JOIN THE 2026 COHORT OF THE YOUNG MEIJERS COMMITTEE

Could you be the next Young Meijers Committee member?

The Young Meijers Committee (YMC) has been established in response to the increasing threats to democracy and the rule of law within the European Union. Each year, the Meijers Committee selects 15 curious and motivated individuals with a keen interest in advancing the rule of law in Europe, to participate in the program.

Under the expert guidance of members of the Meijers Committee, you will collaborate on a research project focused on developing practical solutions to pressing rule of law challenges. This work will be developed with a view to enabling projects of excellent quality that can be published as Meijers Committee comment to help shape EU decision-making. To achieve this, YMC members participate in the Committee’s subcommittees, which cover areas such as asylum, migration, criminal law, privacy and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. Within these subcommittees, they contribute to research, draft comments, and formulate recommendations on legislative and policy developments.

Participants will also engage in four workshops a year led by Meijers Committee members. These workshops aim to broaden participants’ knowledge of rule of law challenges within the EU, while also focusing on building the skills necessary to address these issues. In 2025 YMC members took part in workshops focused on legal and political advocacy, judicial cooperation with states facing rule-of-law challenges, and strategies to address civil society repression and how to safeguard national constitutions.

The Meijers Committee aims to inspire and prepare a new generation of legal professionals and policymakers to engage actively in safeguarding and strengthening the European rule of law by equipping them with the necessary skills, knowledge, and practical experience to critically assess the EU’s current trajectory and develop solutions to pressing challenges concerning the rule of law. The overarching goal of the project is to protect the EU rule of law, now and in the future.

Who we are

The Meijers Committee is a panel of expert researchers and practitioners who voluntarily produce expert commentary, position papers and reports on EU legislative proposals and developments. The Committee – many of whom are academics from Dutch universities – provides insight in to emerging developments affecting the rule of law, asylum policy, migration, criminal law, institutional law and non-discrimination and privacy law. Our reports are publicly available on The Meijers Committee website and are widely dispensed within EU and national policy making circles to influence decision making in real time.

In 2025, the Young Meijers Committee was established as a response to an emerging climate of threats to the rule of law in the EU. Prominently, the rule of law in Hungary and Poland has been under pressure for some time due to ‘constitutional capture,’ but there are also worrying signals from other Member States, including in Slovakia and even the Netherlands. To prevent further erosion of the rule of law in the EU, it is necessary to mobilize future decision-makers with a view to protecting and promoting the rule of law. Having had great success in 2025, the Meijers Committee is excited to announce that the program will run again in 2026.

Who you are

You are a motivated and driven master’s student, PhD student or young professional with an interest in the protection, promotion and demystification of the rule of law in Europe. You care about creating research of a high standard, wish to make an impact, and are a strong team player. You communicate effectively, respectfully and with integrity, and are willing to dedicate 12 hours a month to bring your project to fruition, contribute to Meijers Committee meetings and attend workshops. You are flexible, have excellent organisational and time-keeping skills and are keen to contribute to this policy field.

About the role

• During this role, you will be guided towards the completion of a collaborative research project under the expert guidance of members of the Meijers Committee. Your project will fall under the remit of one of our subcommittees. The selected Young Meijers Committee members will be divided into groups based on these areas.
• You will be empowered through four expert-led workshops. The workshops will enable you to expand your understanding of rule of law and democracy challenges across the EU, while equipping you with a toolbox to address these challenges. Doing so, the workshops seek to debunk common rule of law myths in furtherance of efforts to protect the rule of law.
• You will become an integral part of the Meijers Committee, actively participating in and contributing to the subcommittee meetings and plenary sessions, acquiring practical skills and experience in defending democratic values, and expanding your professional network. You will be assigned to members of the Meijers Committee who will provide guidance throughout the Young Meijers Committee program.
• This role will involve approximately 12 hours per month of commitment. You will be expected to attend the subcommittee meetings of the Meijers Committee, which occur once every 6 weeks. Finally, it will be important to attend the fourorkshops which will occur during the project. These will take place in the Netherlands.
• The scheme is not paid. The Meijers Committee are themselves volunteers.
• The activities will take place in the Netherlands. The meetings will be conducted online.
• The project runs from February 2026 to December 2026, with a scheduled summer break.

Interested?

We welcome applications from Master students, PhD students and young professionals with a background in (EU) law or policy making. Bachelor’s students with a strong interest and evident research capability are also encouraged to apply. At the Meijer’s Committee, we value diverse perspectives and viewpoints. If you think you would be well suited to this role despite not fulfilling every criterion, please apply.

Please send the following documents to post@commissie-meijers.nl by 20 December 2025.

1. Your CV;
2. A motivation letter of maximum 1 page, addressed to Belinda Okoobo.

Interviews will be held online on 12^th, 13^th and 14^th January.

Further questions? Please reach out to Project Officer Belinda Okoobo: b.okoobo@commissie-meijers.nl