Tomas Niklasson is working in the Unit for Human and Social Development, within DG Development of the European Commission. In addition to following other dossiers, including policy coordination, tobacco control, and disability and development, he is currently involved in the follow-up to the "Programme for Action - Accelerated Action on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in the Context of Poverty Reduction", which was adopted by the Commission in February 2001. In this context, Mr Niklasson is working on a menu of options for raising investment in developing "economically orphan products" against these diseases.

Before joining DG Development, Mr Niklasson was part of a policy unit in DG Education and Culture (1998-2002) where he contributed to the development of the Commission's policy dialogue and strategy to promote lifelong learning and also took part in the analysis of Member States' employment and training policies.

Between 1988 and 1998, before joining the European Commission, Mr Niklasson was following and analysing the political reform process in Hungary where he spent considerable time as a visiting scholar between 1990 and 1992. He was also teaching, analysing and reporting on foreign and security policy matters in Eastern and Central Europe, including the Balkans, at the University of Lund and for the Swedish Ministry of Defence.