For the first time, graduates of vocational education and training (VET) will be able to apply for the European Commission’s internship program -known as the Blue Book traineeship period-, thus expanding access to high-quality internships and recognizing the value of diverse learning pathways across Europe.
In this way, this new modernized single framework makes the program more inclusive and better aligned with European objectives regarding skills and employment.
The updated framework also improves financial conditions for trainees by optimizing the structure of grants and aid, which helps reduce practical and economic barriers that hinder participation. These changes aim to make the internship program more inclusive for candidates from different educational backgrounds across the Union.
The Blue Book internship program is the main internship program of the European Commission, attracting mainly recent university graduates from across Europe and beyond. It offers participants a unique firsthand insight into the work of the European Commission and the functioning of EU institutions in general. The program also helps trainees develop a better understanding of the goals of European integration and EU policies while gaining experience in a multicultural work environment.
Over the years, the Blue Book internship program has become one of the most attractive and competitive in the EU. It receives around 36,000 applications each year and offers nearly 2,000 internship places annually at the Commission, 14 EU agencies and bodies, and the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The updated rules on internship periods will apply to the session starting in March 2027. Applications for that session will be open until the next September 4, 2026.