Brussels – 22 July 2026. The European Commission today opened applications for its March 2027 ‘Blue Book’ traineeship session and, for the first time, explicitly welcomes graduates of vocational education and training (VET) programmes. The new rules, adopted last week, aim to diversify the talent pipeline feeding EU institutions and to better reflect labour-market realities in Member States such as Belgium, where dual-learning tracks are increasingly popular. Under the revised framework, candidates who obtained their qualification abroad but reside in Belgium on a temporary basis—e.g., as trailing spouses or partners of EU staff—are eligible provided they hold a valid residence permit. The Commission has also clarified that successful applicants can request reimbursement of one return journey from any EU capital to Brussels or Luxembourg, simplifying relocation logistics for those already on assignment in Belgium. For employers operating intra-EU graduate programmes, the change offers a new mobility-friendly exit route: sending Belgian-based VET graduates on a five-month stint at the Commission can count as qualifying international experience under many talent-development schemes. Immigration counsel note that trainees fall under the ‘special category of stay’ regime in Belgium and are exempt from the €250 long-stay visa fee introduced on 1 July 2026. Applications close on 4 September 2026, but HR advisers should alert interested staff early, as supporting documents (including university equivalence certificates for non-EU diplomas) must be uploaded at the time of submission.
