This article was first published on the Online EU Training blog

In the new EPSO recruitment system, it is even more clear that the EU wants to find people whose goal is to work for a cause, an issue that is larger than themselves. Meaning: don’t come just for the money.
 
So I wonder if EU salaries were, say, 40-50% lower (thus similar to Belgian private sector wage levels), would people still be interested in working for European institutions?
 
We know the surveys that gauge candidates’ motivation why they wish to become EU officials, and “salary” usually only appears in the 2nd or 3rd place. However, would working in an international environment, having a meaningful job, learning languages and dealing with practical EU affairs be such strong factors that would attract the same number of people? Or it would attract less but more “ideologically driven” ones? Is that a good or bad thing?
 
What about current employees, would they stay if their salaries were radically decreased (as it happened in e.g. the Baltic states’ civil services recently)?
 
What drives you? Are you really motivated….?

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