European Commissioners arguably occupy the most powerful executive positions in the EU. If public and scholarly attention has largely been drawn to the issue of “who” the Commissioners are when taking up the position, little light has been shed on what they do after their term(s). This article argues that looking at the career opportunities provided to its main actors is highly relevant to gauge the importance of the European Commission as a political institution. We accordingly ask what the career paths of the Commissioners after the Commission are, and whether and how their experience in the EC affects their next position. A unique database compiling the profiles of the 108 former Commissioners is employed. Results show that although the Commission is still not much of a stepping stone toward higher-level political positions, it however increasingly serves as a gateway for a European career.
