The IHT writes on the Stage at the European Commission... probably the best stage of the world

Hettie Judah writes about the stagiaires on the International Herald Tribune - the European long-arm of the New YorkTimes.

26-09-2008 - BRUSSELS - On bright evenings in the Belgian capital, the flagstone pavements of Place du Luxembourg are obscured by the kitten heels and polished Oxfords of handsome young people drinking beer.

There's a particular buzz here, present nowhere else in the city; a kind of tribal gathering for dynamic twentysomething Europeans who argue, drink and flirt with an ambitious intensity.

These people are the stagiaires, or participants in a European Union internship program that places 600 graduates in EU governing institutions for five months twice a year.

As a stagiaire, you see Europe as a lifestyle model. You know it's not all about directives and committee meetings but about people having fun together. It's a nice view to remember from time to time when you think it's all just work."

The stage, like travel, can also be broadening. Koch-Mehrin, who during her traineeship met an Irishman who became her husband, credits the experience for giving her a more international perspective.

"As a stagiaire you are curious and try to meet as many different people as possible," she said. "That openness carries on if you come back and continue to work here.

"The stagiaire system started in 1960 with three trainees, but the selection process, rules and payment schedules were not completely formalized until 2005. There are 6,000 to 7,000 applicants for every five-month session, and 90 percent of applicants come from member states of the European Union. ...

You can read the full article here and - if you really want to flirt - you can also apply here.