The Economic and Social Committee (ESC) is an advisory body that gives Europe's economic and social partners (i.e. employers, trade unions, representatives of small businesses, farmers' associations, consumers, etc.) the chance to issue their formal opinion on EU policies.
Twice a year the ESC organises in-service training periods of long (five months) and short duration (one to three months).
The main aims of the in-service training are:
to conclude and apply knowledge acquired by the trainee during his/her studies or work;
to provide the trainee with practical knowledge of the working of the ESC's various departments;
to enable the trainees to gain experience through contacts established in day-to-day work.
Candidates are university graduates. Candidates must have a thorough knowledge of one EU language and a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language, one of which must be English or French. Candidates from non-Member States are required to have only a thorough knowledge of English or French.
Long traineeships last for five months and are arranged twice a year: from 16 February to 15 July (spring session) and from 16 September to 15 February (autumn session).
Trainees receive a monthly grant of 1.220,78 EUR. Trainees who are already paid, may not receive any financial contribution.