The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is a pan-European Alliance established in 1974 to facilitate co-operation between non-governmental organisations concerned with refugees. ECRE currently has some 75 member agencies across Europe. Its main activities can be summarised as policy and legal analysis; advocacy and networking; information and documentation. The ECRE Secretariat is based in Brussels, with 20 staff members including interns who are central in supporting ECRE’s work. Job Purpose To assist ECRE in fulfilling its organisational objectives by contributing to the achievement of activities within its Activities Plan. To assist ECRE in undertaking effective advocacy work by supporting the Senior Legal Officer in gathering of information and the formulation of policy and legal research on specific topics and in particular the development of ECRE’s Asylum Information Database on Asylum. To monitor general legal and policy developments on subjects relevant to ECRE.
1. Assist the Senior Legal and Policy Officer in the development of an Asylum Information Database and for this purpose:
-edit national reports on asylum practices and liaise with a network of national NGO-experts -check relevant web sites and information resources;
-monitor impact of relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union at the national level
- monitor the reports and views of the UN Committee against Torture, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
- identify and use relevant print and media sources
- identify and use any additional materials by relevant individuals, organisations or institutions;
- liaise with ECRE interns, staff, and member agencies, UNHCR and other relevant institutions; -participate in relevant internal and external meetings.
2. Draft relevant documents in English such as:
- research reports;
- comparative reports;
- policy briefings or guidelines;
- survey findings;
- supporting documentation for meetings e.g. background papers;
3. Assist in legal research on specific topics in the field of international refugee law and the EU asylum acquis in support of ongoing comparative research as agreed with the Senior Legal and Policy Officer.
4. Assist with the planning and organisation of ELENA training courses or other events/expert meetings by:
- identifying and compiling existing background materials;
- researching and drafting background papers if required;
- assisting with other administrative and logistical tasks, including at the course itself;
6. Assist in the running of internal ECRE meetings, including taking the minutes of those meetings.
7. Take part in the preparation of at least one external ECRE meeting or conference and provide organisational support, such as taking minutes of working groups.
8. Assist with administrative / miscellaneous tasks as agreed with the Senior Legal and Policy Officer.
- University degree in law
- Proven knowledge of and interest in international and EU asylum and human rights law Languages
- Excellent written and fluent spoken English.
- Working knowledge of other European languages is an advantage.
-Good Interpersonal Skills
- Good knowledge of EU institutions is an advantage
1. Paid internship for 11 months (brutto 736, 20 euro) (Belgian Contract – “Contrat belge d’immersion professionelle”)
2. The Legal Intern will be entitled to 26 days annual leave if he or she has worked for the entire previous year in Belgium. If service during the previous year in Belgium is less than the full year, annual leave will be calculated pro rata. Regardless of the legal entitlement to annual leave in Belgium, ECRE will provide 6 days of extra-legal holidays a year.
Please send a copy of your curriculum vitae (2 pages) and an application form to Kris Pollet using this FORM , stating “Application Legal internship” in the subject heading.
Regrettably, due to the large number of applications we usually receive, it is not possible to write to you should you not be short-listed for an interview. If you have not heard from us within 20 days of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.
Deadline for submissions is 4 March 2013.