Economic and Policy Assistant - European Commission (AST1, 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:

• Supporting the operation and further development of the Ocean Pact Dashboard
• Contributing to the preparation of the State of the Ocean Pact Report, including coordination within the Commission and with stakeholders
• Supporting the development of the Blue Economy Observatory and its Community of Practice
• Supporting the coordination of the Energy Transition Partnership for the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture and the implementation of the energy transition roadmap
• Liaising with relevant Commission services, EU agencies, Eurostat and JRC and supporting the organisation of coordination and stakeholder meetings
• Preparing briefings, presentations, infographics showcasing Ocean Pact monitoring results
• Contributing to the drafting of answers to parliamentary questions, information requests and coordination notes
• Handling administrative and document management tasks within the unit

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Post-secondary education attested by a diploma, or secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education
• Experience: Proven experience in maritime, environmental and ocean/blue economy related policies; experience in supporting policy monitoring frameworks and indicator systems; appropriate professional experience of at least three years if holding secondary education diploma
• Languages: English (C1), French (B2)
• Key skills: Experience supporting policy monitoring frameworks and indicator systems, including working with data-driven reporting tools and policy dashboards, Ability to coordinate across multiple services, institutions or stakeholders and manage several files simultaneously, Excellent analytical and drafting skills, Capacity to present complex information clearly and concisely for a range of audiences, Very good communication skills, Proactive, organised and methodical approach to work, with attention to quality and deadlines
• 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: MARE.A.4 Economic Analysis, Markets and Impact Assessment, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG M….

Position details

Reference

MARE/COM/2026/1718

Directorate-General

MARE - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

27 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Economic and Policy Assistant at European Commission based in Brussels at the AST1 grade level (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is MARE/COM/2026/1718. It is hosted by MARE - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the Fisheries And Maritime Affairs 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. 2MARE/COM/2026/1718

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

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

3MARE/COM/2026/1718

Economic and Policy Assistant

Directorate - General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

(DG MARE ) of the European Commission

Selection reference: MARE/ COM/ 202 6/1718

Domain: Fisheries and Maritime Affairs

Where : MARE.A.4 Economic Analysis, Markets and Impact Assessment. Brussels .

Staff category and Function Group : Temporary agent 2b/2d

Grade range: AST 1-3

Publication deadline : 07.09 .202 6 - 12.00 (Brussels time)

WE ARE

DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) aims to develop the potential of the European

maritime economy and to secure sustainable fisheries, a stable supply of seafood, healthy seas

and prosperous coastal communities - for today's Europeans and for future generations. This

involves formulating, developing and implementing the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) – the

cornerstone of our actions for a sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources; and promoting an

integrated approach to all maritime policies. DG MARE leads the coordination of the European

Ocean Pact, the EU's comprehensive strategy to better protect the ocean, promote a thriving blue

economy and support the well -being of people living in coastal areas. The Ocean Pact, adopted in

June 2025, is built around six strategic priorities: protecting and restoring ocean health; boosting

the competitiveness of the EU sustainable blue economy; supporting coastal and island

communities; advancing ocean research, knowledge and innovation; enhancing maritime security

and defence; and strengthening EU ocean diplomacy and international ocean governance. The DG

has around 380 staff, distributed over 5 Directorates and 21 Units.

Unit MARE.A.4 coordinates several cross -cutting policy files under the Ocean Pact, with particular

responsibility for the monitoring and reporting framework and the energy transition in fisheries and

aquaculture. A central element of this work is the EU Ocean Pact Dashboard and the preparation

and coordination of the State of the Ocean Pact Report. Unit A.4 also provides DG MARE with

analyses and advice focusing on economic and social aspects of the maritime economy, including

fisheries. The unit is responsible for the implementation of the Common Market Organisation to

support the competitiveness and sustainability of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and to

foster market intelligence. The unit is part of Directorate A "Maritime Policy and Blue Economy" and

consists of 16 colleagues.

WE PROPOSE

The successful candidate will provide coordination and analytical support for a portfolio of ocean

policy files, with a focus on the monitoring and reporting framework of the European Ocean Pact.

The role sits at the intersection of ocean science, policy and governance. 4MARE/COM/2026/1718

The post involves:

- supporting the operation and further development of the Ocean Pact Dashboard

- contributing to the preparation of the State of the Ocean Pact Report, including coordination

within the Commission and with stakeholders

- supporting the development of the Blue Economy Observatory and its Community of Practice

- supporting the coordination of the Energy Transition Partnership for the EU Fisheries and

Aquaculture and the implementation of the energy transition roadmap for fisheries and

aquaculture

- liaising with relevant Commission services, EU agencies, Eurostat and JRC and supporting the

organisation of coordination and stakeholder meetings

- preparing briefings, presentations, infographics showcasing Ocean Pact monitoring results

- contributing to the drafting of answers to parliamentary questions, information requests and

coordination notes on files managed by the unit

- handling administrative and document management tasks within the unit (ARES, document

workflows, follow -up of deadlines).

WE LOOK FOR

The ideal candidate should have :

- proven experience in maritime, environmental and ocean/blue economy related policies

- experience in supporting policy monitoring frameworks and indicator systems, including working

with data -driven reporting tools and policy dashboards

- proven ability to coordinate across multiple services, institutions or stakeholders and manage

several files simultaneously

- excellent analytical and drafting skills, with the capacity to present complex information clearly

and concisely for a range of audiences

- very good communication skills

- a proactive, organised and methodical approach to work, with attention to quality and deadlines

- excellent command of English, knowledge of French is desirable; other EU languages are an asset. 5MARE/COM/2026/1718

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 t o MARE [email protected] indicating the

selection reference MARE /COM/ 202 6/1718 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. 6MARE/COM/2026/1718

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 post -secondary education attested by a diploma, or

- a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post -secondary

education , and appropriate professional experience of at least three years .

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).

Languages:

have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1) of one of the 24 official languages of the

EU 2

- AND a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) of a second official language of the EU,

to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at AST1 runs from €3,754 (step 1) to €4,248 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €45,048 to €50,976 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 €601 per month at step 1 of AST1) 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 24 August 2026, 4 days ago.

The application deadline is 7 September 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 27 August 2026.

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at AST1 see our AST1 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 Fisheries And Maritime Affairs field browse our Fisheries And Maritime Affairs 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.