Notice of open competition – EPSO/AD/380/19 – Administrators (AD 7/AD 9) in the field of international cooperation and managing aid to non-EU countries
Date: 2019-12-05
Institutions: European Personnel Selection Office
Subjects: administrator, aid policy, competition (EU), international cooperation, third country








CA2019409EN.01000101.xml










5.12.2019   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 409/1






NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION
EPSO/AD/380/19 – ADMINISTRATORS (AD 7/AD 9) IN THE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND MANAGING AID TO NON-EU COUNTRIES
(2019/C 409 A/01)


Deadline for registration: 14 January 2020 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time


The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising an open competition, based on qualifications and tests, to draw up reserve lists from which mainly the European Commission may recruit new members of the civil service as ‘
administrators
’ (function group AD).
This notice of competition and its annexes form the legally binding framework for these selection procedures.
Please see ANNEX III for the general rules governing open competitions.
Number of successful candidates sought:

AD 9: 20 AD 7: 85

This notice covers one profile with two grades. 
You may only apply to one grade
. You must make your choice when you apply online and you will not be able to change it after you have validated your online application form. However, 
under certain conditions
 described under point 3) of section HOW WILL I BE SELECTED?, your application to grade AD 9 may be reassigned by the Selection Board into grade AD 7.

WHAT TASKS CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?

Administrators mostly support decision-makers in the European Union institutions where they work.
If you are recruited following this competition you will do the following main types of work:






1.


Analysing development-related and humanitarian aid policies and issues;










2.


Developing national and regional international cooperation and humanitarian aid;










3.


Ensuring policy dialogue with partner countries and organisations;










4.


Managing crisis situations and security related issues;










5.


Identifying, developing and managing projects and programmes in the fields of international cooperation and humanitarian aid;










6.


Managing budget support programmes and external investment plans (blending / loans / equities);










7.


Managing teams (applicable to AD 9 only).




Please be aware that if you are recruited you are likely to spend some of your career working in an EU delegation in countries where living conditions can be difficult.
Please see ANNEX I for more information about the typical duties to be performed.

AM I ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

You must meet ALL of the following general and specific conditions on the closing date for online applications:
1)   
General conditions








—


Enjoy full rights as a citizen of a Member State of the EU










—


Meet any obligations under national laws on military service










—


Meet the character requirements for the duties concerned




2)   
Specific conditions – languages


You must have knowledge of 
at least 2 official EU languages
; one at minimum C1 level (thorough knowledge) and the other at minimum B2 level (satisfactory knowledge).
Please note that the minimum levels required above must apply to each linguistic ability (speaking, writing, reading and listening) requested in the application form. These abilities reflect those of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr).

In this notice of competition we will refer to the languages as:






—


Language 1: language used for the computer-based Multiple-Choice Question tests










—


Language 2: language used for the selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener), for the assessment centre tests and for communication between EPSO and the candidates who have submitted a valid application. This must be different from language 1.






Language 2 must be English or French


Successful candidates recruited for these particular fields are required to have a satisfactory knowledge (minimum B2 level) of English or French. While knowledge of additional languages may be an advantage, the Commission departments in the fields of International cooperation and humanitarian aid, namely Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian aid operations (DG ECHO) and the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) have recourse to English or French for analytical work, internal communication as well as communication with third countries and acceding countries, external stakeholders, drafting of publications and reports, legislation, or economic papers, as mentioned under ‘What tasks can I expect to perform?’ and in Annex I. Therefore, a satisfactory knowledge of English or French is essential.
3)   
Specific conditions - qualifications and work experience








—



For grade AD 7:







1.


A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of 
at least 4 years
 attested by a diploma, followed by 
at least 6 years'
 professional experience in the field of the competition.
or










2.


A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of 
at least 3 years
 attested by a diploma, followed by 
at least 7 years' professional experience
 in the field of the competition.














—



For grade AD 9:







1.


A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of 
at least 4 years
 attested by a diploma, followed by 
at least 10 years'
 professional experience in the field of the competition.
or










2.


A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of 
at least 3 years
 attested by a diploma, followed by 
at least 11 years' professional experience
 in the field of the competition.








Please see ANNEX IV for examples of minimum qualifications

HOW WILL I BE SELECTED?

1)   
Application process


When completing your application form, you will have to select a language 1 and a language 2. You will have to select your language 1 from among any of the 24 official EU languages and your language 2 from among English and French. You will also be asked to confirm your eligibility for the competition and provide further information 
relevant to the competition
 (for example: diplomas, work experience and answers to field-related questions (Talent Screener)).
You can select any of the 24 official EU languages when completing your application form, except for the 
Talent Screener
 section which 
must be completed in your language 2
 for the following reasons: the Talent Screener is subject to a comparative assessment by the Selection Board, it is used as a reference document by the Board during the field-related interview at the assessment centre, and is used for recruitment purposes if a candidate is successful. It is therefore in the interest of the service and the candidates to complete the Talent Screener in Language 2.
Please note that your whole application form will be accessed by the Selection Board (during the competition) and by the HR services of the European Institutions (for recruitment in case you are a successful candidate) who work in a limited number of vehicular languages. In case you succeed in the competition and your name is placed on the reserve list, you will be asked to provide a translation of the application form in language 2 (English or French) to the recruiting services if you have used another language for filling in the application form.
By validating your application form you declare on your honour that you meet all the conditions mentioned under the section "Am I eligible to apply?" Once you have validated your application form, you will no longer be able to make any changes. It is your responsibility to ensure that you complete and validate your application 
within the deadline.


2)   
Computer-based Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) tests


If the number of candidates 
exceeds a certain threshold for each grade
, as defined by the director of EPSO acting as Appointing Authority, all candidates who validated their application form by the deadline will be invited to sit a series of computer-based MCQ tests in one of EPSO's accredited centres.
Unless instructed otherwise, 
you must book
 an appointment for the MCQ tests following the instructions received from EPSO. Typically you will be offered several dates on which you can sit the tests, in various locations. The booking and testing periods 
are limited.

If the number of candidates 
is below the threshold
, these tests will be held at the assessment centre (point 5) instead.
The computer-based MCQ tests will be organised as follows:










Tests


Language


Questions


Duration


Marking


Pass mark




Verbal reasoning


Language 1


20 questions


35 min


Out of 20


10/20




Numerical reasoning


Language 1


10 questions


20 min


Out of 10


Numerical + abstract combined: 10/20




Abstract reasoning


Language 1


10 questions


10 min


Out of 10




These tests are eliminatory and do not count towards the other tests held at the assessment centre.
3)   
Eligibility checks


The eligibility requirements laid down in the section "Am I eligible to apply?" above will be checked against the data provided in candidates' online applications. EPSO will check whether you meet the general eligibility conditions while the Selection Board will check compliance with the specific eligibility conditions under the sections “Education and Training”, “Professional Experience” and “Language Skills” of the candidates’ online application, taking into account the duties mentioned in Annex I.
There are 2 possible scenarios:






—


If the computer-based MCQ tests 
are organised upfront
, the files of the candidates will be checked for eligibility in descending order of the marks obtained in those tests until the number of eligible candidates reaches a certain threshold defined before the tests by the director of EPSO acting as Appointing Authority. The other files will not be checked.










—


If the computer-based MCQ tests 
are not organised upfront
, the files of all candidates who validated their application form by the deadline will be checked for eligibility.





Grade AD 9 candidates: during the check for eligibility, the Selection Board may reassign your application to grade AD 7 if you meet the following conditions:






—


if the MCQ tests were organised upfront, you reached one of the 
highest total scores
 for grade AD 9, and










—


according to the data given in your application you 
do not meet the eligibility requirements
 for grade AD 9 but you do meet those for grade AD 7, and










—


you 
gave your consent
 for reassignment to grade AD 7 when you applied, and










—


if the MCQ tests were organised upfront, you reached one of the 
highest total scores
 also for grade AD 7.




In that case, you will be considered as candidate to grade AD 7 for the rest of the procedure.
Any such reassignment will take place before the selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener) and will be made on the basis of the information given in your online application. Candidates whose marks are below the threshold set for the highest marks in grade AD 9 will not be considered for transfer to grade AD 7.
4)   
Selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener)


In order to allow the Selection Board to carry out an objective assessment of the comparative merits of all candidates in a structured way, all candidates applying to the same grade must answer the same set of questions in the ‘Talent Screener’ section of the application form in language 2. The selection based on qualifications will be carried out, 
only for those candidates deemed eligible
 as described above in point 3, using 
solely
 the information provided in this Talent Screener section. 
You should therefore include all relevant information in your Talent Screener answers, even if already mentioned in other sections of your application form.
 The questions are based on the selection criteria included in this notice.
Please see ANNEX II for the list of criteria.
To carry out the selection based on qualifications, the Selection Board will first assign each 
selection criterion
 a weighting that reflects its relative importance (1 to 3) and each of the candidate's responses will be awarded between 0 and 4 points. The points are multiplied by the weighting for each criterion and added up to identify those candidates whose profiles best match the duties to be performed.
Only the candidates with the highest total marks at the selection based on qualifications will go through to the next stage.
5)   
Assessment centre




A maximum of 3 times
 the number of successful candidates sought for each grade will be invited to this phase. If you meet the eligibility requirements according to the data in your online application and if you scored one of the 
highest overall marks
 for the selection based on qualifications, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre for 1 or 2 days, most probably in 
Brussels
, where you will take tests held in your 
language 2
.
If the computer-based MCQ tests described in point 2 were 
not organised upfront
, you will sit them at the assessment centre. These tests are eliminatory and the marks obtained will not be added to the marks of the other assessment centre tests in the calculation of your total score.
Unless instructed otherwise, you will have to bring a memory stick containing scanned copies of your supporting documents to your assessment centre. EPSO will download your files during your assessment centre tests and return the memory stick to you on the same day.
Eight general competencies, as well as the field-related competencies required for the competition, will be tested at the assessment centre through 
five tests
 (general competency-based interview, field-related interview, group exercise, written test in the field, and case study) as described in the following matrices:







Competency


Tests










1.


Analysis and problem-solving






Group exercise


Case study










2.


Communication






Case study


General competency-based interview










3.


Delivering quality and results






Case study


General competency-based interview










4.


Learning and development






Group exercise


General competency-based interview










5.


Prioritising and organising






Group exercise


Case study










6.


Resilience






Group exercise


General competency-based interview










7.


Working with others






Group exercise


General competency-based interview










8.


Leadership






Group exercise


General competency-based interview






Pass marks:
 3/10 per competency and 40/80 in total







Competency


Test


Pass mark




Field-related competencies


Field-related interview


25/50




Written test in the field


25/50




6)   
Reserve list


After checking candidates' supporting documents against the information provided in their online application form, the Selection Board will draw up a 
reserve list
 for each grade - until the number of successful candidates sought is reached - of those eligible candidates who have obtained all pass marks as well as the highest overall marks following the assessment centre. Names will be listed alphabetically.
The reserve lists and the competency passports, giving qualitative feedback from the Selection Board, of successful candidates will be made available to the EU institutions for recruitment procedures and future career development. Inclusion on a reserve list 
does not confer any right to or guarantee of
 recruitment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS

EPSO endeavours to apply equal opportunities, treatment and access to all candidates.
If you have a disability or a medical condition that may affect your ability to sit the tests, please indicate this in your application form and let us know the type of special adjustments you need.
Discover more about our equal opportunities policy and procedure to request special adjustments on our website (https://epso.europa.eu/how-to-apply/equal-opportunities_en) and in the General rules annexed to this notice (under point 1.3. Equal opportunities and special adjustments).

WHEN AND WHERE CAN I APPLY?

In order to apply, you will first need to create an EPSO account. Please note that you must create only one account for all EPSO applications.
Apply online on the EPSO website http://jobs.eu-careers.eu by:


14 January 2020 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time.






ANNEX I

DUTIES

This open competition is being held to recruit Administrators (AD 7/AD 9) in the field of international cooperation and managing aid to non-EU Countries.
The main duties may include, but are not limited to:






—


analysing development-related and humanitarian aid policies and issues;










—


formulating strategic orientation for EU international cooperation and humanitarian aid;










—


elaborating national and regional international cooperation, humanitarian aid and development policies, including sector policies, and policy dialogues with relevant partners and stakeholders;










—


contributing to the management of crisis situations and security related issues;










—


identifying and formulating international cooperation and humanitarian aid projects and programmes;










—


managing international cooperation and humanitarian aid projects and programmes including drafting terms of reference, tendering, contracting and supervising the implementation of contracts;










—


managing instruments financed by the EU budget, including instruments managed by financial institutions on behalf of the European Commission;










—


designing, formulating and promoting the use of financial instruments in cooperation with the various internal and external interlocutors and stakeholders;




In addition to the above, grade AD 9 successful candidates may be required to:






—


manage a team of professionals.





Successful candidates should be aware that in case of recruitment they are likely to spend some of their career working in an EU delegation in countries where living conditions can be difficult.


Those recruited must be willing to accept a first posting in a delegation in a country where living conditions can be difficult.


The delegations are located in countries where the following languages are the most widely spoken: Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

End of ANNEX I, click here to return to main text





ANNEX II

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Selection Board considers the following criteria for the selection based on qualifications:

For AD 7









1.


Professional experience of working at headquarters or in a country representation of a bilateral, multilateral or international organisation or in a bilateral aid agency/ministry (primarily in an EU Delegation, an EU Member State Embassy/development agency office or an UN regional office) in the field of the competition.












2.


Professional experience in policy analysis and development, or in policy dialogue, in the field of the competition.












3.


Professional experience in the management of international cooperation and humanitarian aid projects or programmes, in particular at field level (in the beneficiary country).












4.


Professional experience of managing crisis situations and security related issues in the field of the competition.












5.


Professional experience of working with international financing instruments in the field of international cooperation and humanitarian aid, primarily as regards budget support, blending grants and loans or other financing instruments.












6.


Professional experience of working in the private sector in a development and/or humanitarian aid context or in international development banks.












7.


Professional experience of working with cross-cutting issues, primarily in human rights, democratic governance, economic governance or gender equality in the field of the competition.












8.


Proven knowledge of one or more of the following languages other than your languages 1 and 2 as declared in the application: English, French, Portuguese or Spanish, [and other non-EU languages (in particular: Arabic, Mandarin and Russian)] (minimum level required: B2 of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr)).





For AD 9









1.


Professional experience of working at headquarters or in a country representation of a bilateral, multilateral or international organisation or in a bilateral aid agency/ministry (primarily in an EU Delegation, an EU Member State Embassy/development agency office or an UN regional office) in the field of the competition.












2.


Professional experience in policy analysis and development, or in policy dialogue, in the field of the competition.












3.


Professional experience in the management of international cooperation and humanitarian aid projects or programmes, in particular at field level (in the beneficiary country).












4.


Professional experience in leading a team.












5.


Professional experience of managing crisis situations and security related issues in the field of the competition.












6.


Professional experience of working with international financing instruments in the field of international cooperation and humanitarian aid, primarily as regards budget support, blending grants and loans or other financing instruments.












7.


Professional experience of working in the private sector in a development and/or humanitarian aid context or in international development banks.












8.


Professional experience of working with cross-cutting issues, primarily in human rights, democratic governance, economic governance or gender equality in the field of the competition.












9.


Proven knowledge of one or more of the following languages other than your languages 1 and 2 as declared in the application: English, French, Portuguese or Spanish, [and other non-EU languages (in particular: Arabic, Mandarin and Russian)] (minimum level required: B2 of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr)).




End of ANNEX II, click here to return to main text





ANNEX III

GENERAL RULES GOVERNING OPEN COMPETITIONS


GENERAL INFORMATION

Any reference, in the framework of selection procedures organised by EPSO, to a person of a specific gender must be deemed also to constitute a reference to a person of any other gender.
Where candidates tie for the last available place at any stage of the competition, they will all go through to the next stage of the competition. Any re-admitted candidates following a successful appeal will also be invited to the next stage.
Where candidates tie for the last available place on the reserve list, they will all be included on the reserve list. Any re-admitted candidates following a successful appeal at this stage of the procedure will also be added to the reserve list.
1.   WHO CAN APPLY?

1.1.   General and specific conditions

The general and specific conditions (including knowledge of languages) for each field or profile are indicated in the section "Am I eligible to apply?".
Specific conditions regarding qualifications, professional experience and knowledge of languages vary depending on the profile requested. In your application, you should include as much information as possible regarding your qualifications and professional experience (where required) as described in the section "Am I eligible to apply?" of this notice 
that is relevant to the duties
.








(a)



Diplomas and/or certificates: Diplomas, whether issued in EU or non-EU countries, must be recognised by an official EU Member State body, e.g. an EU Member State's education ministry. The Selection Board will allow for differences between education systems.
For post-secondary education and technical, professional or specialist training, indicate the subjects covered, the duration and whether it was full-time, part-time or an evening class.












(b)



Professional experience (if required) will be taken into account only if it is relevant to the required duties and:






—


constitutes genuine and effective work;










—


is remunerated;










—


involves a subordinate relationship or the supply of a service; and










—


subject to the following conditions:






—



voluntary work: if remunerated and involving similar weekly hours and duration to a regular job;










—



traineeships: if remunerated;










—



compulsory military service: completed before or after the required diploma for a period not exceeding the statutory duration in your Member State;










—



maternity/paternity/adoption leave: if covered by an employment contract;










—



doctorate: for a maximum of three years, provided the doctorate was actually obtained, and whether or not the work was remunerated; and










—



part-time work: calculated pro rata on the basis of the number of hours worked, e.g. half-time for six months would count as three months.












1.2.   Supporting documents

At different steps of the selection procedure, you will need to provide an official document proving your citizenship (e.g. passport or identity card) which must be valid on the closing date of your application (closing date of the first part of your application in the case of a 2-part application scenario).
All periods of professional activity must be covered by originals or certified photocopies of:






—



documents from former and current employer(s) stating the nature and level of duties performed, and start and end dates, with the official header and stamp of the company, and the name and signature of the person in charge; or










—



employment contract(s) and first and last pay slips, with a detailed description of the duties performed;










—


(for non-salaried work, e.g. self-employed, liberal professions) invoices or order forms detailing the work performed or any other relevant official supporting documents;










—


(for conference interpreters where professional experience is required) documents attesting the number of days, and languages interpreted from and into, relating specifically to conference interpreting.




In general, no supporting documents are required to prove your knowledge of languages, except for some linguist or specialist profiles.
You may be asked for additional information or documents at any stage of the procedure. EPSO will inform you of what supporting documents you need to provide and when.
1.3.   Equal opportunities and special adjustments

If you have a disability or a medical condition that may hinder your ability to sit the tests, please indicate this in your application form and let us know the type of special adjustments you need. If a disability or condition develops after you have validated your application, you must inform EPSO as soon as possible using the information indicated below.
Please note that you will have to send a certificate from your national authority or a medical certificate to EPSO in order for your request to be taken into consideration. Your supporting documents will be examined, so that reasonable accommodation can be made where required.
Should you encounter any accessibility issues, or should you require more information, please contact the EPSO-accessibility team by:






—


e-mail (EPSO-accessibility@ec.europa.eu);










—


fax (+32 2 299 80 81); or










—


post:





European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)




EPSO accessibility




Avenue de Cortenbergh/Kortenberglaan 25




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË








2.   BY WHOM WILL I BE ASSESSED?

A Selection Board is appointed to compare candidates and select the best ones on the basis of their competencies, aptitudes and qualifications in the light of the requirements set out in this notice of competition. Its members also decide on the difficulty of the competition tests and approve their content on the basis of proposals made by EPSO.
To ensure the Selection Board’s independence, it is strictly forbidden for candidates or anyone outside the board to attempt to contact any of its members, except in the context of tests which require direct interaction between the candidates and the board.
Candidates who wish to state their case or assert their rights must do so in writing, addressing their correspondence intended for a Selection Board to EPSO, which will pass it on to the board. Any direct or indirect intervention by candidates that does not comply with these procedures is forbidden and may result in disqualification from the competition.
The existence of a family relationship or a hierarchical link between a candidate and a Selection Board member, in particular, gives rise to a conflict of interest. Selection Boards are asked to declare any such situations to EPSO immediately when they become aware of them. EPSO will evaluate each case individually and take the appropriate measures. The non-respect of the above mentioned rules could make Selection Board members liable to disciplinary action and result in disqualification from the competition for candidates (see section 4.4).
The names of the Selection Board members are published on the EPSO website (www.eu-careers.eu) before the beginning of the assessment centre/phase.
3.   COMMUNICATION

3.1.   Communication with EPSO

You should consult your EPSO account at least twice a week to keep track of your progress during the competition. If you are prevented from doing so because of a technical problem on EPSO's side, you must notify EPSO immediately and exclusively via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en).
EPSO reserves the right not to supply information that is already clearly stated in this notice of competition, its annexes or on the EPSO website, including under ‘frequently asked questions’.
In all correspondence relating to an application, please mention your name as given in your EPSO account, your application number and the reference number of the selection procedure.
EPSO applies the principles of the code of good administrative behaviour https://ec.europa.eu/info/about-european-union/principles-and-values/ethics-and-integrity/code-conduct-eu-staff_en (as published in the Official Journal). Accordingly, EPSO reserves the right to cease any improper (i.e. repetitive, abusive and/or irrelevant) correspondence.
3.2.   Access to information

Candidates have specific rights of access to certain information concerning them individually, granted in the light of the obligation to state reasons, in order to allow for an appeal against rejection decisions.
This obligation to state reasons must be balanced with the confidentiality of the Selection Board proceedings, which ensures the boards' independence and the objectivity of the selection. Due to confidentiality, attitudes adopted by members of Selection Boards regarding the individual or comparative assessments of candidates cannot be disclosed.
These access rights are specific to candidates in an open competition and legislation on public access to documents may not confer on them rights broader than those specified in this section.
3.2.1.   Automatic disclosure

You will automatically receive the following information via your EPSO account after each stage of the selection process organised for a given competition:






—



MCQ tests: your results and a grid with your answers and the correct answers by reference number/letter. Access to the text of the questions and answers is explicitly excluded;










—



eligibility: whether you were admitted; if not, the eligibility conditions that were not met;










—



Talent Screener: your results and a grid with the question weightings, the points awarded for your answers and your total score;










—



preliminary tests: your results;










—



intermediate tests: your results if you are not amongst the candidates invited to the next phase;










—



assessment centre/phase: if you are not disqualified, your competency passport showing your overall marks for each competency and the Selection Board’s comment providing quantitative and qualitative feedback on your performance at the assessment centre/phase.




As a rule, EPSO does not communicate to candidates any source texts or test assignments, as these are intended for re-use in future competitions. For certain tests, however, it may exceptionally publish the source texts or assignments on its website if:






—


the tests have been completed;










—


the results have been established and communicated to candidates; and










—


the source texts/assignments are not intended for reuse in future competitions.




3.2.2.   Information on request

You may request an uncorrected copy of your answers in written tests where the content is not intended for reuse in future competitions. This explicitly excludes answers to e-tray exercises and case studies.
Your corrected answer papers and the details of the marking, in particular, are covered by the secrecy of Selection Board proceedings and will not be disclosed.
EPSO endeavours to make as much information available to candidates as possible, in accordance with the obligation to state reasons, the confidential nature of Selection Board proceedings and the rules on the protection of personal data. All requests for information will be evaluated in light of these obligations.
Any requests for information should be submitted via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en) within 10 calendar days of the day your results were published in your EPSO account.
4.   COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES

4.1.   Technical and organisational issues

If, at any stage of the selection procedure, you encounter a serious technical or organisational problem, in order to allow us to investigate the issue and take corrective measures, please inform EPSO exclusively via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en).
In all correspondence, please mention your name (as given in your EPSO account), your application number and the reference number of the selection procedure.

If the problem occurs at a test centre, please:






—


alert the invigilators immediately so that a solution can be investigated at the centre itself. In any case, ask them to record your complaint in writing; and










—


contact EPSO no later than 3 calendar days after your tests via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en) with a brief description of the problem.




For problems occurring outside test centres (e.g. mainly concerning the test booking process), please follow the instructions in your EPSO account and on EPSO's website or contact EPSO immediately via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en).
For issues with your application, you must contact EPSO immediately and in any case before the deadline for applications via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en). Queries sent less than 5 working days before the deadline for applications might not be answered before the deadline.
4.2.   Internal review procedures

4.2.1.   Error in the computer-based multiple choice questions (MCQs)

The MCQ database is subject to permanent in-depth quality control by EPSO and Selection Boards.
If you believe that an error in one or more of the MCQs affected your ability to answer, you are entitled to ask for the question(s) to be reviewed by the Selection Board (under the ‘neutralisation’ procedure).
Under this procedure, the Selection Board may decide to cancel the question containing the error and to redistribute the points among the remaining questions of the test. Only those candidates who received that question will be affected by the recalculation. The marking of the tests remains as indicated in the relevant sections of this notice of competition.
Arrangements for complaints about the MCQ tests are as follows:






—



procedure: please contact EPSO only via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en);










—



language: in the Language 2 you chose for the competition in question;










—



deadline: within 3 calendar days of the date of your computer-based tests;










—



additional information: describe what the question was about (content) in order to identify the question(s) concerned, and explain the nature of the alleged error as clearly as possible.





Requests received after the deadline or that do not clearly describe the contested question(s) and alleged error will not be taken into account.

In particular, complaints merely pointing out alleged issues of translation, and which do not clearly specify the problem, will not be taken into account.

The same review procedure applies with regard to errors in the e-tray exercise.

4.2.2.   Requests for review

You can request a review of any decision taken by the Selection Board or EPSO that establishes your results and/or determines whether you can proceed to the next stage of the competition or are excluded.
Requests for review may be based on:






—


a material irregularity in the competition process; and/or










—


non-compliance, by the Selection Board or EPSO, with the Staff Regulations, the notice of competition, its annexes and/or case law.




Please note that you are not allowed to challenge the validity of the Selection Board’s assessment of the quality of your performance in a test or the relevance of your qualifications and professional experience. This assessment is a value judgment made by the board and your disagreement with the board’s evaluation of your tests, experience and/or qualifications does not prove that it has made an error. Requests for review submitted on this basis will not lead to a positive outcome.
Arrangements for requests for review are as follows:






—



procedure: please contact EPSO only via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en);










—



language: in the Language 2 you chose for the competition in question;










—



deadline: within 10 calendar days of the date on which the contested decision was published in your EPSO account;










—



additional information: indicate clearly the decision you wish to contest and on what grounds.





Requests received after the deadline will not be taken into account.

You will receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 15 working days. The body which took the contested decision (either the Selection Board or EPSO) will analyse and decide on your request and you will receive a reasoned reply as soon as possible.

If the outcome is positive, you will be re-entered in the selection process at the stage at which you were excluded, regardless of how far the competition has progressed in the meantime.
4.3.   Other forms of contestation

4.3.1.   Administrative complaints

As a candidate in an open competition, you have the right to address an administrative complaint to the Director of EPSO acting as the appointing authority.
You may submit a complaint against a decision, or lack thereof, that directly and immediately affects your legal status as a candidate, only if the rules governing the selection procedure have clearly been infringed. The Director of EPSO cannot overturn a value judgment made by a Selection Board (see section 4.2.2).
Arrangements for administrative complaints are as follows:






—



procedure: please contact EPSO only via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en);










—



language: in the Language 2 you chose for the competition in question;










—



deadline: within three months of notification of the contested decision or of the date by which a decision should have been made;










—



additional information: indicate clearly the decision you wish to contest and on what grounds.





Requests received after the deadline will not be taken into account.

4.3.2.   Judicial appeals

As a candidate in an open competition, you have the right to submit a judicial appeal to the General Court, under Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations.
Note that appeals against decisions taken by EPSO rather than by the Selection Board will not be admissible before the General Court unless an administrative complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations has first been made (see section 4.3.1). In particular, this is the case with the decisions concerning the general eligibility criteria, which are taken by EPSO not the Selection Board.
Arrangements for judicial appeals are as follows:






—



procedure: please consult the website of the General Court (http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/).




4.3.3.   European Ombudsman

All EU citizens and residents can make a complaint to the European Ombudsman.

Before you submit a complaint to the Ombudsman, you must first make the appropriate administrative approaches to the institutions and bodies concerned (see sections 4.1.-4.3.).
Making a complaint to the Ombudsman does not extend the deadlines for lodging administrative complaints or judicial appeals.
Arrangements for complaints to the Ombudsman are as follows:






—



procedure: please consult the website of the European Ombudsman (http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/).




4.4.   Disqualification from the selection procedure

You may be disqualified at any stage in a selection procedure if EPSO finds that you:






—


have created more than one EPSO account;










—


have applied to incompatible fields or profiles;










—


do not meet all the eligibility conditions;










—


made false declarations or declarations unsupported by the appropriate documents;










—


have failed to book or sit one or more of your tests;










—


have cheated during the tests;










—


did not declare in your application form the languages required in this Notice of Competition, or did not declare the minimum level(s) required for those languages;










—


attempted to contact a member of the Selection Board in an unauthorised manner;










—


failed to inform EPSO of a possible conflict of interest with a Selection Board member;










—


submitted your application in a language other than that/those specified in this notice of competition (allowances may be made regarding the use of another language for proper nouns, official titles and job titles as indicated in the supporting documents or labels/titles of diplomas); and/or










—


signed or wrote a distinctive mark on anonymously marked written or practical tests.




Candidates for recruitment by the EU institutions must show the highest possible integrity. Fraud or attempted fraud may render you liable to penalty and compromise your eligibility for future competitions.
End of ANNEX III, click here to return to main text





ANNEX IV

EXAMPLES OF MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS PER COUNTRY AND PER GRADE CORRESPONDING, IN PRINCIPLE, TO THOSE REQUIRED BY THE NOTICES OF COMPETITION

Please click here for an easy-to-read version of these examples









COUNTRY


AST-SC 1 to AST-SC 6
AST 1 to AST 7


AST 3 to AST 11


AD 5 to AD 16




Secondary education (giving access to post-secondary education)


Post-secondary education (non-university higher education course or short university course lasting at least two years)


University-level education (lasting at least three years)


University-level education (four years or more)




Belgique —
België —
Belgien


Certificat de l’enseignement secondaire supérieur (CESS)/Diploma secundair onderwijs
Diplôme d'aptitude à accéder à l'enseignement supérieur (DAES)/Getuigschrift van hoger secundair onderwijs
Diplôme d'enseignement professionnel/Getuigschrift van het beroepssecundair onderwijs


Candidature/Kandidaat
Graduat/Gegradueerde
Bachelor/Professioneel gerichte Bachelor


Bachelor académique (180 crédits)
Academisch gerichte Bachelor (180 ECTS)


Licence/Licentiaat
Master
Diplôme d'études approfondies (DEA)
Diplôme d'études spécialisées (DES)
Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées (DESS)
Gediplomeerde in de Voortgezette Studies (GVS)
Gediplomeerde in de Gespecialiseerde Studies (GGS)
Gediplomeerde in de Aanvullende Studies (GAS)
Agrégation/Aggregaat
Ingénieur industriel/Industrieel ingenieur
Doctorat/Doctoraal diploma




България


Диплома за завършено средно образование


Специалист по …


 


Диплома за висше образование
Бакалавър
Магистър




Česká republika


Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce


Vysvědčení o absolutoriu (Absolutorium) + diplomovaný specialista (DiS.)


Diplom o ukončení bakalářského studia (Bakalář)


Diplom o ukončení vysokoškolského studia
Magistr
Doktor




Danmark


Bevis for:
Studentereksamen
Højere Forberedelseseksamen (HF)
Højere Handelseksamen (HHX)
Højere Afgangseksamen (HA)
Bac pro: Bevis for Højere Teknisk Eksamen (HTX)


Videregående uddannelser
= Bevis for = Eksamensbevis som (erhvervsakademiuddannelse AK)


Bachelorgrad (BA eller BS)
Professionsbachelorgrad
Diplomingeniør


Kandidatgrad/Candidatus
Master/Magistergrad (mag.art)
Licenciatgrad
ph.d.-grad




Deutschland


Abitur/Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife
Fachabitur/Zeugnis der Fachhochschulreife


 


Fachhochschulabschluss
Bachelor


Hochschulabschluss /Fachhochschulabschluss / Master
Magister Artium/Magistra Artium
Staatsexamen/Diplom
Erstes Juristisches Staatsexamen
Doktorgrad




Eesti


Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus + riigieksamitunnistus
Lõputunnistus kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta


Tunnistus keskhariduse baasil kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta


Bakalaureusekraad (min 120 ainepunkti)
Bakalaureusekraad (< 160 ainepunkti)


Rakenduskõrghariduse diplom
Bakalaureusekraad (160 ainepunkti)
Magistrikraad
Arstikraad
Hambaarstikraad
Loomaarstikraad
Filosoofiadoktor
Doktorikraad (120–160 ainepunkti)




Éire/Ireland


Ardteistiméireacht, Grád D3, I 5 ábhar/Leaving Certificate Grade D3 in 5 subjects
Gairmchlár na hArdteistiméireachta (GCAT)/Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)


Teastas Náisiúnta/National Certificate
Gnáthchéim bhaitsiléara/Ordinary bachelor degree
Dioplóma náisiúnta (ND, Dip.)/National diploma (ND, Dip.)
Ardteastas (120 ECTS)/Higher Certificate (120 ECTS)


Céim onóracha bhaitsiléara (3 bliana/180 ECTS) (BA, B.Sc, B.Eng)/Honours bachelor degree (3 years/180 ECTS) (BA, B.Sc, B.Eng)


Céim onóracha bhaitsiléara (4 bliana/240 ECTS)/Honours bachelor degree (4 years/240 ECTS)
Céim ollscoile/University degree
Céim mháistir (60-120 ECTS)/Master’s degree (60-120 ECTS)
Dochtúireacht/Doctorate




Ελλάδα


Απολυτήριο Γενικού Λυκείου Απολυτήριο Κλασικού Λυκείου
Απολυτήριο Τεχνικού Επαγγελματικού Λυκείου
Απολυτήριο Ενιαίου Πολυκλαδικού Λυκείου
Απολυτήριο Ενιαίου Λυκείου
Απολυτήριο Τεχνολογικού Επαγγελματικού Εκπαιδευτηρίου


Δίπλωμα επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης (ΙΕΚ)


 


Πτυχίο ΑΕΙ (πανεπιστημίου, πολυτεχνείου, ΤΕΙ)
Μεταπτυχιακό Δίπλωμα Ειδίκευσης (2ος κύκλος)
Διδακτορικό Δίπλωμα (3ος κύκλος)




España


Bachillerato + Curso de Orientación Universitaria (COU)
Bachillerato
BUP
Diploma de Técnico especialista


FP grado superior (Técnico superior)


Diplomado/Ingeniero técnico


Licenciatura
Máster
Ingeniero
Título de Doctor




France


Baccalauréat
Diplôme d'accès aux études universitaires (DAEU)
Brevet de technicien


Diplôme d'études universitaires générales (DEUG)
Brevet de technicien supérieur (BTS)
Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT)
Diplôme d'études universitaires scientifiques et techniques (DEUST)


Licence


Maîtrise
Maîtrise des sciences et techniques (MST), maîtrise des sciences de gestion (MSG), diplôme d'études supérieures techniques (DEST), diplôme de recherche technologique (DRT), diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées (DESS), diplôme d'études approfondies (DEA), master 1, master 2 professionnel, master 2 recherche
Diplôme des grandes écoles
Diplôme d'ingénieur
Doctorat




Hrvatska


Svjedodžba o državnoj maturi
Svjedodžba o završnom ispitu


Stručni pristupnik/pristupnica


Baccalaureus/Baccalaurea (sveučilišni prvostupnik/prvostupnica)


Baccalaureus/Baccalaurea (sveučilišni prvostupnik/prvostupnica)
Stručni specijalist
Magistar struke
Magistar inženjer/magistrica inženjerka (mag. ing)
Doktor struke
Doktor umjetnosti




Italia


Diploma di maturità (vecchio ordinamento)
Perito ragioniere
Diploma di superamento dell’esame di Stato conclusivo dei corsi di studio di istruzione secondaria superiore


Diploma universitario (DU)
Certificato di specializzazione tecnica superiore
Attestato di competenza (4 semestri)


Diploma di laurea – L (breve)


Diploma di laurea (DL)
Laurea specialistica (LS)
Master di I livello
Dottorato di ricerca (DR)




Κύπρος


Απολυτήριο


Δίπλωμα = Programmes offered by Public/Private Schools of Higher Education (for the latter accreditation is compulsory)
Higher Diploma


 


Πανεπιστημιακό Πτυχίο/Bachelor
Master
Doctorat




Latvija


Atestāts par vispārējo vidējo izglītību
Diploms par profesionālo vidējo izglītību


Diploms par pirmā līmeņa profesionālo augstāko izglītību


Bakalaura diploms (min. 120 kredītpunktu)


Bakalaura diploms (160 kredītpunktu)
Profesionālā bakalaura diploms
Maģistra diploms
Profesionālā maģistra diploms
Doktora grāds




Lietuva


Brandos atestatas


Aukštojo mokslo diplomas
Aukštesniojo mokslo diplomas


Profesinio bakalauro diplomas
Aukštojo mokslo diplomas


Aukštojo mokslo diplomas
Bakalauro diplomas
Magistro diplomas
Daktaro diplomas
Meno licenciato diplomas




Luxembourg


Diplôme de fin d’études secondaires et techniques


BTS
Brevet de maîtrise
Brevet de technicien supérieur
Diplôme de premier cycle universitaire (DPCU)
Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT)


Bachelor
Diplôme d'ingénieur technicien


Master
Diplôme d'ingénieur industriel
DESS en droit européen




Magyarország


Gimnáziumi érettségi bizonyítvány
Szakközépiskolai érettségi-képesítő bizonyítvány


Felsőfokú szakképesítést igazoló bizonyítvány (Higher Vocational Programme)


Főiskolai oklevél
Alapfokozat (Bachelor degree 180 credits)


Egyetemi oklevél
Alapfokozat (Bachelor degree 240 credits)
Mesterfokozat (Master degree) (Osztatlan mesterképzés)
Doktori fokozat




Malta


Advanced Matriculation or GCE Advanced level in 3 subjects (2 of them grade C or higher)
Matriculation certificate (2 subjects at Advanced level and 4 at Intermediate level including Systems of Knowledge with overall grade A-C) + Passes in the Secondary Education Certificate examination at Grade 5 2 A Levels (passes A-C) + a number of subjects at Ordinary level, or equivalent


MCAST diplomas/certificates
Higher National Diploma


Bachelor’s degree


Bachelor’s degree
Master of Arts
Doctorate




Nederland


Diploma VWO
Diploma staatsexamen (2 diploma's)
Diploma staatsexamen voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs (Diploma staatsexamen VWO)
Diploma staatsexamen hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs (Diploma staatsexamen HAVO)


Kandidaatsexamen
Associate degree (AD)


Bachelor (WO)
HBO bachelor degree
Baccalaureus of „Ingenieur”


HBO/WO Master's degree
Doctoraal examen/Doctoraat




Österreich


Matura/Reifeprüfung
Reife- und Diplomprüfung
Berufsreifeprüfung


Kollegdiplom/Akademiediplom


Fachhochschuldiplom / Bakkalaureus/ Bakkalaurea


Universitätsdiplom
Fachhochschuldiplom
Magister/Magistra
Master
Diplomprüfung, Diplom-Ingenieur
Magisterprüfungszeugnis Rigorosenzeugnis
Doktortitel




Polska


Świadectwo dojrzałości
Świadectwo ukończenia liceum ogólnokształcącego


Dyplom ukończenia kolegium nauczycielskiego
Świadectwo ukończenia szkoły policealnej


Licencjat/Inżynier


Magister/Magister inżynier
Dyplom doktora




Portugal


Diploma de Ensino Secundário
Certificado de Habilitações do Ensino Secundário


 


Bacharel Licenciado


Licenciado
Mestre
Doutorado




România


Diplomă de bacalaureat


Diplomă de absolvire (colegiu universitar)
Învățământ preuniversitar


Diplomă de licență


Diplomă de licență
Diplomă de inginer
Diplomă de urbanist
Diplomă de master
Certificat de atestare (studii academice postuniversitare)
Diplomă de doctor




Slovenija


Maturitetno spričevalo (spričevalo o poklicni maturi) (spričevalo o zaključnem izpitu)


Diploma višje strokovne šole


Diploma o pridobljeni visoki strokovni izobrazbi


Univerzitetna diploma
Magisterij
Specializacija
Doktorat




Slovensko


Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške


Absolventský diplom


Diplom o ukončení bakalárskeho štúdia (Bakalár)


Diplom o ukončení vysokoškolského štúdia
Bakalár (Bc.)
Magister
Magister/Inžinier
ArtD.




Suomi/Finland


Ylioppilastutkinto tai peruskoulu + kolmen vuoden ammatillinen koulutus - Studentexamen eller grundskola + treårig yrkesinriktad utbildning
Todistus yhdistelmäopinnoista (Betyg över kombinationsstudier)


Ammatillinen opistoasteen tutkinto -Yrkesexamen på institutnivå


Kandidaatin tutkinto -Kandidatexamen/Ammattikorkeakoulututkinto - Yrkeshögskoleexamen (min. 120 opintoviikkoa - studieveckor)


Maisterin tutkinto - Magisterexamen/ Ammattikorkeakoulututkinto - Yrkeshögskoleexamen (min. 160 opintoviikkoa - studieveckor)
Tohtorin tutkinto (Doktorsexamen) joko 4 vuotta tai 2 vuotta lisensiaatin tutkinnon jälkeen - antingen 4 år eller 2 år efter licentiatexamen
Lisensiaatti/Licentiat




Sverige


Slutbetyg från gymnasieskolan (3-årig gymnasial utbildning)


Högskoleexamen (80 poäng)
Högskoleexamen, 2 år, 120 högskolepoäng
Yrkeshögskoleexamen/Kvalificerad yrkeshögskoleexamen, 1–3 år


Kandidatexamen (akademisk examen omfattande minst 120 poäng, varav 60 poäng fördjupade studier i ett ämne + uppsats motsvarande 10 poäng)
Meriter på grundnivå: Kandidatexamen, 3 år, 180 högskolepoäng (Bachelor)


Magisterexamen (akademisk examen omfattande minst 160 poäng, varav 80 poäng fördjupade studier i ett ämne + uppsats motsvarande 20 poäng eller två uppsatser motsvarande 10 poäng vardera)






—


Licentiatexamen










—


Doktorsexamen




Meriter på avancerad nivå:






—


Magisterexamen, 1 år, 60 högskolepoäng










—


Masterexamen, 2 år, 120 högskolepoäng




Meriter på forskarnivå:






—


Licentiatexamen, 2 år, 120 högskolepoäng










—


Doktorsexamen, 4 år, 240 högskolepoäng








United Kingdom


General Certificate of Education Advanced level — 2 passes or equivalent (grades A to E)
BTEC National Diploma
General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ), advanced level
Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education, A level (VCE A level)


Higher National Diploma/Certificate (BTEC)/SCOTVEC
Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ)
Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) level 4


(Honours) Bachelor degree
NB: Master’s degree in Scotland


Honours Bachelor degree
Master’s degree (MA, MB, MEng, MPhil, MSc)
Doctorate




End of ANNEX IV, click here to return to main text