Traineeships at the Committee of the Regions

Each year, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) provides a limited number of internships for young citizens, from an EU Member state or an official accession candidate, offering them the opportunity to acquire work experience in a European institution.

Each year, the CoR offers young university graduates a limited number of five-month traineeships. These training periods involve work experience in one of the Committee of the Regions' services, and run from 16 February until 15 July (Spring traineeships) or from 16 September to 15 February (Autumn traineeships).

The purpose of the organisation of traineeships in the CoR is: to provide a first-hand experience of the workings of the CoR and of the EU institutions in general;

to provide practical knowledge of the working of its departments;

to work in a multicultural and multilingual environment;

to enable trainees to have the opportunity to organise a study visit to a European local or regional authority, in connection with the Committee’s political priorities;

to enable trainees to develop and put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during their studies or personal careers.

Trainees are selected from nationals of the EU Member States. However a limited number of nationals of non-member countries may be accepted. Applicants must: either hold a university degree (or an equivalent diploma) awarded by the closing date for applications; have a thorough knowledge of one official Community language and a satisfactory knowledge of one other EU-working language (French or English).

CoR-trainees are entitled to a monthly grant. The amount of the grant is equivalent to 25% of the salary of AD*5 officials (step 1) at the start of the traineeship for the full 5-month period. A monthly supplement of EUR 100 is given to married trainees whose spouses are not gainfully employed and to trainees who have dependent children (€100, 00/child/month). A supplementary grant amounting to up to half of the monthly grant may be granted to a handicapped trainee.

Application periods:
– 1^st of October to 31^st March, midnight, Brussels local time, of the same year (for autumn traineeships 16^th September – 15^thFebruary);
– 1^st of April to 30^th September, midnight, Brussels local time, of previous year (for spring traineeships 16^th February – 15^th July).
Applications are to be made exclusively via the Internet.
The on-line application form is available here.

Short-term study visits
The CoR also offers short-term study visits within one of its services to persons whose professional, academic or research activities indicate that they would familiarise with the Committee’s practical workings and/or policies.
The nature of the tasks to be fulfilled by trainees depends largely on the unit to which they are assigned; while some units are more political, others are more administrative.

Applicants must:
EU citizens or citizens from a state which is an official candidate for accession (applicants of third countries may be granted a traineeship by the Secretary General in exceptional, duly motivated cases);
university graduates that have completed at least a Bachelor’s degree;
be able to show that he/she needs to deepen his/her knowledge of the Committee of the Regions for reasons related to professional, academic or research activities.

All expenses during the study period are to be covered by the beneficiaries: they receive no grant, nor any other financial support from the CoR. The maximum duration forshort-term study visit is 4 months, but it may be extended to 6 months depending on the resources available at the CoR.

Deadline: There are no fixed deadlines for short term study visits.
Applicants should forward their CV and letter of motivation to trainee@cor.europa.eu. The letter must state clearly in which department they would like to work.

Traineeship for Government Officials
The CoR also offers traineeships to staff from a national, regional or local public authority of an EU Member state or an official accession candidate, including civil servants enrolled in governmental training programme.
Eligible candidates get:

• 1-4 months traineeship, extendable to 6 months possible with permission of the Secretary General
• Starting date is agreed upon with the candidate
• Full time/ 40 hours
• Workplace in Brussels, Belgium
• Unpaid, all expenses to be covered by the participant or their sending authority
• Accident insurance covered by the CoR.

Applicants need to submit their curriculum vitae in English, French or German and a motivation letter mentioning their preferred CoR-department to trainee@cor.europa.eu.

Read more here.