Jean-Claude Cueff joined the European Commission services as civil agent in 1988, where he was successively Administrator, Head of sector in structural measures, and head of unit - first in charge of relations between the Commission and the other EU institutions and of the dialogue with the fisheries sector (ACFA= Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture); secondly, in charge of structural measures for Northern EU countries; thirdly, in charge of aquaculture and stock management in the Baltic states; then finally, in charge of the unit A2 dealing with the reform of the CFP and aquaculture. He left the Commission in 2011.