Press release: Launch of the first Network of European Parliament Assistants

Brussels, 19 June 2024 - As the European Parliament welcomes 720 new MEPs, more than 2,000 parliamentary assistants find themselves on the job market. However, until now, there has been no dedicated network for former European Parliament assistants, even though similar structures exist for former MEPs and former Schuman trainees.

Since the introduction of a statute for parliamentary assistants in 2009, 8,598 accredited parliamentary assistants (APAs) and 20,157 local assistants have carried out their duties. Aware of this untapped human resource and drawing from our own experience as parliamentary assistants, we decided to launch the https://expert-europe.eu/ platform. This pioneering network aims to connect former European Parliament assistants with various stakeholders seeking expertise in European affairs across the 27 countries of the European Union. Our mission is to ensure that the invaluable knowledge and experience of these professionals continue to actively contribute to the European project.

EXPERT EUROPE™ is a contraction of "Ex" (former) and "EP" (European Parliament). The platform, which will be available in all 24 EU languages in the coming weeks, aims to connect these professionals with the 12,688 lobbies registered in the European Commission's transparency register, as well as with universities, local bodies, journalists, and other organizations across the EU that are looking for experts in European affairs.

To launch this initiative, personalized emails will be sent to the 4,500 current parliamentary assistants, inviting them to register free of charge. Assistants leaving the European Parliament will receive an email address identifying them as former assistants, in the format: firstname.lastname@expert-europe.eu. In addition, thanks to our partnership with Afiliatys, "The affinity club of the European Institutions," these assistants will benefit from the same advantages as European Commission officials. This range of services will be expanded in the coming weeks through new strategic partnerships.