PhD Positions in EU Law: EU Enlargement and EU Soft Law in Financial Law at University of Salzburg University of Salzburg in Austria

The Salzburg Centre of European Union Studies (SCEUS) at the University of Salzburg is recruiting two PhD candidates / PhD researchers in Law for projects in EU law, with a focus on EU enlargement and EU soft law in the financial domain.

Position 1: EU enlargement and legal reform
Join the Jean Monnet Policy Network AdvancEU and develop an original doctoral project on the legal dimensions of future EU enlargement. The project explores how the European Union can prepare for enlargement through legal reforms, institutional adaptations, and integration models that support sustainable and effective accession. The role is embedded in an international research network of 15 partner universities across 12 countries.

Position 2: EU soft law and financial law
The EUSOFTLAW project examines how soft law shapes the EU legal order, especially in EU banking and financial markets policy. The project focuses on non-binding instruments, governance, integration, administrative and judicial accountability, and the incorporation of soft law at national level. This is a doctoral research opportunity in EU law and financial law.

Eligibility / interests
Applicants are welcomed from candidates interested in EU law, constitutional law, international law, comparative legal studies, and for the second role, financial law and related fields. The application package should include a CV, cover letter, transcripts, contact details of three referees, and the master's thesis or relevant written course work.

Dates
Start dates are 1 September 2026 for the enlargement project and 1 October 2026 for the soft law project. Application deadlines are 1 July 2026 and 15 July 2026, respectively.

Funding / project context
The post is project-based and funded through research initiatives; the EUSOFTLAW project is funded by the Anniversary Fund of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. No stipend amount or tuition details are stated in the post.

How to apply
Use the application link provided in the post. For the second position, applications may be submitted directly to Professor Diane Fromage by email with the required documents. Review the project page for full details before applying.