Internships at General Secretariat of the Council

Each year the General Secretariat of the Council offers some 80 paid traineeships lasting 5 months.

Traineeships are offered to EU nationals who, by the deadline for the lodging of applications, have completed at least the first cycle of a course of university studies evidenced by a degree certificate or equivalent.

There are two five-month traineeship periods, as follows:

• 1 February to 30 June
• 1 September to 31 January

Selection procedure

The Secretariat receives about 2500 applications each year; unfortunately, there are only about 80 places available.

Applications registered will be examined between September and January.

If you are selected, you will be asked to supply the following supporting documents:

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• a legible copy of your passport or identity card;
• a copy of your diplomas or official certificates;
• where necessary, copies of attestations of your professional experience; proof or a substantiated declaration of your knowledge of the languages stated on the application form.

Any other optional document in support of your application for a traineeship – such as references, for example – can be included in your file.

These supporting documents do not need to be sent at this stage. You will be asked for them if we offer you a traineeship. You will not be admitted unless you supply the complete file.

Successful applicants will receive an offer by e-mail stating the period of their traineeship and the department to which they will be assigned. When they have accepted the offer, the Traineeships Office will send them a contract.

Not selected candidates will be informed by e-mail or via their Epso profile at the end of January.

Applications

Please make sure that you have fully understood the content of Decision 118/07 on traineeships and that you have filled in the application form correctly. We would draw your attention to the conditions of admission contained in Decision 118/07. Application forms which do not meet the criteria will be rejected.

We suggest you have your file fully prepared before filling in this application form.

Validate your application before the deadline. Before you validate it be sure to check all the information you have entered. After validation you will not be able to change or delete it. Only the data in the EPSO profile can be changed during the year.

At the next stage you will be redirected to the website of EPSO (European Personnel Selection Office). There you will create your own profile and fill in the application form for a traineeship. All this information will be stored in the EPSO database. The information will be accessible by the Traineeships Office of the Council General Secretariat and by any Council departments wishing to take on a trainee.

If you fulfil the conditions of admission, please complete the online application form at the end of the privacy statement.