Why are Northern Europeans snubbing EPSO and the EU institutions?

The EU faces a shortage of northern European staffers. Out of roughly 33,000 employees in European Commission administrator posts, only 1,370 are German and 380 are Dutch. Sweden has 264 workers, and both Denmark and Finland have fewer than 200. The numbers will decrease even more as eurocrats retire, and there is no generational renewal in sight. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) attracted 174,727 applicants to its 2026 AD5 generalist competition, but while Italy accounted for almost half of all candidates, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands registered comparatively few applications. Germany, the EU's most populous member state, produced just 11,699 applicants, compared with Italy's 79,343. Sweden registered only 1,804 candidates, while Denmark attracted fewer than 1,000. "Ideally, we would like each member state to be represented proportionally across all EU Institutions. The Commission should consider launching competitions specifically for underrepresented member states", suggested Monika Hohlmeier, an EPP MEP from Germany's Christian Democrats. She also pointed out that, in many sectors, "EU salaries are [actually] lower". For graduates in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, an EU career is not necessarily more attractive than the opportunities available in their national labour markets. Better opportunities at home According to Eurostat, 90.6% of recent graduates in Germany and 90.1% in the Netherlands were employed in 2025, compared with an EU average of 83%. Employment among recent university graduates also exceeded 90% in Sweden. Germany offers particularly strong private-sector alternatives. Graduates in engineering, finance, law and economics can pursue careers in major companies, banks, consultancies and technology firms, with starting salaries reaching €55,000 to €70,000 gross annually. The public sector also offers competitive opportunities. In Germany, graduates can qualify for positions on the A13 salary scale, with basic monthly salaries of €4,500 to €5,300 or more, depending on the employer and salary step. Permanent civil servants also benefit from job security, pensions and healthcare support. By comparison, newly recruited EU officials at the AD5 level can receive approximately €4,749 net per month, rising to around €5,734 with an expatriation allowance — not attractive enough to convince northern European graduates to relocate and undergo EPSO's lengthy selection process. "The recruitment process is unfortunately often very long and some graduates may search for other opportunities before hearing back from an EU Institution on the status of their application. There is also a need to align the salary structure and entry-level pay grades with competitive rates that match market rates, especially in specialty areas such as IT, economics or law. At the moment, EU salaries are often lower", said Hohlmeier. Working conditions are another factor. Denmark's standard full-time working week is usually commonly 37 hours, while Sweden and Germany offer established systems of paid leave, parental benefits and employment protections. EU institutions also provide generous leave and employment benefits, but joining them means adapting to a different administrative environment and potentially working in a second or third language. Candidates must also consider housing costs, the loss of professional networks and separation from family and friends. For graduates with partners, children or financial commitments, the advantages of an EU career may not outweigh the costs of moving abroad. They must also prepare for competitive examinations and may face a lengthy wait before receiving an offer. Even securing a place on an EPSO reserve list does not guarantee employment, making the process less appealing. Southern Europeans see an actual opportunity The situation is very different in southern Europe, where weaker employment prospects, stagnant wages and job insecurity make Brussels look like a haven. According to Eurostat, just 71.8% of recent graduates in Italy and 62.4% in Greece were employed in 2025, compared with the EU's 83% average. Low salaries are not the only problem. These countries also have low starting salaries, limited promotion opportunities and jobs that fail to provide the financial security their qualifications promised. Italy is a prime example. The OECD found that Italian wages remained 6.1% below early-2021 levels in the first quarter of 2026, the largest decline among major OECD economies. Young professionals also face unpaid or poorly paid internships, temporary contracts and freelance arrangements with fewer employment protections. Spain recorded the EU's highest unemployment rate in 2025, at 10.5%. Although labour reforms reduced the share of fixed-term workers from 24.8% in early 2022 to 14.8% in early 2026, the growing use of permanent-seasonal contracts still leaves some workers facing periods without predictable earnings. Spanish wages also remained 2% below early-2021 levels in the first quarter of 2026. For young professionals in Madrid, Barcelona and other expensive cities, employment does not necessarily guarantee affordable housing or financial security. Greece recorded 8.9% unemployment in 2025 and the EU's lowest recent-graduate employment rate. Graduates seeking careers outside tourism, hospitality and other lower-paid services face limited opportunities, while housing costs add further pressure. Furthermore, according to Eurostat, 26.4% of Greece's population spent at least 40% of disposable household income on housing in 2025, compared with an EU average of 7.7%. So for graduates in these countries, an EU career offers a major improvement in earnings and job security. Entry-level public servants with university degrees in Italy, Spain and Greece can earn between €780 and €1,800 net per month, considerably lower than the approximately €4,749 available to a newly recruited AD5 official without an expatriation allowance. According to Hohlmeier, "among young people educated people with a bachelor’s degree, unemployment is higher in Spain, Italy and Greece compared to northern countries, so this could play a role. Perhaps students from these countries are more willing to take a risk and apply. Perhaps there is also better word of mouth in Spain, Italy and Greece about these opportunities." Can Brussels reverse the trend? This is a longer-term challenge for EU institutions, as they established a common selection process to recruit officials from across all member states. Although recruitment is based on merit and application figures do not necessarily determine the nationality of successful candidates, persistently low participation from northern Europe makes it harder to address existing geographical imbalances as older officials retire. One of the solutions the Commission has come up with is action plans aimed at attracting candidates from underrepresented member states, but even these will fail when there are simply not enough applicants. "As a member of the Budgetary Control Committee, I welcome any effort by the Commission to attract applicants from under-represented countries, since it is our common goal for all member states to be represented proportionally. We need geographical balance and proportionate representation of all member states in all EU Institutions including not just the Commission, but also the Agencies and other institutions", said Hohlmeier. She added that "competitions specifically for under-represented countries could help with this. I think at the end of the day, it is up to the individual to decide if this is a career path they would like to pursue and if it is truly their passion. It takes a lot of consideration, because it involves moving to a different country, often learning new languages, understanding local bureaucracies and cultures, and living far from friends and family."