VACANCY NOTICE FOR TEMPORARY AGENT SELECTION

*please use one of the standardised domains that can be found here

• The job title and text must be coherent with the one published in SYSPER.
• Please keep in mind that you address potential external candidates: avoid Commission jargon, do not mention tools or applications specific to the Commission.

About us (“We are”)

Our Unit is part of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL), which is entrusted with initiatives that contribute to the achievement of a highly competitive social market economy in the European Union, such as creating more and better jobs, promoting skills and entrepreneurship, improving the functioning of the labour markets, confronting poverty and social exclusion, modernising social protection systems including pensions, health and long-term care, facilitating the free movement of workers, promoting workers' rights, health and safety at work, and protecting against discrimination in the workplace, as well as the rights of persons with disabilities.

The policy and legislative initiatives in our DG are supported by the European Social Fund (ESF+), the Social Climate Fund, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF), the social investments and skills window of InvestEU, the Digital Europe Program and the Connecting Europe Facility.

Our unit is part of Directorate E, which is responsible for advancing and supporting high-quality labour mobility within the EU by promoting free movement of workers, reducing barriers to cross-border labour mobility and by facilitating the EU legal framework on the coordination of social security systems. Directorate E also coordinates the follow-up to the Fair Labour Mobility Package, adopted in September 2026, which includes proposals to the strengthening of the European Labour Authority, and on the digital European Social Security PASS (ESSPASS) initiative. Moreover, the Fair Labour Mobility Package announced a proposal for further simplifying and modernizing the social security coordination Regulations, to be adopted in 2027. DG is also responsible for the promotion of the external dimension, including in the social security coordination field.

The mission of our unit is to contribute to the good functioning of the European labour market, by protecting the social security rights of citizens moving within Europe. Thus, the main purpose of our work is to ensure that EU rules on social security coordination are fit for purpose, that they are correctly applied, and to make the access for mobile citizens to their social security rights easier. The digitalisation of social security coordination procedures, between institutions, or between citizens and their institutions, is another important objective. Unit E2 is the owner of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information system (EESSI), and of the digital ESSPASS initiative.

To achieve its objectives, the unit pursues the following main activities:

• To develop, present and negotiate legislative proposals to continue the process of modernising and updating the legislative framework, in particular to take into account the political priorities of this Commission, new developments at EU and national level as well as of new case-law of the Court of Justice. This includes the follow-up to a Regulation revising the social security coordination Regulations adopted end of September 2026 and the preparation of a new Regulation to further simplify and modernize the current Regulations to be adopted in 2027.
• To monitor the correct application of EU law in the field, in particular by investigating complaints and questions introduced by individuals, the European Parliament and other stakeholders, and take, where appropriate, the necessary actions;
• To ensure, in close cooperation with the IT strategy and solutions unit and Member States, the proper introduction of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) system in relation to the business and legal aspects of the solution.
• To support the legislators to reach an agreement on the proposal on digitalising social security coordination and establishing digital the European Social Security PASS (ESSPASS).
• To contribute to all external activities of the European Union in the field of social security coordination, notably with EFTA countries, candidate countries, the UK, Switzerland, and within the framework of Association Agreements.
• To promote evidenced-based information on EU social security coordination, in particular by using networks of experts for training, data collection and legal analysis, and thereby contributing to an informed debate in the field.

About the role (“We propose”)

Would you like to become part of a dynamic team of highly qualified lawyers and other specialists that work on the core EU framework that provides for the coordination of national social security systems, which is indispensable to ensure the right of free movement of workers within the Union? Are you interested in working on one of the key cornerstones of EU labour mobility, on topics that are legally complex and at the same time politically highly relevant? You will be working on a variety of tasks, including contributing to the preparations and follow-up to legal proposals, monitoring the implementation of EU law in the field of social security coordination; handling of individual complaints and, where appropriate, launching infringement proceedings; drafting replies to written and oral EP questions and petitions as well as contributing to preliminary questions.

Qualifications, experience and skills (“We look for”)

The Unit in charge of the co-ordination of social security schemes is looking for a new colleague to join a very dynamic team of 23 colleagues.

• Specialist skills and experience

Strong legal skills and background.

Solid experience in the field of free movement of workers and social security system coordination

Knowledge of the procedure on and experience in the preparation of Commission legislative instruments

Experience in the Commission procedures for monitoring the correct application of EU law.

Ability to produce high-quality legal texts and to present complex and specialised information in a clear and accessible way. Good communication and negotiation skills would also be an advantage.

• Personal Qualities

Ability to cooperate effectively with colleagues within and outside the unit. Ability to make frequent presentations to large audiences.

Capacity to deal efficiently with multiple tasks.

Be able to work under pressure and respond quickly to deadlines.

• Linguistic skills

Thorough knowledge of English and a satisfactory knowledge of French to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

How to express your interest?

You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order:

1. your CV 2. completed application form.
   Please send these documents by the publication deadline to Benoit.ABELOOS@ec.europa.eu indicating the selection reference EMPL/COM/2026/2159 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline.

Eligibility

For eligibility please consult this page with all the information needed.