Policy Assistant - European Commission (FGIII, 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.

Position details

Reference

EC/2026/TAXUD/522123

Directorate-General

TAXUD - Taxation and Customs Union

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

24 July 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Policy Assistant at European Commission based in Brussels at the FGIII grade level (Contract Agent). The vacancy reference is EC/2026/TAXUD/522123. It is hosted by TAXUD - Taxation and Customs Union, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the European Policy 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 positions 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. (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/TAXUD/522123 )

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 (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/TAXUD/522123 )

# Policy Assistant

# in DG TAXUD of the European Commission

Job title *: Policy Assistant

Doma in**: European Policy

Where : Unit TAXUD.C.2 - CBAM, Energy and Green Taxation, Brussels

Function Gr oup : FG I II

Contract Type : 3b

Express your interest until : 08/08/2026 - 12.00 (noon, Brussels time )

WE ARE

The Directorate General Customs and Taxation (DG TAXUD) mission is to promote fair and

sustainable policies that generate revenue for the EU and its Member States and ensure that EU

citizens and businesses benefit from global trade and a safe and secure Single Market protected at

its borders.

Within DG TAXUD, Directorate C is developing an overall policy in the area of indirect taxation,

including financial sector taxation as well as environmental, transport and energy taxation, VAT,

excise duties and tax administration. It is also responsible for developing and implementing the

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and tax initiatives included in the European Green Deal. The

Directorate includes 85 staff with a good mix of officials, temporary and contract agents and

national experts.

Unit C2 is responsible for developing and implementing two important EU legislations in the

European Green Deal and part of the Fit for 55: the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

and the review of the Energy Taxation Directive.

The unit is also responsible for developing and following up both legislative and non -legislative

initiatives at EU level on indirect green taxation, which provide a genuine single market framework

and contribution to environmental goals. This includes notably environmental and transport

taxation. Finally, the unit is also responsible of the infringements related to those taxes.

The team involved in CBAM is relatively recent and fast growing. The team is made up of motivated

colleagues with very different backgrounds in the area of climate, environmental, trade and

international relation policies

WE PROPOSE

TAXUD.C.2 is seeking to hire one policy assistant with knowledge in science or engineering in

relation to industrial processes. (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/TAXUD/522123 )

The overall purpose is to provide operational and technical support for the design and

implementation of industrial aspects of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The

candidate is expected to assist in the preparation, analysis and implementation of the files,

including the provision of background research, technical input, and administrative support. The

files include the CBAM Regulation as well as implementing acts such as on the default values, the

free allocation adjustment and the methodology for determining emissions in CBAM goods. The job

entails continuous interactions and cooperation with other units in TAXUD and other Commission

services, as well as with industry stakeholders.

Tasks include:

• Analysis of technical issues

• Drafting of notes, briefings, summaries and policy papers

• Contribution to the drafting of technical aspects of legislation

• Contribution to guidance and Q&A documents

• Replies to stakeholder requests

• Organisation of meetings

WE LOOK FOR

TAXUD.C.2 is seeking to hire one policy assistant with knowledge in science or engineering in

relation to industrial processes.

• Good knowledge of and experience in EU environmental, climate and energy policies is an

asset.

• Good knowledge of and experience in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) or of the

CBAM is a strong asset.

• Good knowledge of and experience in industrial processes in one of the CBAM sectors is a

strong asset (e.g. understanding of the production steps, origin of emissions and techniques

to reduce emissions)

• Good knowledge of and experience in technical implementation issues related to the EU

ETS or the CBAM (e.g. monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions,

free allocation) is a very strong asset.

Good analytical and drafting skills, strong organisational and communication skills, as well as the

ability to work with minimum supervision and meeting deadlines are necessary. Given the political

sensitivity and the complexity of the tasks, excellent written and oral communication in English is

required. Experience and a good knowledge of informatics tools would be considered an advantage.

DG TAXUD promotes a spirit of entrepreneurship and initiative, needed for this post. We are a very

active team, and we look for a colleague enjoying working in a team with other experienced

colleagues from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Candidates should be ready to join a

fast growing and versatile team and to work closely with new colleagues in other units in TAXUD

and in the Commission. (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/TAXUD/522123 )

HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST?

With a view to guaranteeing equal access to all, the Commission recruits from an open database of

spontaneous applications. The present call for interests aims at helping the recruiters to identify

potentially interested candidates within this database.

In practice, to express your interest, please follow the subsequent two steps:

1. If you are not registered yet in the open EPSO database, please do so at the following

address: CAST Permanent . Please select under selection procedures for contract agent the

CAST permanent profile that best suits your education and experience.

2. 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 TAXUD -UNIT [email protected]

indicating the call for interest reference EC/2026/TAXUD/522123 in the subject .

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/TAXUD/522123 )

# 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 contract 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

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at FGIII runs from €3,476 (step 1) to €3,932 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €41,712 to €47,184 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 €556 per month at step 1 of FGIII) 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 July 2026, 2 days ago.

The application deadline is 8 August 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 24 July 2026 (2 days ago).

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at FGIII see our FGIII 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 European Policy field browse our European Policy 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.