Dominique Roch once saw Brussels as the ideal place to build a career. After years in European politics and media, she later left EU work and moved to Germany in search of a different path.
Roch, 40, was born and raised in Hamburg. She first came to Brussels after studying journalism and European studies. At the time, she saw the city as the centre of European power and hoped to help shape policy.
She initially moved to Brussels to work as a freelance journalist. She later returned to Germany for a short period before moving back to Brussels.
Roch then joined the European Commission’s spokesperson service and later worked in its communications department. She moved on to the centre-right European People’s Party group in the European Parliament.
Her next major role was at Euractiv, where she became chief digital officer. In 2018, she was named one of the women shaping Brussels by Politico.
Her work focused in part on change and digital development. Roch said she often found that people in Brussels were careful about challenging established ways of working.
She believed that many people avoided major changes because they did not want to create conflict. In her view, this could make it difficult for people who wanted to introduce new ideas.
Roch also described difficult experiences during her years in EU institutions. She said she faced racial discrimination from people who questioned her German identity.
According to Roch, some people told her that she did not look German. Others asked why she spoke German so well or when she had arrived in Europe.
She also said that inappropriate comments from male colleagues were common during her time in the institutions.
Roch described one case involving a manager at the European Commission. She said the manager, who had faced official inquiries in earlier positions, showed an interest in dating her.
She said the manager asked colleagues to arrange a blind date with her. Roch responded by changing her work shifts so she would not be alone with him at the office.
She said colleagues told her they already knew what the manager was like.
Roch was later moved to the European Parliament, where she worked for the EPP group. She described the transfer as a form of compensation for her earlier experience.
She said the move allowed her to continue her career without having to remain in the same working situation.
Her time at the EPP was also a better fit for her political views. Roch described herself as having neoconservative values while supporting environmental protection and same-sex marriage.
Despite her successful career, Roch eventually decided that the Brussels life she once wanted was no longer enough for her.
She left EU work and chose a different career in Germany. Her move marked a major change from the professional path she had followed in Brussels.
Roch’s career shows both the opportunities and challenges that can come with working around the EU institutions. Brussels attracts many people who want to influence European policy, build political networks and work at the heart of the European project.
The demand for EU jobs remains high. A recent competition for entry-level EU posts received about 170,000 applications, showing the strong interest in working for the institutions.
For Roch, however, the Brussels career she once viewed as the height of professional success eventually lost its appeal.
Her experience also highlights the gap between the image of EU institutions and the daily reality of working inside them. She entered Brussels believing she could help change Europe through policy and communication.
Over time, workplace experiences and a desire for new challenges changed her view of that career.
Roch’s decision to leave shows that even a highly successful position in the EU sphere may not be the right long-term choice for everyone. Her move to Germany opened a new chapter away from the institutions that once defined her professional life.
