Supporting cities in becoming climate-neutral while also strengthening their resilience means turning ambitious EU climate objectives into concrete changes at local level. I find this particularly motivating because the impact of these projects can ultimately be felt directly by us citizens in our everyday lives.
How would you describe your experience of working at CINEA?
My experience at CINEA has been very enriching. Working in one of the largest EC executive agencies gives you a direct insight into the implementation side of EU climate-related policymaking and into its concrete impact on the ground. You can see how EU funding is translated into real projects and where European taxpayers’ money is invested.
How has CINEA helped you grow professionally or develop new skills?
CINEA has helped me develop particularly strong communication and teamwork skills. All projects are handled jointly, which means working very closely with colleagues with different professional and disciplinary backgrounds. In my case, as a Financial Officer, I worked with Project Officers who have many different backgrounds including engineers, scientists or economists.
How would you describe the working environment at CINEA?
I would describe CINEA as its own little ecosystem but still very much linked with the European Commission. We are geographically located a little further away from the centre of the EU bubble, but I see this as something positive. We have a strong sense of community among the people working here, for example some colleagues organised a very popular CINEA Ping Pong Tournament this year or we have different sports activities organised by the colleagues inside CINEA. There is also a very collaborative atmosphere. Since we work closely with colleagues across different teams and areas of expertise, there are always opportunities to learn something new from one another.
Is there a project, achievement or moment at CINEA that you are particularly proud of?
I find the projects supporting the “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030” mission particularly interesting. Cities are at the heart of the transition towards a more sustainable Europe, but they are also increasingly exposed to the effects of climate change. Supporting cities in becoming climate-neutral while also strengthening their resilience means turning ambitious EU climate objectives into concrete changes at local level. I find this particularly motivating because the impact of these projects can ultimately be felt directly by us citizens in our everyday lives.
If you had to describe CINEA in three words, what would they be, and why?
Green: CINEA projects are contributing to the European transition towards a more sustainable future.
Connected: CINEA literally funds the construction of bridges, highways, railways and powerlines across the EU.
Action-oriented: At CINEA you can see how policy objectives translate into real project impacts and investments.