----

VACANCY NOTICE FOR THREE POSTS OF CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARDS OF APPEAL OF THE OFFICE FOR HARMONIZATION IN THE INTERNAL MARKET

(Trade marks and designs)

VEXT/04/520/A*/BoA, VEXT/04/521/A*/BoA, VEXT/04/522/A*/BoA

(2004/C 221 A/01)

1.   DESCRIPTION OF THE OFFICE

The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade marks and designs), ‘the Office’, was established by Council Regulation (EC) No 40/94 of 20 December 1993 on the Community trade mark (OJ L 11, 14.1.1994).

The Office, which has legal personality and is independent as regards technical, administrative and financial matters, is responsible for administering the Community trade mark and the Community design systems. Community trade marks and designs registered by the Office produce their effects throughout the whole of the European Union.

The total number of Community trade mark applications filed by the end of December 2003 was approximately 345 000, of which approximately 57 000 were filed in 2003. 9 500 Community designs applications were filed during the same year. The Office's budget for 2004 is approximately EUR 171 million and the number of staff is in the region of 650.

The languages of the Office are Spanish, German, English, French and Italian.

The Office has its seat in Alicante, Spain.

2.   THE BOARDS OF APPEAL

The Boards of Appeal are responsible for deciding on appeals against decisions of the examiners, the Opposition Divisions the Administration of Trade Marks and Designs Division and the Cancellation Divisions of the Office. The members of the Boards of Appeal are independent. In their decisions they are not bound by any instructions.

Decisions of the Boards of Appeal are taken by Boards composed of a chairperson and two members. Two of the three must be legally qualified. According to service requirements, members may be appointed to one or several Boards of Appeal.

The Boards of Appeal currently consist of one President, three chairpersons and 11 members plus their legal assistants and secretaries. The Registry and the Scientific Service provide support services.

The total number of appeals filed by the end of December 2003 was approximately 5 200, with approximately 4 200 of those cases being closed by that date. Overall, approximately 66 % of all cases established English as the language of the proceedings, followed by German (20 %), French (6 %), Spanish (5 %) and Italian (2 %).

3.   POST TO BE FILLED

The Office is seeking candidates for three posts of chairperson of the Boards of Appeal.

4.   APPOINTMENT

Chairpersons of the Boards of Appeal are appointed, for a period of five years, by the Council of the European Union acting on a proposal from the Administrative Board of the Office. This term of office is renewable.

The date foreseen for taking up the duties is between 1 November 2005 and 1 March 2006.

5.   CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

A five-year contract as a member of the temporary staff pursuant to Article 2(a) of the Conditions of employment of other servants of the European Communities, in category A*, grade 13.

Any chairperson of the Boards of Appeal whose term of office would be renewed as a result of this selection procedure and whose salary at the time of renewal is higher than the initial salary of grade A*13 shall maintain his/her extant grade and salary.

Any member of the Boards of Appeal appointed as a chairperson as a result of this selection procedure and whose salary at the time of renewal is higher than the initial salary of grade A*13 shall maintain his/her extant grade and salary.

Employment shall be terminated either on the date established in the contract or at the request of the member of the temporary staff in question, upon the conclusion of three months' notice, without prejudice to the relevant provisions of the abovementioned Conditions of employment.

6.   BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must be nationals of one of the Member States of the European Union.

Candidates must not have been convicted or found guilty of any criminal offence.

7.   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Candidates must be able to work in a multilingual environment (a body of the European Union). A large number of cases must be decided within reasonable time limits and in a collegial way.

The minimum qualifications and experience required are as follows:

8.   OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

Professional experience of working in a language other than the candidate's mother tongue would be an advantage.

Thorough knowledge of English or German would be an advantage.

9.   SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

For an application to be valid, candidates must write to the following address:

by midnight on 15 October 2004 at the latest (the postmark will serve as proof of the date of dispatch), enclosing the following documents:

The envelope must be marked as follows: ‘Not to be opened by the mail service’.

10.   SELECTION PROCEDURE

Applications for one or two posts will automatically be considered as applications for all the three posts.

Selection will be conducted under the control of the Administrative Board.

Applications from candidates who do not fulfil all of the basic requirements or do not possess the minimum qualifications and experience required will be rejected.

Candidates selected for interviews will be requested to provide evidence that they have not been convicted or found guilty of any criminal offence.

11.   FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information may be obtained from:

----