Working at Eurojust

Working at Eurojust

Working at Eurojust is stimulating, challenging and highly rewarding.  Eurojust’s staff members come to work each day with a strong sense of purpose, knowing their work helps to create a safer Europe for its citizens.

By joining Eurojust's team in The Hague, you will be part of an engaging, collegial and diverse environment, working closely with people from different backgrounds and nationalities. Eurojust’s modern, custom-built premises in the heart of The Hague’s International Zone are designed to encourage cooperation and knowledge sharing, providing bright communal spaces, where people can get together and exchange ideas. While we enjoy working together on our premises, Eurojust also offers hybrid working, enabling staff to split their time between work at the office and working remotely, facilitating work-life balance.

In the following tabs, discover what makes working for Eurojust special, which benefits we offer and how pleasant life can be in The Hague.

Why work for us?

The European Union is based on freedom and stability. However, these core values cannot be taken for granted – they need to be protected and defended day by day. As the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, we play a key role in safeguarding the principles and values on which our European societies are built.

Eurojust’s activities and expertise span many different areas of the criminal and judicial landscape. Our staff members work on the frontline of international investigations and prosecutions, leading the judicial response to the growing threats of organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime, drug and migrant smuggling, corruption and fraud. Together with the national authorities of the Member States and our international partners, we ensure that the EU is keeping one step ahead of criminals and that justice is done across borders.

Eurojust building

Eurojust Virtual Tour

Join us on a Virtual Tour of our premises and see where we are working – and, more importantly, how we do so.

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This is exactly what makes working for Eurojust truly unique and rewarding: you will be joining a purpose-driven team that is making a real difference for the European Union and its citizens. Building bridges and making connections is at the heart of our mission, and you will find this back in our organisational culture. Eurojust provides an inclusive, equal opportunity, modern and flexible work environment, which stimulates collaboration and the exchange of ideas, knowledge and best practice.

Our staff comprises highly skilled experts from the EU Member States. With so many different professional and cultural backgrounds, diversity is not just a buzzword, it is part of the Eurojust DNA. We are working across borders, figuratively and literally, and we are proud of the performance we deliver and the impact we make.

Our success depends on our people. Through personal development plans and various training opportunities, Eurojust supports its staff to reach their full potential. Our interdisciplinary and multicultural environment is both challenging and enriching, allowing us to learn from each other and to grow with each other.

At Eurojust, we are united by our passion for justice and our commitment to results. Come join us on our mission and work together with inspiring colleagues from all across the EU to make Europe a safer place.

What we offer

Benefits

Eurojust’s staff is its most important asset, and retaining high-quality, motivated employees is a key priority. As a Eurojust staff member, you can expect excellent opportunities for training and development as well as a number of other benefits, including:

  • expatriation or foreign residence allowance;
  • household allowance;
  • dependent child allowance;
  • education allowance;
  • access to the European School of The Hague for dependents;
  • flexible working arrangements, including part-time, flexi-time and teleworking options;
  • health and personal accident insurance; and
  • pension and unemployment scheme.

Salary

The basic salary will be subject to various allowances as well as tax, social security and other deductions set out in the staff regulations. The basic salary is exempted from national tax.

To reflect the higher cost of living in The Hague compared to Brussels, the basic salary is weighted by applying a coefficient based on the cost of living in The Hague. The basic salaries indicated in the tables below are the amounts before the adjustment.

Relocation support

Relocating to a new city or country is often challenging. Eurojust wants to ensure that your move to The Hague goes as smoothly as possible by supporting you in some of the practical and administrative aspects of your relocation.

Eurojust’s Host State Relations team is available to assist you and your family upon arrival in the Netherlands, providing various types of support, including:

  • registration and deregistration for you and your family members with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
  • help opening a bank account in the Netherlands;
  • advice on housing, utilities, parking permits, schools and day care establishments;
  • guidance on accessing healthcare;
  • links to expat services and relocation companies;
  • applications for Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) ID cards, burgerservicenummers (BSN) and advice on privileges and immunities; and
  • registration and deregistration of your vehicle and exchange of your driving licence.

Finding short- or long-term housing in The Hague prior to taking up your appointment at Eurojust is advised. A number of useful external sites can help you with this process.

Living in The Hague

The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands, with more than half a million inhabitants. Together with Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam, the city forms the country’s economic heartland, known as the Randstad region. Those moving here will discover one of Europe’s most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities, hosting a variety of international organisations, embassies and schools, as well as a diverse multinational community.

Rich in history and culture, The Hague has plenty to offer in terms of entertainment, with a range of renowned museums and attractions, as well as a busy schedule of cultural events throughout the year. The city also has a wide choice of restaurants, cafes and shops to suit all tastes. For those looking for a leisurely stroll on the beach or even a dip in the ocean, Scheveningen, one of the Netherlands’ premier seaside resorts, is just a short tram ride away.

While The Hague offers something for everyone, the city is especially popular among families with children, with a number of safe and affordable residential neighbourhoods to choose from, as well as a wide selection of excellent local (Dutch-speaking) and international schools, including the European School of The Hague.

Whatever your interests and stage in life, you will find that The Hague is an excellent place to call home.

Diversity and inclusion

Following the signing of the Joint Statement of the Heads of Justice and Home Affairs Agencies on Diversity and Inclusion, Eurojust has taken on the mission of recognising the diverse nature of our staff and the importance of ensuring the well-being of every colleague, regardless of their story. We understand the need to take into account the particular situation and specific concerns of the different persons who make up our workforce and continually seek new ways to ensure the recommendations of the Joint Statement are fully implemented. Despite the conversation around diversity and inclusion always changing, we tirelessly work to make sure our colleagues know they are always supported and cared for in an effort to make our working environment a place for all.

We welcome applications from qualified individuals, irrespective of their race, religion, skin colour, nationality, age, disability status, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family structure, mental health status, or any other characteristic. Our policies encourage a workplace free from discrimination and any form of harassment.

Nationalities and gender distribution among Eurojust staff
Nationalities and gender distribution among Eurojust staff

Under the Joint Statement, Eurojust commits to:

  • pursue an inclusive corporate culture and a positive work environment in which every staff member has equal opportunities to develop and contribute to the mission of the Agency;
  • uphold and strengthen diversity as an organisational value, reflected in agencies’ codes of conduct and leveraged in competency frameworks to augment inclusion, engagement, cohesion and organisational delivery;
  • champion equality by ensuring that gender and diversity perspectives are considered when developing and maintaining the governance instruments of the agencies such as internal policies and procedures;
  • promote and raise awareness on diversity and inclusion, fundamental rights and gender equality, including by providing effective training to Agency staff;
  • address discriminatory behaviours to strengthen adherence to the value of diversity at every level of the Agency; and
  • encourage more systematic exchange on diversity and inclusion matters among the JHA agencies.

How do you fit into #TeamEurojust?

Given the plethora of international organisations based in The Hague, the city itself is a true model for diversity and inclusion. It is only natural that agencies such as Eurojust seek to blend into the multifaceted fabric of society that exists in our city, and we strive to make each staff member feel ‘at home’ both at work and in their private lives.

To ensure this, Eurojust has policies in place that specifically seek to accommodate the different (but non-exhaustive) situations and needs of our staff. For example:

We know balancing work and a private life can be challenging, so we offer a wide array of leave types to help ensure you can be successful in the office and at home.

This includes Special Leave for such reasons as:

  • family reasons (e.g. change of residence, marriage, death, adoption);
  • illness (spouse/partner, child, relative in ascending line);
  • training;
  • elections outside the place of employment; and
  • years of service.

Eurojust grants 20 weeks of paid Maternity Leave and offers Parental Leave to mothers and fathers depending on personal circumstances (including leave for single parents and for parents of children with disabilities/severe illnesses).

We offer Family Leave that can be granted to care for a seriously ill or disabled spouse, relative in the ascending or descending line or brother or sister. You are entitled to a maximum of nine months (full-time family leave) and 18 months (part-time family leave) over your entire career.

We also offer flexible working arrangements such as part-time schedules and hybrid working.

The HR Officer who will partner with you on your journey with Eurojust can discuss these and further leave entitlements with you once you join us.

Eurojust is in a unique position of having a female-driven workforce. We are proud that we have achieved gender balance across the management spectrum. We champion equality by ensuring that gender and diversity perspectives are considered when developing and maintaining internal policies and procedures.

We continue to implement the tenets of the Joint Statement on Zero Tolerance towards Sexual Harassment to enhance a safe working environment and strongly encourage a culture of speaking up. Our Employee Relations Officer and Confidential Counsellors are always available to provide guidance in this regard.

Eurojust protects the rights of all our staff through our Code of Conduct and we address all discriminatory behaviours at every level of the Agency. We fully support and implement the current initiatives lead by the European Commission regarding the recently unveiled LGBTIQ Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 that seeks to address the inequalities and challenges affecting LGBTIQ people and sets out a number of targeted actions (including legal and funding measures).

We welcome persons who identify as LGBTIQ+ at Eurojust. The Agency recognises eligible same-sex partners for the purposes of entitlements and benefits (for example for travel, relocation, health insurance and others).

Our modern premises were built in 2017 and adhered to current building codes as they relate to ensuring ease of access for persons with disabilities. We ensure we make adaptations to office spaces to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. Working from the office can be combined with teleworking in order to offer further support to colleagues who may find this better suits their disability needs.

Ongoing efforts are being made at Eurojust to be more disability-friendly and we are working with other agencies to share best practices and adopt inclusive policies. We fully support and implement policies that adhere to commitments made under the European Disability Strategy.

We are always ready to engage with our staff regarding their personal needs and we endeavour to offer the best support possible in ensuring their workplace is a comfortable and safe one.

We are fortunate to have staff from all over Europe (and beyond), creating a rich tapestry of cultures, nationalities, ethnicities, races, backgrounds, and languages. We are represented by staff from many EU Member States who bring a global perspective into their work environments and enrich the overall diversity conversation.

The Eurojust Social Association regularly plans events and gatherings, bringing colleagues together from all across the Agency in an effort to create a sense of family and camaraderie. We organise ‘National Days’ at the start of each new EU Council Presidency, where we share our food and culture with our colleagues.

Whilst always relevant, never has mental health been more at the forefront than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given this, Eurojust is proud to offer multiple sources of mental health support to our staff. We want to make sure that all aspects of health are taken care of. We are fully committed to supporting the implementation of the European Framework for Action on Mental Health and Well-Being that seeks to:

  • develop mental health promotion and prevention and early intervention programmes;
  • ensure the transition to comprehensive mental health treatment and quality care; and
  • strengthen knowledge, evidence and best practice sharing in mental health.

We do this by offering support to staff through our Employee Relations Officer, coupled with our Confidential Counsellors. We are also supported by a dedicated Eurojust doctor who is available for both in-person and telephone consultations. Upon request, we can also provide external mental health resources.

Contacts

For questions related to Eurojust’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, reach out and we will be happy to assist.