Programme 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/522124-522125

Directorate-General

TAXUD - Taxation and Customs Union

Vacancy Notice

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Last Verified

6 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Programme Assistant at European Commission based in Brussels at the FGIII grade level (Contract Agent). The vacancy reference is EC/2026/TAXUD/522124-522125. It is hosted by TAXUD - Taxation and Customs 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 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

[](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_vacancies/2026-07/Vacancy%20notice%20EPSO%20CA%20FG%20III%20-%20Implementation%20team%20-%20JD%20522124%20-%20522125.docx)We recruit from a wide range of backgrounds and actively promote diversity and inclusion:

[](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_vacancies/2026-07/Vacancy%20notice%20EPSO%20CA%20FG%20III%20-%20Implementation%20team%20-%20JD%20522124%20-%20522125.docx)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.

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](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/organisational-structure/people-first-modernising-european-commission/people-first-working-european-commission_en)

STAFF RECRUITED ON CONTRACTS

[](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_vacancies/2026-07/Vacancy%20notice%20EPSO%20CA%20FG%20III%20-%20Implementation%20team%20-%20JD%20522124%20-%20522125.docx)In addition to permanent officials, the European Commission offers non-permanent positions. There are two categories of non-permanent staff:

* [temporary agents](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/staff-categories/temporary-staff) are recruited to fill vacant positions for a set amount of time or to perform highly specialised tasks.

* [contract agents](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/contract-staff)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](https://epso.europa.eu/en/eu-careers/staff-categories#tab-0)

Programme Assistant

in DG TAXUD of the European Commission

**Job title*:**Programme assistant / CBAM

Domain:**Economics, Finance and Statistics

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

Function Group: FG III

Contract Type: 3b

[](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_vacancies/2026-07/Vacancy%20notice%20EPSO%20CA%20FG%20III%20-%20Implementation%20team%20-%20JD%20522124%20-%20522125.docx)Express your interest until: 10/08/2026- 12.00 (noon, Brussels time)

[](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_vacancies/2026-07/Vacancy%20notice%20EPSO%20CA%20FG%20III%20-%20Implementation%20team%20-%20JD%20522124%20-%20522125.docx)WE ARE

# 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.

# 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, 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 two Programme Assistants with knowledge related to policy implementation in the context of tax, customs, IT and/or climate area.

The overall purpose is to provide operational and technical support for the design and implementation of industrial and legal aspects of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The candidates are expected mainly to assist in translating business and policy requirements into functional specifications and to contribute to the design and implementation of digital solutions. The job entails continuous interactions and cooperation with other units in TAXUD and other Commission services, mainly with digital implementation teams, in order to ensure that implemented solutions reflect operational and business needs. It also entails close cooperation with CBAM authorities of Member States.

Tasks further include:

* Analysis of data in CBAM declarations and related business processes

* Communication with Customs authorities, CBAM national competent authorities, CBAM declarants and third countries’ operators and certified bodies

* Review of CBAM declaration and providing input for continuous improvement of digital solutions and underlying legal basis

* Follow-up on audit reports and implement audit recommendations

WE LOOK FOR

TAXUD.C.2 is seeking to hire programme assistants with knowledge in the area of policy design and implementation with special focus on environmental and climate.

* 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 EU legal framework and interinstitutional relations

* Good knowledge of and experience in digital policy implementation, data analysis and review/audit 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.

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.

[](https://eu-careers.europa.eu/sites/default/files/eu_vacancies/2026-07/Vacancy%20notice%20EPSO%20CA%20FG%20III%20-%20Implementation%20team%20-%20JD%20522124%20-%20522125.docx)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

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 27 July 2026, 10 days ago.

The application deadline is 10 August 2026, 3 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 6 August 2026.

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 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.