Secondment to Civilian CSDP Missions

Civilian CSDP missions are made up of a range of civilian experts, such as political, gender, climate, and security sector reform advisors, as well as press officers, judges, police officers, and specialists on hybrid threats, counterterrorism, and border management. Typically, these experts are seconded Temporarily deployed to the missions by Member States.

When vacancies arise in a mission, these are advertised via ‘calls for contributions’, which are usually shared on the EEAS website and via the individual mission’s website and social media channels. Vacancies are typically divided into 3 categories:

  • Seconded Positions—positions that are to be filled by seconded experts of EU Member States.These individuals could be from within national administrations and agencies, or in some cases, experts outside of public service e.g. from NGOs, academia, the private sector. Please note that not all Member States are currently able to second experts outside of public service. Seconded positions are financed by the seconding Member State. 

     

  • Contracted Positions—positions that are financed directly by the EU and can be filled by citizens of any EU Member State.

     

  • National Staff Positions—positions that are open only to nationals of the host country. 

Watch this video to learn the basics of what it means to work for a European civilian crisis management mission.

Interested in working in a civilian CSDP mission?

The video below—co-produced by the CoE and CivOpsHQ (at the time—CPCC) focuses on the application process for secondment to a civilian CSDP mission. By watching the video, you can find more information on the application process and candidate selection procedure for civilian CSDP missions. Interested candidates can also find useful tips and tricks from current mission personnel on how to tailor their application and prepare for the interviews.

Unsure about the secondment process in your country?

Secondment procedures and structures vary between Member States. Visit the CoE Map to find out more.