Updated: 15.01.2013

A new traineeship programme

Following the announced phasing out of the Junior Experts in Delegation (JED) programme by the end of 2012, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (High Representative) and the European Commission (Commission) decided to establish a successor regime from 2013 to continue to attract highly qualified junior professionals from Member States in the European Union Delegations (Delegations).

A Joint Decision [190 KB] of the Commission and the High Representative establishing a High Level Traineeship Programme in the Delegations of the European Union and the Rules Governing this Programme in Partnership with the Member States of the European Union (EU) was adopted on 12.06.2012.

This Joint Decision has been further specified by a Decision of the Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the Implementing Rules of the High Level Traineeship Programme [102 KB] which was adopted on 06.07.2012. Applicants are strongly invited to read carefully both decisions before applying to this traineeship programme.

The first Junior Professionals in Delegation (JPD) will be deployed as from March 2013.

A renewed and enhanced opportunity to deepen partnerships with Member States in the fields of training

This programme is an important contribution to the inter-institutional partnership between the EEAS and the Commission, as well as to the continuation of individual partnerships with each Member State of the EU in the field of training (the previous JED programme was created in 1984). The new scheme keeps the main strengths and spirit of its predecessor: it is based on a pre-selection of eligible candidates by the partner Member States and the preservation, where possible, of a quota of training places per Member State.

The authorities of each partner Member State have a key role to play in the management of the programme, such as the organisation of the pre-selection of candidates to be presented to the EEAS and the Commission pursuant to the rules established by the Joint Decision, or the possible sponsoring and financing of additional traineeship places.

A new opportunity to be trained from inside an EU Delegation in the post-Lisbon context

The purpose of this programme is to enable junior talented and promising university post-graduates who hold at least a Masters Degree (see Diplomas Annex [99 KB] ) from the Member States of the EU to gain first-hand experience in the work of Delegations and a deeper insight into their role in the implementation of EU external relations policies, including the Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP).

In principle Union Delegations accredited to third countries and to major international organisations are placed under the authority of the High Representative and represent the EU. Delegations act in close cooperation with Member States’ diplomatic and consular missions (Art. 221 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU). They shall support the Member States in their diplomatic relations and in their role of providing consular protection to EU citizens in third countries (according to Art. 35 of the Treaty on the EU). In most third countries (more than 125) Delegations have now responsibility for locally representing the EU towards the host state. Where this is not the case, a Member State Embassy has agreed to represent the EU.

The programme is open to those trainees (JPD) showing a great interest and motivation for the mission entrusted to Delegations, sharing the values and principles of the Union and committed to defend the latter and the place of the Union in the World.

Staff in the EU Delegations shall comprise EEAS staff and, where appropriate for the implementation of the Union budget and Union policies other than those under the remit of the EEAS, Commission staff. The whole staff in a Delegation is placed under the authority of a Head of Delegation, Ambassador.

Junior Professionals in Delegations will similarly be deployed, depending the nature of their functions and tasks, in both the EEAS sections of the EU Delegations (for political, press and information functions) and in those under the authority of the Commission (aid management, trade, economic issues, etc).

Financing of the programme

The traineeship placements are financed through 2 folders:

• an “EU folder” financed by the credits of the EEAS and of the Commission; the EEAS financing will only cover placements within sections or functions under its direct authority while the Commission credits will finance placements within sections or functions under its authority;
• a “bilateral folder” financed by voluntary financial contributions of partner EU Member States on the basis of bilateral sponsoring agreements with the EEAS and/or the Commission. Such contributions may finance placements within sections under the authority of the EEAS and/or the Commission.

Number of traineeship positions in 2013

The  EEAS plans to commit in 2013 credits covering the expenses of 1 JPD/traineeship position per Member State (i.e. a total of 27 JPD for all Member States) to be deployed in the EU Delegations for political, press and information functions. Here is the standard description of training assignments for EEAS functions [11 KB] . The EEAS has identified a first list of Delegations [12 KB] to allocate in priority its 27 credits as well as a second list of priority Delegations [16 KB] .

The Commission has decided on its own financial planning and commitments. There will be 20 JPD/traineeship positions financed by the Commission credits in 2013. Considering that only 20 positions can be financed under the 2013 Commission Budget, it has been decided to propose one JPD position for the Member States with substantial Official Development Assistance (ODA). Here is the list of EU Member States for Commission JPD positions [43 KB] . The Commission has issued a first list of 20 Delegations [14 KB]  to allocate in priority its 20 credits as well as a second list of priority Delegations [15 KB] .

Under “related links” you will find the official document issued by the Commission with its two priority lists [53 KB] specifying the profile of the traineeship positions within each of these Delegations: most of the positions identified are located within operational sections (“OPR”) for the management of external aid (Development and Cooperation DG - EuropeAid). In this respect you will find a further indication concerning the specific domain (e.g. institution & capacity building, economic development, energy & climate change, social sectors, governance, infrastructure, rural development, food security, etc.). Here is the standard description of training assignments for Commission operational functions [15 KB] . Other positions proposed are covering “Trade & Economic Affairs” (Trade DG), management of the “Instrument for Stability/Governance” (Service for Foreign Policy Instruments), “European integration” (Enlargement DG) and “Humanitarian aid” (Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection DG). A standard description for the different training assignments within these Commission sections will soon be made available.

Applicants are strongly invited to take into consideration these indications before applying for Commission JPD/traineeship positions.

The partner Member States have been invited to communicate to the EEAS and the Commission whether they would in principle be interested to resume or initiate the financing of additional junior professionals through a “bilateral folder”, and to provide indications on the envisaged numbers, timelines and the list of geographic areas and/or Delegations. For the EEAS and Commission positions, sponsoring Member States may finance additional JPD on all above mentioned lists.

What we offer

Under this programme selected candidates might be offered a single traineeship agreement [21 KB] of a fixed-term of nine (9) months. A renewal of the agreement for another period of nine (9) months may be offered. Hence, eighteen (18) consecutive months maximum.

Trainees or “JPD” will get a monthly basic grant of 1,300 EUR, as well as a monthly accommodation contribution of 1,000 EUR to which a monthly hardship contribution will be added (see EEAS list LCA [11 KB] and Commission list LCA [8 KB] ). Overall, trainees will receive a monthly package within a range of +/- 2300 EUR to +/- 3000 EUR, depending on the place of the traineeship. Further expatriation benefits to cover travel and installation will be provided.

Finally, credits will also be allocated to Delegations (not to trainees) to cover the mission expenses and the security measures of the JPD.

How to apply

There are 2 in parallel pre-selection processes: one for the EEAS and one for the Commission.

Applications have to be introduced solely according to the standard application form [231 KB] available on this website.

Applications shall be sent exclusively to relevant Member States’ contact points [126 KB] .

Any spontaneous applications sent to the EEAS or to the Commission will be rejected.

The modalities for presenting applications to respective national authorities are determined by the Member States and should in principle be made available on their relevant websites [40 KB] and/or at the addresses of their contact points [126 KB] .

The 2012 selection round is over. All relevant information concerning the  next selection round will be made available in the course of 2013.

Insurances Pursuant to Art. 6.4. of the Annex to the Joint Decision "a set of individual insurances against sickness expenses, against the risk of accident and for repatriation is compulsory and shall be concluded by the trainee before starting the traineeship in a Delegation. Where the trainee is not covered by the above mentioned insurance schemes, he/she will be insured through a compulsory scheme under conditions decided by the EEAS (in consultation with the Commission) and published on the EEAS website". Given the difficulties faced by the EEAS and the Commission to set up an alternative group insurance scheme for the JPD programme, candidates who accept an offer for a Traineeship Agreement must undertake to conclude by their own means a set of individual insurances against sickness expenses, against the risk of accident and for repatriation, adapted to their country of assignment (specified in the agreed offer). It is recalled that the default of subscription by the trainee to above individual schemes may lead to immediate termination of the traineeship agreement without financial compensation

 

Steps & Timelines for the 2012 selection round (archive)

The EEAS and the Commission have officially launched the new programme. With a view to ensure a smooth transition between the two schemes, the application, pre-selection and selection processes were very similar to those experienced so far for the JED scheme. The indicative timelines for these processes were slightly different for the EEAS and the Commission.

 

Joint Decision of the Commission/High Rep. Implementing Rules of the COO of EEAS	12 June 2012 [190 KB] 6 July 2012 [102 KB]
Launching of the Traineeship Programme	July 2012
EEAS Traineeship positions Deadline for applications to Member States Lists of pre-selected candidates sent to EEAS Communication of results to candidates & MS Traineeship offers sent to validated candidates (EEAS) Obligatory induction training courses (Brussels)	19 September 2012 October 2012 10 December 2012 21 December 2012 February 2013
Commission Traineeship positions Deadline for applications to Member States Lists of pre-selected candidates sent to EC Communication of results to candidates & MS Traineeship offers sent to validated candidates Obligatory induction training courses	15 October 2012 November 2012 7 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013
Starting traineeship in EU Delegations Possible renewal of the traineeship agreement for 9 months	March 2013 November 2013 - July 2014