormously and gives me plenty of flexibility to organise my day.  
The most satisfying part of my job is being part of the core business in an Office which is a reference in the IP world. We set trends and precedents and play a key role in protecting intellectual property rights and innovators across Europe and beyond. I enjoy the working conditions we have: flexibility to organise my work and meet targets while defining my schedule, well-resourced departments that strive for quality, an innovative office that keeps on investing in technology, and amazing facilities that make coming to the Office a pleasure. 
The above summarises why I believe people should apply to work for the EUIPO as IP specialists. Join us and play a key role in the IP world!"
 

“My name is Frederik and I come from Denmark. I am working in the area of transport (DG MOVE) of the European Commission.

Transport plays an absolutely vital role for citizens and businesses, and it is a big economic sector employing many people, which is what makes our work in DG MOVE so interesting and concrete. Transport also brings a number of challenges such as pollution, noise and accidents, which we need to tackle and which, especially for some transport modes, is a greater challenge than for others.

In DG MOVE, as one of the only sectorial DGs of the European Commission, we work on a variety of aspects from environment and social matters to infrastructure, and from state aid to economic regulation. DG MOVE is therefore a DG that offers many opportunities to work in different areas, to learn and to develop.

I very much enjoy working in DG MOVE, with colleagues of all nationalities and with experts in many areas. We also work closely with the industry, member states and other stakeholders, which all together gives a rich and varied job environment.”

2019 m. pradėjau dirbti finansinio stabilumo ir finansinių paslaugų klausimais Europos Komisijos Finansinio stabilumo, finansinių paslaugų ir kapitalo rinkų sąjungos generaliniame direktorate (FISMA GD). Iš pradžių dirbau skaitmeninių finansų ir tvaraus finansavimo politikos srityje, o paskui prisijungiau prie spaudos grupės. Glaudžiai bendradarbiaudami su politikos skyriais, atstovo spaudai tarnyba ir Komisijos nario kabinetu skleidžiame informaciją apie mūsų politikos priemones žiniasklaidai, suinteresuotiesiems subjektams ir visuomenei.

Mano pareigos – rengti, planuoti ir įgyvendinti komunikacijos apie mažmenines finansines paslaugas ir skaitmeninius finansus veiklą, tokią kaip pranešimai spaudai, renginiai ir kampanijos, pranešimų punktai, spaudos apžvalgos arba turinys mūsų mėnesiniam naujienlaiškiui ir socialinei žiniasklaidai. Taip pat mūsų padalinyje esu atsakinga už „Eurobarometro“ apklausų koordinavimą – tai ES piliečiams skirtos nuomonių apie finansines paslaugas apklausos. Galiausiai esu FISMA GD vidaus komunikacijos korespondentė: skatinu darbuotojus įsitraukti perduodama svarbias naujienas, organizuodama visų darbuotojų susirinkimus ir net administruoju mūsų direktorato televiziją „FISMA TV“!

Mano išsilavinimas – viešoji politika, teisė ir ekonomika, turiu Europos reikalų magistro diplomą. Anksčiau įgijau patirties Europos politikos ir ekonomikos klausimais Prancūzijos viešojoje tarnyboje ir Senate, Komisijos atstovybėje Jungtinėje Karalystėje, Komisijos konkurencijos padalinyje ir viešųjų reikalų konsultavimo įmonėje.

“I joined the European Commission 8 years ago, after having passed an EPSO generalist competition. I have a scientific background with a degree in biomedical sciences and a PhD in ecotoxicology. I have been working in the field of chemicals legislation in two different directorates-general; I am currently in directorate-general Environment.

Chemicals are everywhere in our daily life and play a fundamental role in most of our activities, as they form part of virtually every device we use to ensure our well-being, protect our health and security, and meet new challenges through innovation. The field of chemicals legislation is therefore hugely interesting: it has relevance and impact, and can be politically sensitive at times. You may have heard in the news about PFAS pollution, bisphenol A in baby bottles or glyphosate. My work consists of drafting chemicals legislation, working on its implementation and setting out chemicals policy for the future. It involves many contacts with people from other directorates-general in the Commission, the European Parliament and Council, member state competent authorities, industry and non-governmental organisations.

Personally, I find working for the Commission the best job ever: you get the chance to actually make a difference; what you do is relevant and has a real impact on European citizens. There is never a dull moment, I have a lot of autonomy and I get to work in an inspiring international environment with the nicest colleagues. If ever you wanted to work on the topics of energy, climate or environment at a European level, grab your chance with this competition!”