Legal and Policy 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 national measures affecting EU fundamental freedoms, in particular the free movement of capital, and their impact on the Single Market
• Prepare enforcement actions to address unjustified restrictions to EU fundamental freedoms and provide legal advice to other FISMA units on cross-cutting issues in financial services
• Contribute to initiatives aimed at strengthening investment protection in the EU, including by addressing rule of law issues affecting cross-border investments
• Provide legal and policy input on capital movements and investment issues in negotiations with third countries and in the context of free trade and investment agreements

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: Not explicitly stated
• Languages: One of the 24 official languages of the… (C1), A second official language of the EU (B2)
• Key skills: Excellent analytical, drafting and critical thinking skills, Sound understanding of EU internal market law, including the free movement of capital, and financial services law, Ability to analyse complex legal and policy issues, Ability to communicate and coordinate effectively with other Commission services, Member States, international organisations and external stakeholders, Excellent drafting, communication and interpersonal skills in 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; be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post; produce appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the duties

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Temporary agent position (maximum 6 years in any EU Institution).

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

Hiring unit: Unit FISMA.E.4 – Free Movement of Capital and Application of EU Law, Directorate-General FISMA.

Position details

Reference

FISMA/COM/2026/1778

Directorate-General

FISMA - Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

18 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Legal and Policy Officer at European Commission based in Brussels at the AD5 grade level (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is FISMA/COM/2026/1778. It is hosted by FISMA - Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the Economics, Finance And Statistics 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. 2FISMA/COM/2026/1778 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.

3FISMA/COM/2026/1778 Version: 16/04/2026

Legal and Policy Officer - Capital movements

Directorate-General FISMA E4 of the European Commission

Selection reference: COM/2026/1778

Domain*: LAW MONITORING and IMPLEMENTATION

Where : Unit E4 – Brussels

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

Grade range: AD5 – AD7

Publication deadline : 02/10/2026 - 12.00 (Brussels time)

WE ARE

The Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG

FISMA) is responsible for developing stable, well-functioning and globally competitive financial

markets in the interest of businesses and consumers, thereby promoting growth and job creation.

Directorate E “Financial Stability, Sanctions and Enforcement” contributes to these objectives by

safeguarding financial stability and market integrity, ensuring the effective enforcement of EU financial

services legislation, promoting Europe’s economic security, and leading the Commission’s work on

EU sanctions.

Unit FISMA.E.4 “Free Movement of Capital and Application of EU Law” monitors and enforces the

free movement of capital within the EU and between the EU and third countries. It addresses

unjustified barriers to cross-border capital flows, including through infringement procedures, and

contributes to policy initiatives aimed at facilitating cross-border investment. The unit also participates

in enlargement negotiations with candidate countries in the area of free movement of capital and

monitors their progress towards alignment with the EU acquis.

In addition, the unit coordinates DG FISMA’s enforcement activities to help ensure that EU financial

services legislation is correctly implemented and effectively enforced by Member States. This work

supports the effective application of EU rules in practice, contributing to financial stability, market

integrity, investor protection and the resilience of the EU financial system.

The unit is composed of 14 staff members and is based in Brussels.

WE PROPOSE

The Unit is recruiting a Legal and Policy Officer to contribute to actions aimed at safeguarding the free

movement of capital, strengthening investment protection across the Union, and supporting policy

initiatives facilitating cross-border investment. The successful candidate will contribute to legal and

policy work across a broad range of activities related to the implementation and enforcement of

financial services legislation, the application of EU fundamental freedoms and the removal of barriers

to the Single Market. The role offers the opportunity to work on complex legal and policy issues with a

direct impact on the functioning of the Single Market and the EU investment framework. 4FISMA/COM/2026/1778 Version: 16/04/2026

The vacancy offers a position with the following responsibilities:

- assess national measures affecting EU fundamental freedoms, in particular the free movement of

capital, and their impact on the Single Market;

- prepare enforcement actions to address unjustified restrictions to EU fundamental freedoms and

provide legal advice to other FISMA units on cross-cutting issues in financial services;

- contribute to initiatives aimed at strengthening investment protection in the EU, including by

addressing rule of law issues affecting cross-border investments;

- provide legal and policy input on capital movements and investment issues in negotiations with third

countries and in the context of free trade and investment agreements.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for a motivated, proactive and dynamic team player with a high sense of responsibility,

excellent analytical, drafting and critical thinking skills. A solid legal background, a sound

understanding of EU internal market law, including the free movement of capital, and financial

services law, as well as the ability to analyse complex legal and policy issues, are essential.

Experience or knowledge of investment-related aspects of EU law or international investment law,

experience working on legal or policy issues involving third countries, and familiarity with the

Commission's enforcement policy would be an asset.

A proven ability to communicate and coordinate effectively with other Commission services, Member

States, international organisations and external stakeholders is essential. The successful candidate

should demonstrate excellent drafting, communication and interpersonal skills in English. 5FISMA/COM/2026/1778 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 FISMA-E4-

[email protected] indicating the selection reference FISMA/ COM/2026/1778 in the

subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. 6FISMA/COM/2026/1778 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).

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.

 What about the selection steps?

The post was published internally within the Commission, inter-institutionally, and brought to the attention of competition laureates.

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 18 September 2026, 2 days ago.

The application deadline is 2 October 2026, 11 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 18 September 2026 (2 days ago).

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 Economics, Finance And Statistics field browse our Economics, Finance And Statistics 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.