JOB DESCRIPTION

WE ARE

DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) aims to develop the potential of the European maritime economy and to secure sustainable fisheries, a stable supply of seafood, healthy seas and prosperous coastal communities – for today’s Europeans and for future generations. This involves among other things formulating, developing and implementing the Common Fisheries Policy – the cornerstone of our actions for a sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources; and promoting an integrated approach to all maritime policies. The DG has around 380 staff, distributed over 5 Directorates and 21 Units.

The wide variety of responsibilities creates an interesting and challenging working environment. Hierarchical circuits are short, and working efforts translate into tangible results with a direct impact on the ground and on stakeholders.

Within the Directorate General for maritime affairs and fisheries, UnitDl contributes towards sustainable fisheries for the Mediterranean and Black Sea. This includes the definition, development and implementation of a science-based and regionalised approach under the Common Fisheries Policy aiming at a sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, the support of livelihood of fishermen and coastal communities and the minimising of impacts on the marine environment. It also manages the relations in the domain of fisheries with all riparian States of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea which are not members of the European Union at bilateral and at multilateral level through the Association Agreements and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

The Unit is part of Directorate D “Fisheries Policy Mediterranean and Black Sea” and consists of 13 colleagues.

DG MARE.D.l is seeking to hire one desk officer to lead implementation work on the European Ocean Pact in regional context of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. This entails implementation of the Ocean Pact in EU external context, more specifically in GFCM context. The job holder will need to lead the GFCM work on control, with a view to level playing and fight against IUU. They would need to work on a daily basis with science, as a basis for policy and legal contributions. In addition, the successful candidate will coordinate in the unit all files concerning the Black Sea, in terms of bilateral relations between the EU and its two Member States in the region (desk officer for Bulgaria and Romania), work in the region by other MARE units and other Commission services, and represent the European Commission in the Black Sea Advisory Council (BLSAC). The successful candidate will, in addition, be the desk officer for Greece, and be in charge of the unit’s relations with Turkey (contact point for Turkey, including on the enlargement file). Last, the successful candidate will be responsible for the aquaculture file in the GFCM context.

The job involves the following tasks:

• Elaborate and contribute toward the definition of EU policies concerning fisheries management and fishery resources conservation, including fisheries control and compliance, and fight against IUU fishing activities, and fisheries and marine environment interactions such as sensitive species and bycatch, i.e. harbour porpoises, sturgeons.
• Draft technical legal fisheries and aquaculture plans at EU and at the GFCM, including fisheries multiannual management plans and design of new measures; draft strategies on Non-lndigenous Species (NIS), monitoring/control surveillance measures, such as International joint inspection schemes.
• Contribute to the improvement of the scientific advise and fisheries science. •Participate in negotiations within Regional Fisheries Organisations and third countries. •Follow closely national fisheries policies in Bulgaria, Romania and Greece.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for a dynamic and well-organised candidate with a strong motivation to work on the implementation of the European Ocean Pact in international context, namely in the geopolitically complex Mediterranean and Black Seas. Applicants must be capable of leading a team and working independently, are expected to show a high sense of initiative and responsibility, to have strong analytical and negotiation skills and the ability to deal with complex scientific issues. The candidate must equally possess good political judgement, an understanding for sensitive geopolitics, plus excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, since close cooperation and co-ordination with colleagues in charge of related files across the DG and with other services is essential. The successful candidate will also have a strong experience in and understanding for marine conservation, fisheries compliance and control policies and legal frameworks, including international inspection schemes, Control Regulation, IUU and SMEFF Regulations, trade policy, and law. The official should have a very good knowledge of English and have a good knowledge of other EU languages.

How to Apply:

You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order:

1. your CV 2. completed application form.

Please send these documents by the publication deadline to [email protected] indicating the selection reference MARE/C0M/2025/2777 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline.