Jelena von Helldorff is a lawyer specialised in European law and integration. She holds Master Degrees in European law and international relations from the Nancy University and the Free University Brussels (VUB). Jelena presently works as Senior Policy Advisor at CEIPA (Centre for European and International Policy Action), a Brussels based think-tank. She has acquired her professional experience by working closely with the EU institutions in the field of migration, justice and home affairs, EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, development, human rights and EU global governance. In her capacity as policy advisor she has worked for IOM in Brussels and Austria on issues related to migration, organised crime, trafficking in human beings, conflict prevention and post conflict management, human rights and democratisation. Some of her research papers were used by the European Commission in policy formulation.