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III Notices

European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

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NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION

(2006/C 104 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

LINGUIST ADMINISTRATORS (1)(AD5) — EPSO/AD/45/06

HAVING IRISH AS THEIR MAIN LANGUAGE

IN THE FIELD OF TRANSLATION

CONTENTS

A.   DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

Open competition EPSO/AD/45/06 is being held to recruit linguistic administrators (AD5) who have Irish as their main language in the field of translation.

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

Number of successful candidates: 30

To ensure that all general texts relating to the competition and all communication between candidates and EPSO are clearly understood on both sides, English will be used for the invitations to the various tests and correspondence between EPSO and candidates.

I.   DUTIES

The European Union institutions are recruiting university graduates with a degree in languages or in fields such as law, economics, auditing, finance, natural, social and political sciences and technology who are highly qualified and able to adapt throughout their career. Successful applicants will have to be able to translate texts of a mainly political, legal, economic, financial, scientific or technical nature, frequently demanding and encomparsing all the spheres of activity of the European Union. This work requires candidates to be fully conversant with computers and office technology.

The European Union 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 adjust to a multicultural working environment. You will also be expected to develop your professional skills throughout your career.

II.   ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

You may apply for this competition if — on the closing date for online registration (see Section D) — you meet the following requirements:

1.   Qualifications

You must have completed the equivalent of a university course at least three years long and obtained the relevant leaving qualification.

The selection boards will allow for differences between education systems. For examples of the minimum qualifications required, see the tables annexed to the Guide for Applicants (2) (on EPSO's website) for each category. Note that these are examples only — more stringent requirements may be set in any given notice of competition.

2.   Languages

You must satisfy the following conditions:

NB: The compulsory source language may be the same as the language you choose for the admission tests. The objective is not to check if a candidate has knowledge of a third language.

For the admission tests, the candidates must choose one of these three languages: English, French or German.

Optional tests

Knowledge of other languages from among the official languages of the European Union, but not the language chosen under point (b), is an advantage and may be assessed if you are successful in the competition.

You must give details of your knowledge of languages in the electronic registration form (3)and in the application form. Your choice of languages for taking the tests may not be changed after the deadline for the confirmation of registrations (Section D.1).

3.   General conditions

You must:

B.   ADMISSION TESTS

EPSO is organising admission tests with a view to carrying out a preliminary selection allowing admission to the competition.

EPSO will organise these tests for all candidates, either:

1.   Admission tests — marking

You will sit tests (a) and (b) in English, French or German, as specified on the online registration form.

Wrong answers in these tests will not be penalised.

For all admission tests, the 90 candidates (4) with the highest combined marks for the tests (and a pass mark in each) will be invited to submit a full application with a view to possible admission to the competition.

2.   Date and time allowed for the admission tests

C.   WRITTEN, ORAL AND OPTIONAL TESTS

1.   Written tests — marking

NOTE:

2.   Oral test — marking

Once the written tests have been marked, the 45 candidates (4) with the combined highest marks in these tests (and at least a pass mark in each) will be admitted to the oral test.

3.   Date and place of the tests

Oral tests will normally be held in Brussels.

4.   Reserve list

The selection board will place on the reserve list the names of the 30 candidates (4) with the highest marks for the written and oral tests, as well as a pass-mark in each.

The reserve list, together with its expiry date, will be published (5) in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the EPSO website (6).

5.   Optional tests

The purpose of the optional tests is to enable you to display your full range of language knowledge. The marks obtained in these tests will not be taken into account by the selection board when it decides who will be on the reserve list and their ranking within it. Their purpose is to help the institutions make the best use of the list when recruiting from it. Optional tests will be organised only for candidates who have obtained enough marks in the written and oral tests to be placed on the reserve list.

D.   HOW TO APPLY

Please refer also to the Guide for Applicants (2), which can be found on the EPSO website (6). It contains detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.

1.   Creating an EPSO profile/online registration

Before registering, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria.

If you want to apply, you must register via the Internet by going to the EPSO website (6) and following the instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your online registration in time (7). We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy Internet traffic or a problem with the Internet connection could lead to the online 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 register.

On completion of your online 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 registration 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 you. The information you must enter in your registration includes the languages you choose (see A.II.2), and the particulars of your qualifications (diploma, name of issuing establishment and date obtained).

No documents are required at this stage. Candidates will subsequently be invited to send a full application (see D.4).

Once registered, you can use the website (6) (click on ‘Ongoing competitions’) to follow the progress of the competition.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering online, you may request — preferably by fax — a paper version of the form, 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 (8).

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 8 June 2006. Online 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 registration and language choice, and, where applicable, to choose the city in which you wish to sit the admission test.This request and your confirmation will take place via your EPSO profile only.If you do not confirm your application within two months of the closing date for registration, EPSO will consider that you have withdrawn your application and it will be terminated.

2.   Admission tests/written tests

The candidates invited to the admission tests (and where applicable the written tests) will be those who are found to meet the general terms and conditions (see A.II.3) after EPSO has carried out a preliminary eligibility check based on the information given in the registration forms, and who have confirmed their registration in time. Please note that an invitation to attend the pre-selection tests does not imply that the eligibility of the candidate has been fully checked.

3.   Invitations to the tests

Information concerning invitations to the admission tests as well as subsequent tests will be available only on the EPSO website (6). You can access it by entering the user name and password you specify when registering online. You are responsible for updating any change, via your EPSO profile, in your postal or e-mail address.

It is also your responsibility to keep track of the progress of the competition by consulting your EPSO profile, ensuring that for each stage you can access the information relevant to your application. If you find that you cannot do this, notify EPSO immediately by e-mail (9).

As far as possible you will be asked to sit the admission tests (and where applicable 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 unless you have informed EPSO of this no later than three weeks before the planned date of the admission tests (and where applicable written tests).

4.   Full application

The candidates with the best marks as referred to in Section B will be asked to print and complete the full application form which they will find in their EPSO profile on the website (6). It must be sent in by the closing date (10).

Documents to enclose

You must give details in your application form of your qualifications and the country of which you are a citizen. You must enclose with it the following documents:

You should send only uncertified photocopies of these documents.

The application form must be completed in full, i.e. you may not refer to any previous application forms submitted or 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 (10)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 candidates who have scored the highest marks and obtained a pass mark in the admission tests (see Section B) to determine whether they meet the conditions laid down in A.II.1 and 2 of this notice.

You will automatically be disqualified if:

A CURRICULUM VITAE IS NOT A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT.

NB: If you successfully pass the admission tests but fail to return the full application form completed, signed and accompanied by the requisite supporting documents by the specified deadline (10), you will not be admitted to the competition.

5.   Reserve list

The names of the successful candidates (see C.4) will be included on the reserve list.

E.   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 or sexual orientation.

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 its members will be published on the EPSO website (6) approximately two weeks before the 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 disqualify you from the competition.

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

3.   Approximate timetable

Depending on the total number of applicants, the competition will take approximately nine months from start to finish, beginning on the date on which your registration is confirmed.

Full details will be available on the EPSO website (6).

4.   Requests from candidates for access to information concerning them

Under the selection procedures, candidates are acknowledged to have a specific right of access to certain information concerning them directly and individually, on the conditions described below. In accordance with this right, EPSO may provide candidates who so request with supplementary information concerning their participation in the competition. Candidates must send any requests for information in writing to EPSO within a month of being notified of their results in the competition. EPSO will reply within a month of receiving the request. Requests will be dealt with in such a manner as to take account of the confidential nature of the proceedings of selection boards, as provided for in the Staff Regulations (Annex III, Article 6) and will comply with the rules on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data. Examples of the type of information which may be supplied are given in the Guide for Applicants, Section III, 2.

5.   Requests for applications to be reconsidered — Appeal procedures — Complaints to the European Ombudsman

See Annex.

6.   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, in particular your qualifications, so that copies can be authenticated.

Recruitment will depend on posts and funds becoming available.

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

Article 29(1)(b) of the Staff Regulations refers to the possibility for officials to request a transfer to another institution or agency at any time in their careers. However, in the interests of the service, during their first three years of service newly recruited officials are transferred only in exceptional and duly justified cases. Any such transfer is subject to the agreement of both the institution or agency that originally recruited the official and the institution or agency in receipt of the transfer request.

7.   Retirement scheme

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

8.   Grade

This reserve pool of linguistic administrators in the field of translation is for the grade AD5.

9.   Remuneration

Basic monthly salary as at 1 January 2006:

grade AD5, first step: EUR 3 921,80

10.   Protecting personal data

As the body responsible for organising the competition, EPSO ensures that applicants’ personal data is treated as required by Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data. This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.

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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 or sexual orientation.

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

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

(4)  Where a number of candidates tie for the last available place, all will be admitted to the next stage of the competition.

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

(6)  http://www.europa.eu.int/epso

(7)  No later than 12 midday, Brussels time, on 8 June 2006.

(8)  Write to EPSO — Info-recruitment — CORT 80 4/11 — B-1049 Brussels — Fax: (32-2) 295 74 88.

(9)  E-mail address: EPSO-AD-45-06@cec.eu.int

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

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ANNEX

REQUESTS FOR REVIEW — APPEAL PROCEDURES — COMPLAINT 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 take one of the following courses of action:

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