Kim(36)

After my master's in European Studies in Enschede, I worked five years at a ministry in The Hague. The international dimension attracted me, and the European Parliament in Strasbourg was my goal. Through the EPSO concours (the EU selection exam) I was placed on the reserve list after two years of preparation. Six months later I got the call: a position as policy advisor at a parliamentary committee.

As an EU civil servant (fonctionnaire européen) you enjoy a special status. Your salary is exempt from national tax and is taxed through the EU's community tax — considerably lower. My net salary as AD5 is about €4,200 per month. I also receive an expatriation allowance (16% of base salary) because I don't work in my home country. The EU's social security is separate: RCAM (Régime Commun d'Assurance Maladie) covers 85% of healthcare costs.

Strasbourg is a fascinating city. It's on the border of France and Germany, the Grande Île is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Christmas market is Europe's most famous. I live in the Quartier des XV, a residential area 15 minutes' cycling from Parliament. My 65m² apartment costs €750 per month — reasonable for a city this size. The German influence is everywhere: choucroute, Flammkuchen and beer gardens alongside crêperies and wine bars.

Working at Parliament is intellectually stimulating but also bureaucratic. Plenary sessions are four days per month in Strasbourg, the rest of the work is in Brussels. That navette (commuting back and forth) is a well-known drawback. I'm in Brussels three weeks per month, where I rent a room. Parliament reimburses travel costs. The advantage of Strasbourg: when sessions end, I have the city to myself.

Registering at the mairie was required but simple. As an EU civil servant you don't need a carte de séjour — your identity card and attestation d'emploi suffice. You don't pay taxe d'habitation (abolished), but you do pay taxe foncière if you buy. I'm considering buying an apartment via a prêt immobilier from Caisse d'Épargne — the mortgage rate is currently 3.5% and as an EU civil servant you get favorable terms.

My advice to people aspiring to an international career: the EPSO concours is tough but feasible. Learn French and English to C1 level, prepare for the e-tray and assessment center, and be patient — the process takes eighteen months. Strasbourg is an ideal base: central in Europe, culturally rich and with a quality of life you don't expect. The choucroute is better than you think, the Alsatian wine is excellent and cycling along the Ill is my daily meditation.