Case Handler Officer - European Commission (AD5, Brussels)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Commission on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

• Assess mergers with the goal of preserving effective competition in the EU Single Market
• Develop understanding of relevant industries and supply chains
• Review internal business documents
• Conduct market investigations through requests for information and interviews with customers, suppliers and competitors
• Cooperate with competition authorities in other jurisdictions and sectoral regulators
• Ensure procedures are correctly applied
• Prepare discussions and negotiations with parties
• Draft Commission decisions

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

• Education: Completed university studies of at least 3 years attested by a diploma
• Experience: Practical experience in merger control; hands-on experience in advising on and applying competition law, in particular merger control
• Languages: English (C1)
• Key skills: Strong analytical skills, Proven drafting skills, Sound judgment, Ability to thrive in fast-paced working environment, Sense of initiative, Ability to deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines, Team player, Excellent command of English
• Eligibility: Citizen of a Member State of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen; have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service; physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post; produce appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the duties

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• Submit CV and completed application form in a single PDF

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Temporary agent position.

Working arrangements: Flexible working conditions including the possibility of teleworking.

Hiring unit: Unit COMP.E.4 Mergers: Markets and cases IV: Basic industries, Manufacturing and Agriculture, Directorate-General for C….

Position details

Reference

COMP/COM/2026/1856

Directorate-General

COMP – Competition

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

21 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Case Handler Officer at European Commission based in Brussels at the AD5 grade level (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is COMP/COM/2026/1856. It is hosted by COMP – Competition, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the Competition domain.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE - JOIN THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Do you want to help shape the future of the European Union? Make the planet greener, promote a fairer society, or support businesses and innovation across the EU? Then come and work for the European Commission where you can really make a difference!

Commission staff are a diverse group of people, who are motivated to help make Europe – and the world – a better place. They come from the 27 Member States of the European Union. Different nationalities, backgrounds, languages and cultures make the Commission a vibrant and inclusive place to work.

WE OFFER GREAT JOBS AND GREAT WORKING CONDITIONS:

- Interesting and challenging jobs with plenty of opportunities for training and acquiring new skills and competencies throughout your whole career

- Opportunities to move between different policy areas throughout your career

- A package of flexible working conditions including the possibility of teleworking – we care about your work-life balance

- A competitive financial package, including comprehensive healthcare, accident and pension schemes

- A multilingual, multicultural workplace where personal and career development are strongly promoted

- Multilingual schools for your children

We recruit from a wide range of backgrounds and actively promote diversity and inclusion:

We do not only recruit political scientists and lawyers but are also looking for all kinds of profiles, including scientists, linguists, IT experts, data analysts and economists, as well as drivers and engineers.

We are committed to equal opportunities and to fostering a rich, diverse and inclusive working environment. We aim for our workforce to be representative of European society and strongly welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We actively seek to create a workplace where each staff member feels valued and respected, can give their best and can develop to their full potential. 2COMP/COM/2026/1856 Version: 16/04/2026

To promote diversity and establish a geographically balanced pool of candidates, we strongly encourage applicants from Member States which are currently underrepresented in the European Commission workforce to apply. These Member States are currently Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden 1. Recruitment will however remain strictly based on the merits of all applicants and no positions will be reserved for nationals of any specific Member State.

For more information ec.europa.eu/work-with-us

STAFF RECRUITED ON CONTRACTS

In addition to permanent officials, the European Commission offers non-permanent positions. There are two categories of non-permanent staff:

temporary agents are recruited to fill vacant positions for a set amount of time or

to perform highly specialised tasks.

contract agents may provide additional capacity in specialised fields where an

insufficient number of officials is available or carry out a number of administrative or manual tasks. They are generally recruited for fixed-term contracts (maximum 6 years in any EU Institution), but in some cases they can be offered contracts for an indefinite duration (in offices, agencies, delegations or representations).

For more information on different staff categories

1 Please note that the list of underrepresented Member States may be subject to future amendment based on potential data changes over time.

3COMP/COM/2026/1856 Version: 16/04/2026

Case Handler Officer

Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) of the European Commission

Selection reference: COMP/COM/2026/1856

Domain : COMPETITION

Where : Unit COMP.E.4 Mergers: Markets and cases IV: Basic industries, Manufacturing and Agriculture Brussels, Belgium

Staff category and Function Group : Temporary agent 2b– Administrator

Grade range: AD5-7

Publication deadline : 02.10.2026 - 12.00 (Brussels time)

WE ARE

We are unit COMP/E4, responsible for merger control in Directorate E (Basic Industries, Manufacturing and Agriculture) in DG Competition (DG COMP). Our core task is to assess mergers in a wide range of sectors, including mining, basic industries (such as steel and non-ferrous metals), manufacturing, aerospace and defence, agriculture and food processing, consumer goods and retail.

COMP/E4 has handled a number of high-profile and complex cases, including Boeing/Spirit (aircraft), Mars/Kellanova (consumer goods), Bunge/Viterra (agricultural products), Holcim/Xella (building materials), Norsk Hydro/Alumetal and KPS Capital Partners/Real Alloy (aluminium recycling), Cargotec/Konecranes (port equipment), Aurubis/Metallo (copper recycling), Essilor/Luxottica (eyewear), Bayer/Monsanto and Dow/DuPont (crop protection), and Safran/Collins Aerospace (flight controls). These cases illustrate the breadth of COMP/E4’s portfolio and offer the opportunity to work on significant transactions across a diverse range of sectors.

We are a young and dynamic team composed of 26 case handlers responsible for investigating cases and drafting decisions, 4 case assistants responsible for secretarial and organizational support, usually 2 trainees and 2 case managers coordinating the case work. As one of the largest merger units in DG COMP, we play a key role in enforcing EU merger control rules across a broad spectrum of industries and markets. Our work combines legal and economic analysis, offering the opportunity to work on challenging and high-profile transactions. 4COMP/COM/2026/1856 Version: 16/04/2026

WE PROPOSE

We offer a case handler position in a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment. The core of a case-handler's work consists in assessing mergers with the goal of preserving effective competition in the EU Single Market.

Case handlers work in teams typically composed of at least two case handlers, a case assistant and a case manager. Case handling work includes regular interaction with the parties to the concentration and their lawyers, developing an understanding of the relevant industries and supply chains, reviewing internal business documents, conducting market investigations through requests for information and interviews with customers, suppliers and competitors, and cooperating with competition authorities in other jurisdictions (e.g. the US or China), as well as with sectoral regulators. Case handlers are also responsible for ensuring that procedures are correctly applied, preparing discussions and negotiations with the parties, and drafting Commission decisions.

In addition to their case work for Unit COMP/E4, case handlers may contribute to cases handled by other merger units, draft speeches and briefings, and participate in cross-unit groups on policy issues and legislation.

The wide range of industries covered by Unit COMP/E4 offers the opportunity to gain insight into the functioning of diverse markets and to work on different theories of harm. While the work is demanding due to strict legal deadlines, it is varied, rewarding and intellectually challenging. Cases often raise novel legal and economic questions, and we encourage open discussion, initiative and creativity.

The Merger Network has a relatively lean management structure, providing case teams with significant responsibility and exposure. Under the guidance of the case managers, case teams interact closely with the responsible Director and the Deputy Director General for mergers, and contribute to the preparation of recommendations on case orientation to the Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition and Commissioner responsible for Competition.

WE LOOK FOR

In view of COMP/E4’s current needs, we are seeking a lawyer with practical experience in merger control. Hands-on experience in advising on and applying competition law, in particular merger control, is required.

The ideal candidate is a curious and dynamic individual with sound judgment and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced working environment. Strong analytical and proven drafting skills are essential, together with a sense of initiative and the ability to deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines. The candidate should also be open-minded and a genuine team player. An excellent command of English is essential, while knowledge of other languages would be an asset. 5COMP/COM/2026/1856 Version: 16/04/2026

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 [email protected]

indicating the selection reference COMP/COM/2026/1856 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. 6COMP/COM/2026/1856 Version: 16/04/2026

ANNEX

1. Selection

 Am I eligible to apply?

You must meet the following eligibility criteria when you validate your application :

Our rules provide that you can only be recruited as a temporary agent at the European Commission if you:

General criteria:

- Are a citizen of a Member State of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen

- Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service

- Are physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post

- Produce the appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the duties.

Qualifications:

In order to be recruited for this position, you must have at least a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least 3 years attested by a diploma.

Only qualifications issued or recognised as equivalent by EU Member State authorities (e.g. by the Ministry of Education) will be accepted. Furthermore, before recruitment, you will be required to provide the documents that corroborate the eligibility criteria (diplomas, certificates and other supporting documents).

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at AD5 runs from €6,153 (step 1) to €6,961 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €73,836 to €83,532 before tax and allowances. Steps increase automatically every two years; the figures here are taken from the salary grid in the EU Staff Regulations.

Eligible staff posted away from their country of nationality also receive an expatriation allowance worth 16% of basic salary (around €984 per month at step 1 of AD5) together with household, dependent-child, and education allowances where applicable. Take-home pay is then adjusted by the country correction coefficient for Brussels. For a worked example see our correction coefficients guide and the EU salaries overview.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 21 September 2026, today.

The application deadline is 2 October 2026, 9 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 21 September 2026.

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at AD5 see our AD5 grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at European Commission see the European Commission institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Brussels see our Brussels location page; for related vacancies in the Competition field browse our Competition domain page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.