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III Notices

Commission

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GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS

(2004/C 257 A/01)

This guide is purely for your information. The only text binding on selection boards is the notice of competition, published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

The current issue of the Official Journal of the European Union contains the guide for applicants, the notice of competition, the application form, acknowledgement of the application form and a label.

This guide is intended to help you make your application correctly and inform you about the different stages of the competition.

The guide also contains information on the recruitment procedure.

A.   COMPETITIONS

I.   ELIGIBILITY

To take part in the competition, you must fulfil several conditions. The administration and the selection board will decide whether to admit you to the competition on the basis of the following criteria:

1.   Profile of candidates

Educational qualifications

The conditions relative to educational qualifications are adapted to all the education systems in the Member States (see sample qualifications in the Annex).

Minimum educational qualifications (some competitions may require more than these minimum qualifications — see the notice of competition for details):

Equivalent qualifications may be accepted — these will be assessed by the selection board on a case-by-case basis.

Professional experience

For some competitions, a minimum amount of professional experience is required. The relevant professional experience is deemed to start with the first position you occupied after obtaining the diploma or certificate required for admission to a competition.

Knowledge of languages

As a general rule, you must have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union (Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish or Swedish) and a satisfactory knowledge of a second one.

By their nature, some competitions are confined to people commanding a specified language or require particular language skills dictated by the duties to be carried out (refer to the competition notice).

2.   General conditions

You must:

II.   YOUR APPLICATION

Before sending in your application, you are advised to check carefully that you meet the eligibility conditions for the competition.

1.   Sending in your complete file

In order to be considered complete, applications must include all of the following:

2.   Details of education and qualifications (see notice of competition)

3.   Details of professional experience (see the notice of competition)

You must:

NB: If you are unable to provide an employer's reference for a particular period of employment, a photocopy of the relevant contract(s) of employment, together with photocopies of your first and last pay slip for the period(s) may replace the required documents.

For any unsalaried employment (such as self-employed or freelance activity in one of the liberal professions), we will accept copies of your tax returns or any other relevant official document.

III.    GENERAL PROCEDURE

1.   Selection board

2.   Tests

The nature of tests varies from one competition to another (see notice of competition).

As a general rule, the tests and/or written tests are held simultaneously for all applicants at all the designated test locations. Since this is a competition, no exceptions to this rule are permitted and no applicants may sit any of the tests at a different date or at a different place for any reason whatsoever.

The oral tests are generally held in Brussels, on the date given in the invitation letter. In cases of force majeure however, the selection board may consent to an applicant's request for a change of date.

If the competition has preselection tests, applicants are entitled to be sent, on request and within a month of the date of notification of their results, a copy of their answers together with a list of the correct answers. After the written tests, they may obtain, on request and within a month of the date of notification of their results, a copy of their written paper as well as a copy of their personal evaluation sheet including the selection board's remarks on their written test(s).

Candidates who give up during the tests will have none of their tests marked.

3.   Travelling and subsistence expenses

As a rule, no contribution will be made towards any travelling or subsistence expenses associated with the preselection and written test(s).

You may be entitled to a flat-rate contribution towards travelling and subsistence expenses once you are admitted to the oral test. You will be notified of the applicable rates and the procedure to follow when you are invited to attend.

4.   Reserve list

At the end of the competition, the selection board draws up a list of candidates it considers qualified for the vacant posts.

Please note that being included on the reserve list does not guarantee eventual employment.

B.   Recruitment (2)

Before being appointed to your post, you must undergo a compulsory medical examination designed to verify your capability to perform the duties associated with your position.

1.   Probation period

Successful candidates are initially recruited as probationer officials. Their appointment is not made permanent until they successfully complete the probation period (nine months).

2.   Categories and grades

Categories A*, B* and C* comprise the following posts:

3.   Pay and welfare benefits

(a)   Pay and reimbursement of expenses

The pay of officials consists of a basic salary supplemented with various allowances, including family allowances.

(b)   Community tax

The salaries of the officials of the European institutions are subject to a Community tax deducted at source. They are exempt from national tax. The European institutions have their own social security and pension schemes. The basic salary used for calculating net monthly pay, before any deductions or allowances, is indicated in the notice of competition.

(c)   Pre-school and school education for officials' children

There are European Schools at most of the main places of activity of the European institutions, providing infant, primary and secondary education in several language sections up to the level of European Baccalaureat. The education provided and the qualifications awarded by these Schools are recognised in all Member States.

There are also nursery facilities for children under school age.

The European Commission's ‘General Horizontal Issues. Policy and recruitment of external staff’ unit of Directorate-General Personnel and Administration will be dealing with all candidates. If you need information, please see Title C, point 5 of the competition notice ‘HOW TO APPLY ’.Any other correspondence should be addressed to: Chairman of the Selection Board for COM/AD/3/04 at the address given at Title C, point 5 of the competition notice.

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(1)  http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/working_en.htm

(2)  The Council has adopted new staff regulations involving a new career structure: recruitment will be made in accordance with the arrangements set out, in particular, in Article 12 of Section 2 of Annex XIII to the new staff regulations (see website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/statut/tocen100.pdf).

(3)  The linguistic duties require a perfect command of one's main language (mother tongue or other) and a thorough knowledge of at least two other official languages of the European Union.

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ANNEX I

(EUR 15)

EXAMPLES OF DIPLOMAS FOR WHICH THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION CORRESPONDS TO THAT REQUIRED FOR ACCESS TO COMPETITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

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(1)  Access to this category is also dependent upon having gained appropriate professional experience of at least three years.

(2)  Access to grades 7 to 16 is also dependent upon having gained appropriate professional experience of at least one year.

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ANNEX II

(EUR 10)

EXAMPLES OF DIPLOMAS FOR WHICH THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION CORRESPONDS TO THAT REQUIRED FOR ACCESS TO COMPETITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES

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(1)  Access to this category is also dependent upon having gained appropriate professional experience of at least three years.

(2)  Access to grades 7 to 16 is also dependent upon having gained appropriate professional experience of at least one year

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NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION

COM/AD/3/04

(2004/C 257 A/02)

The European Commission is organising an open competition, based on qualifications and an oral test, to constitute a reserve list from which to recruit a

HEAD OF UNIT, JRC ITU (A*11) (1)

‘Actinide research’ in Karlsruhe

CONTENTS

The Appointing Authority of the European Commission has decided to withdraw the notice for open competition COM/AD/2/04 rendering it null and void and to proceed with the publication in this same edition of theOfficial Journal of the European Unionof the notice of open competition COM/AD/3/04.

The European Commission applies an equal opportunities policy and accepts applications without distinction on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

A.   DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

The competition COM/AD/3/04 is organised for the recruitment of a head of unit (A*11) for actinide research in Karlsruhe. The European Commission will use this competition to recruit a highly qualified university-level official with wide professional experience capable of carrying out senior management duties involving considerable responsibility.

Those candidates who have already submitted the required supporting documents in application for the withdrawn open competition COM/AD/2/04 will be invited to confirm only their application for the present competition.

I.   DUTIES

Head of Unit — Directorate General JRC - ITU ‘Actinide research’

Responsible for the management and coordination of the Actinide research unit. The activities of the unit include: the investigation of the chemical bonding and the solid state physical properties of the actinide metals and their compounds. In addition to being familiar with laboratory-based techniques, the successful candidate should have some knowledge and familiarity with techniques such as neutrons, muons and synchrotron experiments at large facilities. The work will be carried out in scientific/technical support to the sector policies of the Commission in the field of nuclear research and technology. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to policy analysis in this area. Being a first-rate scientist of international reputation, this head of unit will encourage research collaboration with leading research centres in the field of actinides.

Candidates should display: leadership qualities; the ability to manage staff, resources and finance to a high degree of efficiency; communication and representational skills; flexibility; a sense of innovation; and an ability to grasp quickly political and technical complexities.

II.   ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

You may apply for this competition if, on the closing date for applications (see last paragraph of C.1), you meet the following requirements:

1.   Certificates and diplomas

Candidates must have:

The selection board will allow for differences between education systems. An indication of the qualifications required can be found in the table annexed to the Guide for Applicants.

You must provide a copy of your degree certificate(s).

2.   Professional experience

Since obtaining the qualification required for admission to the competition you must have gained at least 12 years' professional experience, including at least seven years in the domain, at a level commensurate with the duties described in A.I above.

Candidates must also have:

Note: The appropriate professional experience of at least one year required in point A.1.ii is an integral part of the diploma and may not be taken into account within the number of years of professional experience demanded in point A.2.

A doctorate in physics or chemistry will be counted as professional experience for a maximum of three years.

You must provide evidence of all your professional experience clearly indicating the starting and finishing dates and the exact nature of the duties performed.

3.    Knowledge of languages (2)

You must have a thorough knowledge of one of the following official languages of the European Union — language 1 (Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish or Swedish) and a satisfactory knowledge of English, French or German (language 2).

4.    General terms and conditions

B.   SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

1.   Admission to the competition and examination of qualifications

The appointing authority will draw up a list of candidates satisfying the general conditions (point A.II.4) and send it with the candidates' files to the chairman of the selection board.

The selection board will admit to the next stage (examination of qualifications) those candidates who also meet the conditions set out in A.II.1, 2 and 3.

The selection board will then establish the criteria on which it will examine candidates' qualifications.

In the light of these criteria the selection board will compare the qualifications of the candidates admitted to the competition.

Those candidates whose qualifications best meet the above criteria will be invited to the oral test.

2.   Oral test — marking

Interview with the selection board to enable it to assess your suitability to carry out the duties described at A.I. above. Part of the interview will also be devoted to your knowledge of your second language.

This test will be marked out of 50.

3.   Date and time allowed for the oral test

The date and time allowed for the oral test will be decided by the selection board; and you will be notified accordingly in your invitation.

4.   Reserve list

At the end of the competition, the selection board will draw up an alphabetical reserve list of the candidates who have obtained at least 30 points in the oral test.

You will be informed of the selection board's decisions concerning you.

The list of successful candidates will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

C.   HOW TO APPLY

(Please refer to the Guide for Applicants in this Official Journal, which contains detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.)

You must meet all the eligibility criteria (see section A) on the closing date for the submission of applications.

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you fulfil all the eligibility criteria set out in section A, particularly as regards the type of degree and the professional experience required.

You must complete and sign the official application form in this Official Journal and send it by registered post within the time limit specified, failing which you will be disqualified.

If you have a disability, you should enclose with your application form a certificate to that effect, issued by a recognised body; please also attach a separate sheet setting out the arrangements you feel are needed to make it easier for you to take part in the oral test.

Documents to enclose

You must give full details of your citizenship, studies, research and professional experience on your application form. You should also compile and enclose with your application a list of the accompanying supporting documents, which should be numbered (copy of a document proving your citizenship, copy of diploma(s) and of evidence of professional experience clearly indicating the starting and finishing dates and the exact nature of the duties carried out).

It is your responsibility to make sure that your application form, duly completed, signed and accompanied by all the supporting documents, is sent in time by registered post. The postmark will serve as proof of the date of sending.

After the oral test the candidates with at least 30 marks (see B.4) will be placed on the reserve list.

The closing date for submitting your application is 19 November 2004.

Invitations to attend the oral test will be sent by post. You are responsible for notifying the secretariat of the competition of any change of address. Bearing in mind the time taken for post to be delivered and the information on the timetable available on the website http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/working_en.htm it is your responsibility to contact the ‘General Horizontal Issues. Policy and recruitment of external staff’ unit by fax  (3) or letter if you have received neither an invitation to attend nor a letter stating that you have not been admitted to the competition.

5.

Your application must be sent by registered post in a stiff A4 envelope (do not fold the form) to the following address, postmarked no later than 19 November 2004:

European Commission, DG Personnel and Administration

Unit ‘General Horizontal Issues. Policy and recruitment of external staff’

MO34 3/52

Open competition COM/AD/3/04

B-1049 Brussels

D.   GENERAL INFORMATION

The European Commission takes care to avoid any form of discrimination during the competition procedure.

It applies a policy of equal opportunities and accepts applications without distinction on the grounds of age, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless of disabilities, marital status or family situation.

A selection board is appointed for each competition. The names of the members of the selection board will be published on the European Commission's website  (4) 15 days before the date of the oral test.

You are strictly forbidden to make any contact with the members of the selection board, either directly or indirectly. Any infringement of this rule will disqualify you from the competition.

The European Commission is responsible for all communication with candidates until the competition is completed.

Please note that competition procedures take several months, depending on the number of candidates.

See Annex.

Place of employment: Karlsruhe, Germany.

If you are offered a post you will subsequently be asked to produce the originals of all the requisite documents such as diplomas, certificates and statements of employment so that copies can be authenticated.

Recruitment will depend on vacant posts and funds becoming available.

In view of the nature of the post, if you are successful you may be offered a temporary contract; in this case, your name will remain on the reserve list.

The reserve list will be valid until 31 December 2005; it may be extended by decision of the appointing authority.

The reserve pool of Head of Unit is intended for grade A*11.

Basic monthly salary as at 1 May 2004:

grade A*11, (see footnote 1) first step: EUR 7 994,35

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(1)  The Council has adopted new staff regulations involving a new career structure: recruitment will be made in accordance with the arrangements set out, in particular, in Article 12 of Section 2 of Annex XIII to the new staff regulations (see website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/statut/tocen100.pdf).

(2)  Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 401/2004 of 23 February 2004 states that ‘Until 31 December 2010, general competitions shall also be held for the recruitment of officials having one of the existing 11 official languages as their main language; such competitions shall simultaneously cover all these languages’.

(3)  Fax No of unit General Horizontal Issues. Policy and recruitment of external staff: (+32-2) 295 29 55.

(4)  http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/working_en.htm

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ANNEX

REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE RECONSIDERED — APPEAL PROCEDURES COMPLAINTS TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN

If, at any stage of the competition, you consider that your interests have been prejudiced by a particular decision, you can:

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