The Blue Book Traineeship Programme wants to reflect the diversity of Europe today and to maximise equal opportunities, treatment and access to all candidates regardless of their sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, membership of a national minority, disability, age or sexual orientation. If you are interested in a traineeship at the European Commission, please check our tutorial, you could be who we’re looking for.
Our vision and mission
To ensure that the Blue Book traineeship programme offers equal opportunities to everyone and reflects the diversity of Europe today, we uphold the following principles and work to:
- increase diversity in the talent pool and ensure selected Blue Book trainees are representative of the diverse EU citizens we serve
- put special measures in place to maximise equal opportunities, treatment and access to all candidates regardless of their sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, membership of a national minority, disability, age or sexual orientation
- respect inclusion in selection procedures and provide all candidates with an equal opportunity to fully demonstrate their competencies by identifying and eliminating their blocking factors, possible biases and risks of discrimination
- promote equal opportunities and engage with various stakeholder groups and expert organisations to reach out to more diverse talent
- pay the utmost attention to eliminate all forms of discrimination during the traineeship
Diversity and Inclusion strategy
To comply with a commitment made under the EU Anti-racism Action Plan, the European Commission developed a Diversity and Inclusion strategy.
The strategy presents a new vision and concrete actions to offer opportunities to a more diverse group of talented young graduates with a wide variety of interests and educational backgrounds, promoting an inclusive culture that allows diversity to be valued and seen as an asset.
Examples of areas for action include:
- an attractive and widely known traineeship scheme for a diverse set of candidates through promotion, awareness raising and targeted outreach campaigns
- a selection process that fosters diversity and inclusion
- a scoring system that rewards diverse backgrounds
- regular data collection to monitor and improve diversity and inclusion
- a better traineeship experience in terms of diversity and inclusion
- a financially accessible traineeship
Some of the concrete actions are already under implementation, others are gradually being rolled out. The strategy is monitored via regular data collection and surveys. Based on this, we will continue to adapt it and fine tune it, ensuring the actions have impact.
The first results are promising, as 11% of the March 2022 traineeship session self-identified as a person with a racial or ethnic minority background. This represents a significant increase compared to the data gathered from the March 2019 to October 2020 sessions, where this share was 6%.
Diversity staff networks
The Traineeships Office works together with Commission staff networks active in diversity and inclusion matters to bring about positive change by advancing diversity and inclusion in the EU institutions.
These networks warmly welcome trainees to join them during their internship. They act as a contact point for candidates that would like to discuss confidential personal issues linked to diversity and inclusion that would impede them from applying to the traineeship programme.
- ASDEC: Association of Staff with a Disability in the European Commission
Contact us by email at EC-STAFF-DISABILITY-ASDEC
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EC-STAFF-DISABILITY-ASDEC[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
- DIVERSITÉ: Staff association for ethnic diversity and against ethnic or racial discrimination
Contact us by email at EC-DIVERSITE-EUROPEec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EC-DIVERSITE-EUROPE[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Visit our website for more information: https://diversiteeurope.eu
- ÉGALITÉ: Association of LGBTI+ staff matters in the EU institutions
Contact us by email at infoegalite-online [dot] eu (info[at]egalite-online[dot]eu)
Visit our website for more information: https://egalite-online.eu
Trainees with a disability
The Traineeships Office has a number of measures in place supporting and helping trainees with a disability. The Traineeships Office is committed to closely accompany these trainees, in full confidentiality.
Candidates who need special adjustments for reasonable accommodation (due to a disability) can benefit from dedicated measures.
If you have a disability that may require reasonable accommodations during your traineeship, please inform the Traineeships Office.
An increase in monthly grant is provided (up to 50%), based on the assessment of the documentation you provide to the Traineeships Office (official reference document).
Information on how to find adapted housing during the traineeship in Brussels or Luxemburg is available via the Traineeships Office.
If you have any further questions, please contact us via the contact form.
"I can confirm that the European Commission is not only a highly multicultural and professionally stimulating institution but also a very inclusive and tolerant workplace."
Trainees’ Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee
During their internship, trainees are welcome to get involved in a series of trainees subcommittees focusing on different themes, including diversity and inclusion.
The Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee gathers a number of trainees with a keen interest in diversity and inclusion issues, to organise events, reflect on certain concrete proposals that are then discussed with the traineeships office to improve the traineeship programme in terms of equal opportunities.
"Being the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator has been the added value to my traineeship. My experience as a Blue Book trainee would not have been the same without this mandate."
“My traineeship experience was an unique opportunity to understand how EU's institutional framework works and to develop valuable skills for my professional career."
“I could not only widen the scope of my EU policies knowledge, but also got to deploy key skills which will certainly further and boost my professional career in the future."
“I was confident that this traineeship would be beneficial to my future, and I gained valuable experience by working for the European Commission.”
Trainees with a STEM background
Inspiring young people to pursue their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) studies and careers, balancing technical and humanistic skills, is part of our commitment.
Every session we welcome a number of trainees from STEM fields, joining the Commission’s stimulating and multi-disciplinary environment.
"Before my traineeship, I mainly worked as a doctor in an intensive care unit, caring for COVID-19 patients. [...] As a trainee in for the European Commission I gathered some more profound experience within the EU institutions. [...] I felt that I was still taking care of my patients, but in a different way, I was promoting their travel in a safer environment.”
"I definitely recommend this traineeship to people with a background in science/technology who want to obtain a new view on the importance of research and experience an inspiring international and diverse environment.”
