Internship in European Public Affairs

The European trade association UNESDA, representing the European soft drinks industry, is offering an internship opportunity in European Public Affairs for the period January-June 2026.

The Intern would directly support UNESDA’s Director General and the wider team during the maternity leave of UNESDA’s Senior Public Affairs Manager.

As such, the internship offers hands-on experience in EU policy engagement, with a focus on sustainability, competitiveness and taxation policies. It’s a unique opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and contribute to impactful advocacy work.

Key responsibilities:

• Monitor EU policy developments relevant to the soft drinks sector

• Draft updates and briefings for UNESDA members

• Conduct research on policy and business topics

• Support the drafting of public affairs materials (e.g. consultation responses, position papers, meeting requests)

• Liaise with UNESDA members to collect input and feedback on ongoing workstreams

• Help organise UNESDA’s quarterly policy meetings

Candidate Profile:

Education & Experience

• Recent graduate or final-year Master’s student in EU Affairs, Political Science, Law, International Relations, or related fields

• Solid understanding of EU institutions and policymaking

• Interest in Public Affairs and a strong willingness to learn

• Previous experience (e.g. internship) in EU institutions or public affairs is a plus

Personal Qualities

• Enthusiastic team player and quick learner

• Proactive and able to take initiative

• Fluent in English

• Well-organised and comfortable liaising with external stakeholders

What we offer:

• An exciting learning experience, working directly with UNESDA’s Director General on EU advocacy strategies

• Interaction with leading international beverage brands

• A flexible hybrid work model

• Competitive internship compensation

How to apply:

Please send your CV and a short cover letter in English to dclose@unesda.eu.
Please use ‘APPLICATION POLICY INTERNSHIP – first name, last name’ as subject.

Deadline to apply: 5 November 2025.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted (as from 5 November).

PRIVACY POLICY: The personal data we collect during hiring processes is only used for the purposes of carrying out the selection process and is deleted once the process has ended. For more detailed info please see https://unesda.eu/privacy-policy/.

ABOUT UNESDA SOFT DRINKS EUROPE: Established in 1958, UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe is the Brussels-based trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverages sector. Its membership comprises 12 companies and 27 national associations from across Europe. UNESDA members are involved in the production and/or distribution of a wide variety of non-alcoholic beverages including still drinks, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, iced teas, flavoured waters and sports drinks.