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III Notices

European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

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NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION EPSO/AD/4/04

(2004/C 317 A/01)

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising the following open competition, based on tests, to constitute a reserve pool from which to recruit

ADMINISTRATORS (1)(A*7) (2)

of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian citizenship, in the field of European public administration

CONTENTS

A.   DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

Open competition EPSO/AD/4/04 is being held to recruit administrators (A*7) of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian citizenship, in the field of European public administration.

The purpose of this competition is to draw up reserve lists from which to fill vacant posts in the institutions of the European Union.

Number of successful applicants by citizenship:

The European Personnel Selection Office is simultaneously publishing the following open competitions:

Please note that the tests for the above competitions may be held simultaneously. You may therefore apply for one of these competitions only. You must choose which one when you register on-line, and cannot change it after the closing date for registration.

To ensure that all general texts relating to the competition and all communication between applicants and EPSO are clearly understood on both sides, the competition notices are being published solely in English, French and German. These three languages will also be used for the invitations to the various tests, the preselection tests and correspondence between EPSO and applicants.

The language you choose for the preselection tests will be the language used for communicating with you.

I.   DUTIES

Conducting analyses and carrying out administrative, advisory and supervisory duties which may cover:

The European institutions place particular importance on the ability of applicants to grasp problems of all kinds, often complex in nature, to react rapidly to changing circumstances and to communicate effectively. You will have to show initiative and imagination and be highly motivated. You should be able to work frequently under pressure, both on your own and in a team, and to adjust to a multicultural working environment. You must be prepared to develop your professional skills throughout your career.

II.   Eligibility (profile sought)

You may apply for this competition if, on the closing date for on-line registration (see section C), you meet the following requirements:

1.   Certificates and diplomas

You must have:

The selection board will allow for differences between education systems. As a general guide, see the examples of the minimum qualifications required in the tables annexed to the Guide for Applicants (see EPSO's website (3)).

2.   Professional experience

You must have obtained,

at least six years' full-time professional experience relevant to one or more elements listed under the duties concerned.

Professional experience in an international environment will be considered an asset but not a requirement for admission to the competition.

3.   Knowledge of languages

Candidates should possess:

4.    General terms and conditions

You must:

B.   SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

1.   Preselection tests — marking

You will sit tests (a), (b), and (c) in English (EN), French (FR) or German (DE) (second language); you must specify which language you choose when you register for the competition.

Wrong answers in the preselection tests will not be penalised.

2.   Written tests — marking

NOTE: for organisational reasons, written tests (d) and (e) will be held on the same day as the preselection tests.

The fact that you have been invited to sit written tests (d) and (e) at the same time as the preselection tests does not mean you have been admitted to the competition.

The written tests will be marked only if you meet all of the three following conditions:

The number ‘X’ varies depending on citizenship:

These applicants will then be asked to submit a full application with a view to possible admission to the competition. The selection board will mark your written tests (d) and (e) if, after considering your application, it establishes that you meet all the eligibility criteria.

It will then invite to the oral test (f) the X best candidates (5) in written tests (d) and (e) together who have obtained the pass-mark required in each of these tests.

The number ‘X’ varies depending on citizenship:

3.   Oral test — marking

4.   Date and time allowed for the tests

The preselection tests and the written tests will be held simultaneously for all applicants at one or more centres in the European Union.

The date of the preselection and other tests, and the time allowed for them, will be fixed by the European Personnel Selection Office and cannot be changed at an applicant's request. These details will be notified when you receive your invitation to the tests.

5.   Reserve list

The selection board will draw up a reserve list by citizenship, divided into (no more than four) merit classes sorted in alphabetical order, of the best candidates (5) (see section A, number of successful candidates) in written tests (d) and (e) and oral test (f) who have obtained the pass-mark in each of these tests.

The reserve list, together with its expiry date, will be published (6) in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the EPSO website (7).

C.   HOW TO APPLY

Please refer also to the Guide for Applicants, which can be found on the EPSO website (7). Here you can find detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.

1.   Creating an EPSO profile/on-line registration

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria (see section A, particularly concerning the types of diploma and professional experience required).

If you want to apply, you must register via the internet by going to the EPSO website (7) and following the instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your on-line registration in time (8). We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the on-line registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will not be able to do so.

On completion of your on-line registration, you will receive on screen a registration number which you must note — this will be your reference number in all matters concerning your application. Once you receive this number, the process is finished — it is the confirmation that we have registered the data you entered.

If you do not receive a number, your application has not been registered!

Please note that you must have an e-mail address. This will be used to identify your registration. The information you must enter in your registration includes the languages you choose (see A.II.2), the details of your qualifications (title, name of issuing establishment and date obtained) and your professional experience.

Once registered, you can use the website (click on ‘Ongoing competitions’) to follow the progress of the competition.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering on-line, you may request — preferably by fax — a paper version of the form (9), which you should fill in, sign and return by registered mail, postmarked no later than the closing date for registration. All subsequent communication between EPSO and you will be by post.

You must enclose with your application form a certificate attesting your disability, issued by a recognised body. You should also set out on a separate sheet of paper any special arrangements you think are needed to make it easier for you to take part in the tests.

The closing date for registration is 3 February 2005. On-line registration will not be possible after 12.00 Brussels time on that day.

NB:Within one month following the final date for registration, EPSO will invite you to confirm your application and, where applicable, to choose the city in which you wish to sit the preselection tests.The invitation and confirmation will take place via the EPSO profile only.If you do not confirm your application within two months following the final date for registration, EPSO will consider that you have withdrawn your application, which will be terminated.

2.    Preselection tests/written tests

The applicants invited to the preselection/written tests will be those who are found to meet the general terms and conditions (see A.II.4) after EPSO has carried out a preliminary eligibility check based on the information given in the registration forms, and who have confirmed their application in time.

3.    Invitation to preselection and other tests

Information about the invitation to attend the preselection tests/written tests, the full application form and the invitation to the oral test will be available only on the EPSO website (7). You can access it using the user name and password you specify when registering. You are responsible for updating any change, via your EPSO profile, in your postal or e-mail address.

You are responsible for keeping track of the progress of the competition, ensuring that for each stage you can access the information relevant to your application by consulting your EPSO profile. If you find that you cannot do this, it is your responsibility to notify EPSO immediately by e-mail (10).

As far as possible you will be asked to sit the preselection tests and the written tests in the city you choose when you confirm your application. For organisational reasons you will not be able to switch to another venue unless you can prove that you have changed residence and have informed EPSO of this no later than three weeks before the planned date of the preselection tests/written tests.

In principle, the oral test will be held in Brussels.

4.    Full application

The best candidates (5) as referred to in section B.1 (table) will be asked to print and complete the full application form which they will find in their EPSO profile on the website (7). It must be sent in by the closing date (11).

Documents to enclose with the application form

Your application must give full details of your citizenship, studies and professional experience. You should also enclose with your application the following documents:

You should send only unauthenticated photocopies of these documents.

You must fill in the application form in full, i.e. you may not simply refer to any previous application forms submitted or to any other documents enclosed with such applications. None of the documents submitted with your application will be returned.

Signing and sending the form

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 (11) by registered post (the postmark will serve as proof of the date of sending) to the following address:

Scrutiny of applications

The selection board will examine the files of the best candidates in the preselection tests who have obtained the pass-mark in each of the tests to determine whether they meet the conditions laid down in section A.II.1, 2 and 3 of this notice. The selection board will then mark the written tests of the candidates who meet all the conditions for admission set out in section A.II. and will invite the best candidates (see B.2) to the oral test.

You will automatically be disqualified if:

NB: If you are successful in the preselection tests but fail to return the full application form duly completed and signed and accompanied by the requisite supporting documents within the time limit specified (11), you will not be admitted to the next stage of the competition.

5.   Establishment of the reserve list

The best candidates (see B.5) will be included in the reserve list.

D.   GENERAL INFORMATION

1.   Equal opportunities

The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

2.   Selection board

A selection board is appointed for each competition. It is made up of members representing both the Administration and the Staff Committee of the institutions. The names of the members of the selection board will be published on the EPSO website (7) approximately a fortnight before the preselection/written tests.

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 lead to you being disqualified from the competition.

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is responsible for all communication with candidates until the competition is completed.

3.   Approximate timetable

The competition will take approximately nine months from start (date of confirmation that you are to take part) to finish, depending on the number of applicants.

Full details will be available on the EPSO website (7).

4.   Requests for review — appeal procedures — complaints to the European Ombudsman

See Annex.

5.   Recruitment

If you are placed on the reserve list you will be eligible for appointment as a probationary official as and when required by the European Institutions, in Brussels, Luxembourg or any other place of activity.

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

Recruitment will depend on vacant posts and funds becoming available.

Depending on the nature of a post, candidates on the reserve list may initially be offered a temporary contract; in this case, their names will remain on the reserve list.

7.   Grade

Administrators will be recruited from the reserve list at grade A* 7.

8.   Remuneration

Basic monthly salary as at 1 May 2004:

grade A*7, first step: EUR 4 878,24

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(1)  The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

(2)  The Council has adopted new Staff Regulations involving a new career structure. Recruitment will be based on the new Staff Regulations, in accordance with Annex XIII, Section 2, and in particular Article 12 thereof (see http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/statut/tocen100.pdf).

(3)  http://europa.eu.int/epso/on-line-applications/guide_en.htm.

(4)  For practical reasons this form is available only in English, French and German.

(5)  If a number of candidates have obtained the same number of marks for the last place, the selection board will admit all of them.

(6)  A successful candidate may explicitly request that his/her name not be published.

(7)  http://europa.eu.int/epso.

(8)  No later than midday, Brussels time, on 3 February 2005.

(9)  EPSO — Info-recruitment — CORT 80 0/48 — B-1049 Brussels — Fax (32-2) 295 74 88.

(10)  E-mail address: epso-AD/4/04-en@cec.eu.int.

(11)  The closing date will be indicated in good time in your EPSO profile.

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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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NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION EPSO/AST/2/04

(2004/C 317 A/02)

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising the following open competition, based on tests, to constitute a reserve pool from which to recruit

ASSISTANTS (1)(B* 3) (2)

of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian citizenship, in the fields of European public administration/human resources and financial management

CONTENTS

A.   DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

Open competition EPSO/AST/2/04 is being held to recruit assistants (B*3) of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian citizenship, in the fields of European public administration/human resources and financial management.

The purpose of this competition is to draw up reserve lists from which to fill vacant posts in the Institutions of the European Union.

Number of successful applicants by citizenship and field:

The European Personnel Selection Office is simultaneously publishing the following open competitions:

Please note that the tests for the above competitions may be held simultaneously. You may therefore apply for one of these competitions only. You must choose which one when you register on-line, and cannot change it after the closing date for registration.

To ensure that all general texts relating to the competition and all communication between applicants and EPSO are clearly understood on both sides, the competition notices are being published solely in English, French and German. These three languages will also be used for the invitations to the various tests, the preselection tests and correspondence between EPSO and applicants.

The language you choose for the preselection tests will be the language used for communicating with you.

I.   Duties

Field 1 — European public administration/human resources

Reporting to a head of unit or administrator and using various software applications, the official will have a support role in personnel management, especially in the areas of recruitment, career development, training and equal opportunities. These tasks may include duties such as:

These duties require good writing abilities (drafting notes, writing reports, etc.), well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to be a good listener.

Field 2 — Financial management

In the context of various budgetary and financial activities you will be responsible, following detailed instructions and using specific computer tools (accounting software), for carrying out executive tasks such as:

The European institutions place particular importance on the ability of applicants to grasp problems of all kinds, often complex in nature, to react rapidly to changing circumstances and to communicate effectively. You will have to show initiative and imagination and be highly motivated. You should be able to work frequently under pressure, both on your own and in a team, and to adjust to a multicultural working environment. You must be prepared to develop your professional skills throughout your career.

II.   Eligibility (profile sought)

You may apply for this competition if, on the closing date for on-line registration (see section C), you meet the following requirements:

1.   Certificates and diplomas

You must have

The selection board will allow for differences between education systems. As a general guide, see the examples of the minimum qualifications required in the tables annexed to the Guide for Applicants (see EPSO's website (3)).

2.   Professional experience

You must have obtained,

at least five years' full-time professional experience relevant to the duties concerned.

3.   Knowledge of languages

Candidates should possess:

4.   General terms and conditions

You must:

B.   SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

1.   Preselection tests — marking

You will sit tests (a), (b), and (c) in English (EN), French (FR) or German (DE) (second language); you must specify which language you choose when you register for the competition.

Wrong answers in the preselection tests will not be penalised.

2.   Written tests — marking

NOTE: for organisational reasons, written tests (d) and (e) will be held on the same day as the preselection tests.

The fact that you have been invited to sit written tests (d) and (e) at the same time as the preselection tests does not mean you have been admitted to the competition.

The written tests will be marked only if you meet all of the three following conditions:

The number ‘X’ varies depending on citizenship and field:

These applicants will then be asked to submit a full application with a view to their possible admission to the competition. The selection board will mark your written tests (d) and (e) if, after considering your application, it establishes that you meet all the eligibility criteria.

It will then invite to the oral test (f) the X best candidates (5) in written tests (d) and (e) together who have obtained the pass-mark required in each of these tests.

The number ‘X’ varies depending on citizenship and field:

3.   Oral test — marking

4.   Date and time allowed for the tests

The preselection tests and the written tests will be held simultaneously for all applicants at one or more centres in the European Union.

The date of the preselection and other tests, and the time allowed for them, will be fixed by the European Personnel Selection Office and cannot be changed at an applicant's request. These details will be notified when you receive your invitation to the tests.

5.   Reserve list

The selection board will draw up the reserve lists by citizenship and by field, divided into (no more than four) merit classes sorted in alphabetical order, of the best candidates (5) (see section A, number of successful candidates) in written tests (d) and (e) and oral test (f) who have obtained the pass-mark in each of these tests.

The reserve lists, together with their expiry dates, will be published (6) in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the EPSO website (7).

C.   HOW TO APPLY

Please refer also to the Guide for Applicants, which can be found on the EPSO website (7). Here you can find detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.

1.   Creating an EPSO profile/on-line registration

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria (see section A, particularly concerning the types of diploma and professional experience required).

If you want to apply, you must register via the internet by going to the EPSO website (7) and following the instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your on-line registration in time (8). We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the on-line registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will not be able to do so.

On completion of your on-line registration, you will receive on screen a registration number which you must note — this will be your reference number in all matters concerning your application. Once you receive this number, the process is finished — it is the confirmation that we have registered the data you entered.

If you do not receive a number, your application has not been registered!

Please note that you must have an e-mail address. This will be used to identify your registration. The information you must enter in your registration includes the languages you choose (see A.II.3), the details of your qualifications (title, name of issuing establishment and date obtained) and your professional experience.

Once registered, you can use the website (click on ‘Ongoing competitions’) to follow the progress of the competition.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering on-line, you may request — preferably by fax — a paper version of the form (9), which you should fill in, sign and return by registered mail, postmarked no later than the closing date for registration. All subsequent communication between EPSO and you will be by post.

You must enclose with your application form a certificate attesting your disability, issued by a recognised body. You should also set out on a separate sheet of paper any special arrangements you think are needed to make it easier for you to take part in the tests.

The closing date for registration is 3 February 2005. On-line registration will not be possible after 12.00 Brussels time on that day.

NB:Within one month following the final date for registration, EPSO will invite you to confirm your application and, where applicable, to choose the city in which you wish to sit the preselection tests.The invitation and confirmation will take place via the EPSO profile only.If you do not confirm your application within two months following the final date for registration, EPSO will consider that you have withdrawn your application, which will be terminated.

2.   Preselection tests/written tests

The applicants invited to the preselection/written tests will be those who are found to meet the general terms and conditions (see A.II.4) after EPSO has carried out a preliminary eligibility check based on the information given in the registration forms, and who have confirmed their application in time.

3.   Invitation to preselection and other tests

Information about the invitation to attend the preselection tests/written tests, the full application form and the invitation to the oral test will be available only on the EPSO website (7). You can access it using the user name and password you specify when registering. You are responsible for updating any change, via your EPSO profile, in your postal or e-mail address.

You are responsible for keeping track of the progress of the competition, ensuring that for each stage you can access the information relevant to your application by consulting your EPSO profile. If you find that you cannot do this, it is your responsibility to notify EPSO immediately by e-mail (10).

As far as possible you will be asked to sit the preselection tests and the written tests in the city you choose when you confirm your application. For organisational reasons you will not be able to switch to another venue unless you can prove that you have changed residence and have informed EPSO of this no later than three weeks before the planned date of the preselection tests/written tests.

In principle, the oral test will be held in Brussels.

4.   Full application

The best candidates (5) as referred to in section B.1 (table) will be asked to print and complete the full application form which they will find in their EPSO profile on the website (7). It must be sent in by the closing date (11).

Documents to enclose with the application form

Your application must give full details of your citizenship, studies and professional experience. You should also enclose with your application the following documents:

You should send only unauthenticated photocopies of these documents.

You must fill in the application form in full, i.e. you may not simply refer to any previous application forms submitted or to any other documents enclosed with such applications. None of the documents submitted with your application will be returned.

Signing and sending the form

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 (11)by registered post (the postmark will serve as proof of the date of sending) to the following address:

Scrutiny of applications

The selection board will examine the files of the best candidates in the preselection tests who have obtained the pass-mark in each of the tests to determine whether they meet the conditions laid down in section A.II.1, 2 and 3 of this notice. The selection board will then mark the written tests of the candidates who meet all the conditions for admission set out in section A.II. and will invite the best candidates (see B.2) to the oral test.

You will automatically be disqualified if:

NB: If you are successful in the preselection tests but fail to return the full application form duly completed and signed and accompanied by the requisite supporting documents within the time limit specified (11), you will not be admitted to the next stage of the competition.

5.   Reserve lists

The best candidates (see B.5) will be included in the reserve lists.

D.   GENERAL INFORMATION

1.   Equal opportunities

The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

2.   Selection board

A selection board is appointed for each competition. It is made up of members representing both the Administration and the Staff Committee of the Institutions. The names of the members of the selection board will be published on the EPSO website (7) approximately a fortnight before the preselection/written tests.

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 lead to you being disqualified from the competition.

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is responsible for all communication with candidates until the competition is completed.

3.   Approximate timetable

The competition will take approximately nine months from start (date of confirmation that you are to take part) to finish, depending on the number of applicants.

Full details will be available on the EPSO website (7).

4.   Requests for review — appeal procedures — complaints to the European Ombudsman

See Annex.

5.   Recruitment

If you are placed on the reserve list you will be eligible for appointment as a probationary official as and when required by the European Institutions, in Brussels, Luxembourg or any other place of activity.

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

Recruitment will depend on vacant posts and funds becoming available.

Depending on the nature of a post, candidates on the reserve list may initially be offered a temporary contract; in this case, their names will remain on the reserve list.

6.   You should note that the retirement age for staff is laid down in the Staff Regulations as follows:

7.   Grade

Assistants will be recruited from the reserve list at grade B*3.

8.   Remuneration

Basic monthly salary as at 1 May 2004:

grade B*3, first step: EUR 2 976,76

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(1)  The European Union Institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

(2)  The Council has adopted new Staff Regulations involving a new career structure. Recruitment will be based on the new Staff Regulations, in accordance with Annex XIII, Section 2, and in particular Article 12 thereof (see http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/statut/tocen100.pdf).

(3)  http://europa.eu.int/epso/on-line-applications/guide_en.htm.

(4)  For practical reasons this form is available only in English, French and German.

(5)  If a number of candidates have obtained the same number of marks for the last place, the selection board will admit all of them.

(6)  A successful candidate may explicitly request that his/her name not be published.

(7)  http://europa.eu.int/epso.

(8)  No later than midday, Brussels time, on 3 February 2005.

(9)  EPSO — Info-recruitment — CORT 80 0/48 — B-1049 Brussels — Fax (32-2) 295 74 88.

(10)  E-mail address: epso-AST/2/04-en-field1@cec.eu.int or epso-AST/2/04-en-field2@cec.eu.int.

(11)  The closing date will be indicated in good time in your EPSO profile.

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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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NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION EPSO/AST/3/04

(2004/C 317 A/03)

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising the following open competition, based on tests, to constitute a reserve pool from which to recruit

ASSISTANTS (1)(B*3) (2)

of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian citizenship, in the field of information technology

CONTENTS

A.   DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

Open competition EPSO/AST/3/04 is being held to recruit assistants (B*3) of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian citizenship, in the field of information technology.

The purpose of this competition is to draw up reserve lists from which to fill vacant posts in the institutions of the European Union.

Number of successful applicants by citizenship:

The European Personnel Selection Office is simultaneously publishing the following open competitions:

Please note that the tests for the above competitions may be held simultaneously. You may therefore apply for one of these competitions only. You must choose which one when you register on-line, and cannot change it after the closing date for registration.

To ensure that all general texts relating to the competition and all communication between applicants and EPSO are clearly understood on both sides, the competition notices are being published solely in English, French and German. These three languages will also be used for the invitations to the various tests, the preselection tests and correspondence between EPSO and applicants.

The language you choose for the preselection tests will be the language used for communicating with you.

I.   DUTIES

The positions for which the competition is being held involve work in one or more of the following areas:

Apart from the technical aspects related to the various areas, the duties may include:

All duties involve frequent contact with departments throughout the European Institutions and with external contractors and entail various tasks related to reporting and presenting work results/plans to technical and non-technical audiences. All duties involve working in teams in an international environment.

(a)   General knowledge required:

(b)   Detailed knowledge required:

The detailed knowledge should cover one of the following areas:

The European institutions place particular importance on the ability of applicants to grasp problems of all kinds, often complex in nature, to react rapidly to changing circumstances and to communicate effectively. You will have to show initiative and imagination and be highly motivated. You should be able to work frequently under pressure, both on your own and in a team, and to adjust to a multicultural working environment. You must be prepared to develop your professional skills throughout your career.

II.   Eligibility (profile sought)

You may apply for this competition if, on the closing date for on-line registration (see section C), you meet the following requirements:

1.   Certificates and diplomas

You must have:

The selection board will allow for differences between education systems. As a general guide, see the examples of the minimum qualifications required in the tables annexed to the Guide for Applicants (see EPSO's website (4)).

2.   Professional experience

You must have obtained:

at least five years' full-time professional experience relevant to the duties concerned.

3.   Knowledge of languages

Candidates should possess:

4.   General terms and conditions

You must:

B.   SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

1.   Preselection tests — marking

You will sit tests (a), (b), and (c) in English (EN), French (FR) or German (DE) (second language); you must specify which language you choose when you register for the competition.

Wrong answers in the preselection tests will not be penalised.

2.   Written tests — marking

NOTE: for organisational reasons, written tests (d) and (e) will be held on the same day as the preselection tests.

The fact that you have been invited to sit written tests (d) and (e) at the same time as the preselection tests does not mean you have been admitted to the competition.

The written tests will be marked only if you meet all of the three following conditions:

The number ‘X’ varies depending on citizenship:

These applicants will then be asked to submit a full application with a view to their possible admission to the competition. The selection board will mark your written tests (d) and (e) if, after considering your application, it establishes that you meet all the eligibility criteria.

It will then invite to the oral test (f) the X best candidates (6) in written tests (d) and (e) together who have obtained the pass mark required in each of these tests.

The number ‘X’ varies depending on citizenship:

3.   Oral test — marking

4.   Date and time allowed for the tests

The preselection tests and the written tests will be held simultaneously for all applicants at one or more centres in the European Union.

The date of the preselection and other tests, and the time allowed for them, will be fixed by the European Personnel Selection Office and cannot be changed at an applicant's request. These details will be notified when you receive your invitation to the tests.

5.   Reserve list

The selection board will draw up a reserve list by citizenship, divided into (no more than four) merit classes sorted in alphabetical order, of the best candidates (6) (see section A, number of successful candidates) in written tests (d) and (e) and oral test (f) who have obtained the pass mark in each of these tests.

The reserve list, together with its expiry date, will be published (7) in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the EPSO website (8).

C.   HOW TO APPLY

Please refer also to the Guide for Applicants, which can be found on the EPSO website (8). Here you can find detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.

1.   Creating an EPSO profile/on-line registration

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria (see section A, particularly concerning the types of diploma and professional experience required).

If you want to apply, you must register via the internet by going to the EPSO website (8) and following the instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your on-line registration in time (9). We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the on-line registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will not be able to do so.

On completion of your on-line registration, you will receive on screen a registration number which you must note — this will be your reference number in all matters concerning your application. Once you receive this number, the process is finished — it is the confirmation that we have registered the data you entered.

If you do not receive a number, your application has not been registered!

Please note that you must have an e-mail address. This will be used to identify your registration. The information you must enter in your registration includes the languages you choose (see A.II.3), the details of your qualifications (title, name of issuing establishment and date obtained) and your professional experience.

Once registered, you can use the website (click on ‘Ongoing competitions’) to follow the progress of the competition.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering on-line, you may request — preferably by fax — a paper version of the form (10), which you should fill in, sign and return by registered mail, postmarked no later than the closing date for registration. All subsequent communication between EPSO and you will be by post.

You must enclose with your application form a certificate attesting your disability, issued by a recognised body. You should also set out on a separate sheet of paper any special arrangements you think are needed to make it easier for you to take part in the tests.

The closing date for registration is 3 February 2005. On-line registration will not be possible after 12.00 Brussels time on that day.

NB:Within one month following the final date for registration, EPSO will invite you to confirm your application and, where applicable, to choose the city in which you wish to sit the preselection tests.The invitation and confirmation will take place via the EPSO profile only.If you do not confirm your application within two months following the final date for registration, EPSO will consider that you have withdrawn your application, which will be terminated.

2.   Preselection tests/written tests

The applicants invited to the preselection/written tests will be those who are found to meet the general terms and conditions (see A.II.4) after EPSO has carried out a preliminary eligibility check based on the information given in the registration forms, and who have confirmed their application in time.

3.   Invitation to preselection and other tests

Information about the invitation to attend the preselection tests/written tests, the full application form and the invitation to the oral test will be available only on the EPSO website  (8). You can access it using the user name and password you specify when registering. You are responsible for updating any change, via your EPSO profile, in your postal or e-mail address.

You are responsible for keeping track of the progress of the competition, ensuring that for each stage you can access the information relevant to your application by consulting your EPSO file. If you find that you cannot do this, it is your responsibility to notify EPSO immediately by e-mail  (11).

As far as possible you will be asked to sit the preselection tests and the written tests in the city you choose when you confirm your application. For organisational reasons you will not be able to switch to another venue unless you can prove that you have changed residence and have informed EPSO of this no later than three weeks before the planned date of the preselection tests/written tests.

In principle, the oral test will be held in Brussels.

4.   Full application

The best candidates (6) as referred to in section B.1 (table) will be asked to print and complete the full application form which they will find in their EPSO profile on the website (8). It must be sent in by the closing date (12).

Documents to enclose with the application form

Your application must give full details of your citizenship, studies and professional experience. You should also enclose with your application the following documents:

You should send only unauthenticated photocopies of these documents.

You must fill in the application form in full, i.e. you may not simply refer to any previous application forms submitted or to any other documents enclosed with such applications. None of the documents submitted with your application will be returned.

Signing and sending the form

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 (12) by registered post (the postmark will serve as proof of the date of sending) to the following address:

Scrutiny of applications

The selection board will examine the files of the best candidates in the preselection tests who have obtained the pass mark in each of the tests to determine whether they meet the conditions laid down in section A.II.1, 2 and 3 of this notice. The selection board will then mark the written tests of the candidates who meet all the conditions for admission set out in section A.II. and will invite the best candidates (see B.2) to the oral test.

You will automatically be disqualified if:

NB: If you are successful in the preselection tests but fail to return the full application form duly completed and signed and accompanied by the requisite supporting documents within the time limit specified (12), you will not be admitted to the next stage of the competition.

5.   Establishment of the reserve list

The best candidates (see B.5) will be included in the reserve list.

D.   GENERAL INFORMATION

1.   Equal opportunities

The European Union Institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

2.   Selection board

A selection board is appointed for each competition. It is made up of members representing both the Administration and the Staff Committee of the Institutions. The names of the members of the selection board will be published on the EPSO website (8) approximately a fortnight before the preselection/written tests.

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 lead to you being disqualified from the competition.

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is responsible for all communication with candidates until the competition is completed.

3.   Approximate timetable

The competition will take approximately nine months from start (date of confirmation that you are to take part) to finish, depending on the number of applicants.

Full details will be available on the EPSO website (8).

4.   Requests for review — appeal procedures — complaints to the European Ombudsman

See Annex.

5.   Recruitment

If you are placed on the reserve list, you will be eligible for appointment as a probationary official as and when required by the European Institutions, in Brussels, Luxembourg or any other place of activity.

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

Recruitment will depend on vacant posts and funds becoming available.

Depending on the nature of a post, candidates on the reserve list may initially be offered a temporary contract; in this case, their names will remain on the reserve list.

6.   You should note that the retirement age for staff is laid down in the Staff Regulations as follows:

7.   Grade

Assistants will be recruited from the reserve list at grade B*3.

8.   Remuneration

Basic monthly salary as at 1 May 2004:

grade B*3, first step: EUR 2 976,76

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(1)  The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

(2)  The Council has adopted new Staff Regulations involving a new career structure. Recruitment will be based on the new Staff Regulations, in accordance with Annex XIII, Section 2, and in particular Article 12 thereof (see http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/personnel_administration/statut/tocen100.pdf).

(3)  These are the products used by the European Institutions today (the Court of Auditors uses ‘Lotus Notes and Novell’). However, the tests will be oriented more towards the ability to work in a rapidly changing IT environment than towards detailed knowledge of any of these products.

(4)  http://europa.eu.int/epso/on-line-applications/guide_en.htm.

(5)  For practical reasons this form is available only in English, French and German.

(6)  If a number of candidates have obtained the same number of marks for the last place, the selection board will admit all of them.

(7)  A successful candidate may explicitly request that his/her name not be published.

(8)  http://europa.eu.int/epso.

(9)  No later than midday, Brussels time, on 3 February 2005.

(10)  EPSO — Info-recruitment — CORT 80 0/48 — B-1049 Brussels — Fax (32-2) 295 74 88.

(11)  E-mail address: epso-AST/3/04-en@cec.eu.int.

(12)  The closing date will be indicated in good time in your EPSO profile.

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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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Corrigenda

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Corrigendum to the vacancy notice for a Director in DG Research (Article 29(1a) and (2) of the Staff Regulations) COM/2004/10560

(Official Journal of the European Union C 298 A of 3 December 2004)

(2004/C 317 A/04)

Page 3, on the second line:

for:

‘As part of this work the Directorate-General for Research wishes to recruit a Director to manage Directorate I “Environment” (approximately 100 staff; annual budget of EUR 2 120 000)’.

read:

‘As part of this work the Directorate-General for Research wishes to recruit a Director to manage Directorate I “Environment” (approximately 100 staff; annual budget of approximately EUR 200 million).’

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