Vacancy Notice ECA/2017/7 — 1 lawyer post — experience in European law required — Presidency — Legal Service (Function group AD, Grade AD 7-AD 9)
Date: 2017-05-24
Institutions: European Court of Auditors
Subjects: EU law, administrator, competition (EU), job vacancy, legal profession




CA2017164EN.01000101.xml










24.5.2017   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 164/1





VACANCY NOTICE ECA/2017/7
1 lawyer post — experience in European law required
Presidency — Legal Service
(Function group AD, Grade AD 7-AD 9)
(2017/C 164 A/01)
 

WHO WE ARE

The European Court of Auditors (hereinafter ‘the Court’) is the European Union (EU) institution established by the Treaty to audit EU finances. As the EU’s external auditor, it helps to improve EU financial management and acts as an independent guardian of EU citizens’ financial interests.
During its audits, the Court looks into the receipt and use of EU funds. It examines whether or not financial transactions have been correctly recorded and disclosed, implemented with due legality and regularity, and managed economically, efficiently and effectively.
The Court publishes the results of its audits in clear, relevant and objective reports. It also writes opinions on matters pertaining to financial management.
The Court promotes greater accountability and transparency, and assists the European Parliament and the Council in monitoring the implementation of the EU budget, particularly during the discharge procedure. The Court is committed to working efficiently at the cutting edge of progress in audit and public sector administration.
The Court is based in Luxembourg.
The Legal Service provides the Court with legal advice and support in all of its activities, including advice in relation to the institution’s powers and prerogatives, any legal issues that may arise from audit activities, and staffing and administrative matters. The Legal Service represents the institution in legal proceedings, in particular before EU courts.

WHAT WE ARE OFFERING

The Court has decided to launch a recruitment procedure in order to fill one lawyer post (grades AD 7-AD 9) within the Legal Service (Presidency) and to constitute a reserve list, in accordance with Article 29(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (hereinafter ‘the Staff Regulations’), in order to fill any posts that become vacant before the reserve list expires. This exceptional recruitment procedure, which concerns a post requiring special qualifications, will run in parallel with the internal and interinstitutional recruitment procedures, in accordance with Article 29(1)(a) to (c) of the Staff Regulations, with a view to broadening the Appointing Authority’s choice of candidates.
Under the authority of the Head of the Legal Service, the lawyer will be responsible for acting as an internal legal advisor, defending the Court’s interests in legal disputes, performing legal tasks such as writing draft decisions and legal opinions on EU law, assisting the Members and audit chambers in handling legal issues, providing internal legal advice on matters of institutional, administrative and statutory law, representing the Court of Auditors in court and, in the context of internal cooperation, assisting administrative departments with contracts and procurement.
Initially, one candidate will be recruited from the reserve list to fill the vacant post; recruitment will then depend on the requirements of the service and the availability of posts.
The basic monthly salary for grades AD 7, AD 8 and AD 9 (step 1) is 5 937,01, 6 717,35 and 7 600,25 euros, respectively. Under the conditions laid down in the Staff Regulations, and depending on individual circumstances and household composition, certain allowances may be added to this basic salary, which is subject to EU tax and exempt from national tax.
Entry into grade AD 7 requires 8 years’ professional experience, while entry into grade AD 8 requires 10 years’ professional experience and entry into grade AD 9 requires 12 years’ professional experience.
The EU institutions offer their own pension plan and social security system, based on contributions deducted from salaries at source. Staff’s children may enrol free of charge at the European School.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for dynamic lawyers with experience in European law.
I.   Eligibility criteria:

This selection procedure is open to candidates who meet the following eligibility criteria by the application deadline:






—


Fulfil the recruitment conditions laid down in Article 28 of the Staff Regulations, namely:






—


be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union,










—


enjoy their full rights as a citizen,










—


have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the recruitment laws concerning military service,










—


produce the appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of the duties envisaged.














—


Pursuant to Article 5 of the Staff Regulations, have achieved:






—


a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies, certified by a law degree, when the normal period of study is 4 years or more, or










—


a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies, certified by a law degree, and at least 1 year of relevant professional experience when the normal period of study is 3 years or more, or










—


where justified in the interests of the service, relevant professional training of an equivalent level.














—


Demonstrate at least 8 years’ professional experience as a lawyer, gained after obtaining the above-mentioned qualification, including at least 6 years’ experience directly related to the type of legal duties to be carried out; the experience must have been acquired by the deadline for the submission of applications.










—


Possess in-depth knowledge of one official EU language (level C1 oral and written) and satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of at least one other official EU language. As English and French are the working languages of the Court, candidates must have very good knowledge of both these languages (minimum level C1 oral and written).
To assess your foreign language skills, see:
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr




II.   Special qualifications

The recruitment panel will constitute the reserve list by selecting from among the eligible candidates those who have best shown, in their application and/or during the tasks set:






—


thorough knowledge of EU law and litigation,










—


knowledge of the legal framework applicable to the Court of Auditors,










—


sound knowledge of the areas of law that relate to the work of the Court, in particular EU banking, public finance, EU civil service, contracts, subsidies and public procurement and the fight against fraud, etc.,










—


proven experience as a lawyer, particularly within the EU institutions or bodies, international organisations, international financial institutions, public administrations or law firms,










—


excellent interpersonal skills, argumentation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills,










—


a ‘service culture’ approach (customer service and problem-solving), and a proven ability to meet deadlines, follow instructions and work in a team,










—


an excellent aptitude for oral communication and drafting legal documents in the working languages of the Court, English and French (level C1 or above in oral or written language skills),










—


sound knowledge of other EU languages (level B2 or above in oral or written language skills).





RECRUITMENT POLICY

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
The Court is an equal opportunities employer and takes steps to ensure that recruitment is evenly balanced between men and women, pursuant to Article 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and Article 1(d) of the Staff Regulations. The Court implements measures to reconcile working life with family life.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
The recruitment panel will pre-select the top 12 candidates from the eligible applications, based on their special qualifications (see section II above). These 12 candidates (*1) (maximum), comprising six men and six women, will be asked to prepare a case study, which they will then present at an interview. The panel will assess these two tests in relation to the special qualifications (see section II above).
At the end of this procedure, the recruitment panel will draw up a reserve list of the eight candidates (maximum) who best fulfil the special qualifications laid down in this notice (see section II above). Provided that there are sufficient candidates of each sex who best fulfil these qualifications, the reserve list shall comprise four women and four men. The successful candidates will be ranked in alphabetical order.
Inclusion on the reserve list does not in any way constitute the right to be recruited. The Appointing Authority is responsible for any offers of employment. The list will remain valid until 31 December 2018 and may be renewed.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications must be written in English or French and 
only
 submitted 
using the online form
 available in the vacancy notice published on the website of the European Court of Auditors.
http://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/JobOpportunities.aspx#page-search/index/lang/en_US
Applications must quote the reference details of the vacancy notice in the subject line and be accompanied by the following documents:






—


a letter of motivation (
max. one page
),










—


an up-to-date CV, created using the 
‘Europass curriculum vitae’
 template and specifying exact dates (
max. three pages
)
(see: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu),










—


the attached formal declaration, duly completed, signed and dated.





Any applications failing to adhere strictly to these instructions will be rejected.

The application deadline is 
midday on 16 June 2017.


Upon request, candidates must produce the supporting documents relating to their studies, professional experience and current post.
DATA PROTECTION
In accordance with Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data, the Court will process personal data only for the purposes for which they were transmitted.
REQUESTS FOR RECONSIDERATION — COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS — COMPLAINTS TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN
Should you at any stage of the selection procedure consider that a decision adversely affects you, the following options are available:
I.   Request for the recruitment panel’s decisions to be reconsidered

You can submit a written reasoned request for the recruitment panel’s decision to be reconsidered. Such requests must be submitted to the following address within 10 days starting from the date of notification of the decision:
ECA-Recours@eca.europa.eu
II.   Complaints and appeals

Pursuant to Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union, you may submit a complaint against a decision by the Appointing Authority to reject your application within three months starting from the date of notification of the decision, to the following address.





European Court of Auditors




The Secretary-General




12, rue Alcide De Gasperi




L-1615 Luxembourg




LUXEMBOURG




Pursuant to Article 91 of the Staff Regulations, if your complaint is rejected and this decision affects you adversely, you may then file an appeal with the European Court of Justice. Such appeals must be filed by a lawyer within three months of the date of notification of the decision to reject the complaint.
III.   Complaints to the European Ombudsman

Should you consider that the handling of your application involved maladministration on the part of the Court of Auditors, you have the right to complain to the European Ombudsman, having first contacted the Court of Auditors with the aim of settling the dispute. Such complaints must be made in writing within 2 years of the date on which you discovered the facts relating to your complaint. An electronic complaints form is available on the European Ombudsman’s website. Complaining to the European Ombudsman shall not suspend the above-mentioned deadlines for appeal.


(*1)  Provided that there are sufficient candidates.