Internships – European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) – France

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has launched the selection process for its internship programme in the areas of Governance, Legal Affairs, Supervision and Policy. ESMA is an independent body of the European Union whose main objective is to improve investor protection and promote stability and order in the financial markets.

This programme is designed for university students and recent graduates, offering direct immersion in a multicultural and highly professional environment within the European financial sector, lasting between 6 and 12 months. 

Successful candidates will carry out a range of tasks depending on the specific department to which they are assigned:

A. Support for Governance Activities

• Organising and providing logistical support to ESMA’s governing bodies and their decision-making processes.

• Collaboration in the planning and drafting of institutional reports.

• Stakeholder management and support for international and inter-institutional cooperation.

B. Support for Legal Activities

• Conducting legal analyses of case files and resolving legal enquiries.

• Direct interaction with internal and external stakeholders to resolve legal queries.

• In-depth research and analysis of legal sources, including EU regulations, legislation, legal articles and treaties.

C. Support for Supervisory Activities

• Risk analysis in the field of financial supervision.

• Development and design of supervisory work programmes.

• Coordination with other competent authorities in the context of the supervision of Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs), Central Counterparties (CCPs), EMIR data reporting and data quality initiatives.

• Assessment of applications for formal registration.

• Participation in thematic and individual investigations into registered firms and institutions.

• Supervisory convergence initiatives and the organisation of training sessions for National Competent Authorities (NCAs).

D. Support forPolicy Activities

• Support for the work of the Standing Committees, working groups and sub-groups responsible for preparing ESMA’s regulatory agenda.

• Contributing to the drafting and formatting of technicaladvice, technical standards, guidelines and recommendations under the relevant directives and regulations.

• Documentary research and the preparation of summaries of reports relating to financial policy.

• Analysing and summarising comments received from market participants, for example in the context of open public consultations.

Requirements:

• Nationality: Must be a national of a member state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA).

• Languages: A good command of English.

• Academic background: Must be a current university student or graduate in disciplines such as Law, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Public Administration or other related fields.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• A degree or ongoing studies in the academic areas mentioned.

• Excellent writing skills in English.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams).

• Strong organisational and communication skills.

• Ability to work as part of a team and take the initiative.

• Additional merit: Knowledge of or previous experience in financial law or European Union law will be regarded as an advantage.

Benefits:

Graduates will receive a monthly stipend of €2,096.82, whilst those still studying at university will receive €1,397.88 per month. 

Deadline: 15 July 2026. 

More information: Hablamos de Europa.