Notice of Open Competition — EPSO/AD/393/21 — Administrators (AD 6) in the Field of Data Protection
Date: 2021-09-09
Institutions: European Personnel Selection Office
Subjects: administrator, competition (EU), data protection, job vacancy, personal data, recruitment








CA2021363EN.01000101.xml










9.9.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 363/1






NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION
EPSO/AD/393/21 — ADMINISTRATORS (AD 6) IN THE FIELD OF DATA PROTECTION
(2021/C 363 A/01)


Deadline for registration: 12 October 2021 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 a reserve list from which the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the Economic and Social Committee, the European Court of Justice and the European External Action Service 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 this selection procedure.
Please see ANNEX II for the general rules governing open competitions.
Number of successful candidates sought: 76

Throughout the selection procedure, you will be invited to sit several tests as indicated in this Notice of Competition. EPSO will ensure that the conditions under which you sit such tests are in line with the recommendations established by the relevant Public Health Authorities (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control/other International/European and national authorities).

WHAT TASKS CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?

The duties include the preparation of reports, opinions, guidelines, recommendations, best practices and decisions with a view to ensuring the interpretation and application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) and of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2), of the Police Data Protection Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) and of other relevant Union legislation, as well as monitoring policy and legislative developments relating to the protection of personal data.
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. The eligibility requirements laid down in this section will be checked against the data provided in candidates’ online applications prior to the Assessment centre tests. In addition, the declarations made in the online applications will be checked against candidates’ supporting documents before drawing up the reserve list. Candidates will be informed of the decision taken. 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’ and ‘Professional Experience’ of the candidates’ online application, taking into account the duties mentioned in Annex I.
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
 at minimum C1 level (thorough 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://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52

In this Notice of Competition, we will refer to the languages as:






—


Language 1: language used for the 
verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning
 computer-based Multiple-Choice Question tests at the assessment centre.










—


Language 2: language used for the 
field-related
 computer-based Multiple-Choice Question test and for testing the 
general and the field-related competencies
 at the assessment centre. This must be different from language 1.




Communication via the EPSO account between EPSO and the candidates who have submitted a valid application will take place in one of the languages they have declared in their application form at B2 level or higher.


Language 2 must be English or French.


This competition is organised mainly to respond to the needs of the EDPS as well as to those of other departments dealing with data protection aspects within the recruiting institutions.
Successful candidates recruited for the data protection field are required to have a thorough knowledge of English or French, at least at C1 level, which is the minimum level required to provide legal analysis in one of those languages, both orally and in writing.
As regards communication with external stakeholders such as national data protection authorities, opinions and recommendations issued, as well as for inspections performed, a thorough knowledge of English or French is essential. Internally, the EDPS and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) work mainly in English and French: all meetings are conducted in English or French, and these two languages are used in briefings, reporting, draft documents as well as all the provision of external advice.
Moreover, as far as the legal services and other departments of the recruiting institutions are concerned:






—


Officials working with data protection, including in units dealing with legal affairs, in the legal services and other departments of the institutions provide legal advice both within the institutions and to other stakeholders. The advice, guidance, legal opinions, reports, analysis, decisions and other documents produced by the data protection officials, as well as the documents they review, are generally drafted in English or French.










—


Communication with the Member States takes place mostly in English and interinstitutional negotiations and communication take place in English or French. Interinstitutional meetings on these subjects are carried out in these two languages and thus requiring that legal advisors and other participants in these meetings master English or French in order to follow the debates, intervene and provide legal advice.










—


As concerns litigation work, which is a significant part of the work of the legal services and other departments of the institutions, all procedural documents must be sent to the EU courts both in the language of the case and in French, which is, by custom, the language in which the EU courts conduct deliberations. The legal services and other departments must be able to draw on a sufficient number of administrators who are able to review the French version of the procedural documents to be submitted to the EU courts. Moreover, part of the case law of the General Court is available only in French and in the language of the case. In order to provide the high quality and thorough legal research and advice expected, the legal services and other departments must therefore have a sufficient number of administrators with a thorough command of French.




This choice is therefore service-oriented and, consequently, laureates are required to have knowledge of English or French at least at C1 level in order to be immediately operational following recruitment.
3)   Specific conditions — qualifications and work experience

A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of 
at least 3 years
 attested by a diploma, followed by 
at least 3 years’
 appropriate graduate-level professional experience related to the field of the competition, i.e. the development of data protection policies and/or the application of data protection legal framework.
Please see ANNEX III 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 for the tests






—


language 1 from among any of the 24 official EU languages; and










—


language 2 between English or French. This must be different from language 1.














—


confirm your eligibility for the competition










—


provide further information 
relevant to the competition
 (for example: diplomas, work experience)




The online application form is available in the 24 official EU languages. You can select any of these languages when completing it.
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 field-related Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) test

If you validate your application form within the deadline, you will be invited to a computer-based 
field-related
 MCQ test in one of EPSO’s accredited centres or remotely. Unless instructed otherwise, 
you must book
 an appointment for the MCQ test following the instructions received from EPSO. EPSO will offer you typically several dates on which you can sit the test in various locations. Alternatively, EPSO may decide to offer you the possibility to sit the test online. The booking and testing periods 
are limited
.
The computer-based field-related MCQ test will be organised as follows:










Test


Language


Questions


Duration


Marking


Pass mark




Field-related MCQ


Language 2


40 questions


60 min


Out of 40


20/40




This test is eliminatory, which means that in order to proceed to the next phase of the competition, you must obtain at least the pass mark indicated in the table above. The mark obtained will be added to the other marks obtained at the assessment centre in the calculation of your total score.
3)   Assessment centre



A maximum of 3 times
 the number of successful candidates sought 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 marks
 for the computer-based field-related MCQ test, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre (online or in-person) over one or several days. Unless instructed otherwise, you will have to upload scanned copies of your supporting documents to your EPSO account. Further details and instructions will be included in your invitation letter.


Tests:








a)


As described in the following matrices, eight 
general
 competencies will be assessed through 
two tests
 — Case study and Situational Competency-Based Interview. The 
field-related
 competencies will be assessed through 
one test
 — field-related interview. You will take all these tests in your 
language 2
.










Competency


Test










1.


Analysis and problem-solving






Case study










2.


Communication






Case study










3.


Delivering quality and results






Case study










4.


Learning and development






Situational Competency-Based Interview










5.


Prioritising and organising






Case study










6.


Resilience






Situational Competency-Based Interview










7.


Working with others






Situational Competency-Based Interview










8.


Leadership






Situational Competency-Based Interview






Pass marks:
 Each competency will be marked out of 10. There is no pass mark per competency, however you must reach a pass mark of at least 40/80 in total. The marks obtained in these tests will count towards the final overall mark.








Competency


Test


Marking


Pass mark




Field-related competencies


Field-related interview


Out of 140


70/140




For the field-related interview test, you must obtain at least the pass mark indicated in the table above in order to proceed in the competition. The mark obtained in this test will count towards the final overall mark.






b)


Unless instructed otherwise, 
you must book
 an appointment for the verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning MCQ tests following the instructions received from EPSO. EPSO will offer you typically several dates on which you can sit the tests in various locations. Alternatively, EPSO may decide to offer you the possibility to sit the tests online. The booking and testing periods 
are limited
.




The computer-based verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning MCQ tests will be organised as follows:









Tests


Language


Questions


Duration


Marking




Verbal reasoning


Language 1


20 questions


35 min


Out of 20




Numerical reasoning


Language 1


10 questions


20 min


Out of 10




Abstract reasoning


Language 1


10 questions


10 min


Out of 10




There is no pass mark for these computer-based MCQ tests. The marks obtained in these tests will count towards the final overall mark.
4)   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
 — until the number of successful candidates sought is reached — of those eligible candidates who have obtained the pass marks required as well as the highest overall marks, out of 300, following the computer-based field-related MCQ test and the assessment centre. Names will be listed alphabetically.
The reserve list 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, equality of 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 follow the procedure to request special adjustments in the selection tests as described in the General rules in Annex II to this notice (under point 1.3. Equal opportunities and special adjustments).
Discover more about our equal opportunities policy and how to request special adjustments on our website (https://epso.europa.eu/how-to-apply/equal-opportunities).

WHEN AND WHERE CAN I APPLY?

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


12 October 2021 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time.




(1)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39).

(2)  Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1).

(3)  Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 89).




ANNEX I
DUTIES
As this competition is being organised mainly to respond to the needs of the EDPS as well as to those of the legal services and other departments of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the Economic and Social Committee and the European Court of Justice dealing with data protection aspects, the duties which may be performed by laureates recruited fall into the following two broad categories:
(a)   For the EDPS and European Data Protection Board (EDPB) Secretariat

In order to protect and guarantee the fundamental rights to data protection and privacy enshrined in Article 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, the processing of personal data is subject to control by an independent authority. The EDPS is the EU’s independent data protection authority, tasked with ensuring that the EU institutions, bodies and agencies (EUIs) respect data protection law.
Acting under the authority of the Supervisor and the Director, the officials recruited will carry out various tasks in accordance with the Head of Unit’s instructions. Where the officials will work in the EDPB Secretariat, they will act under the exclusive instructions of the Chair of the EDPB and will be subject to separate reporting lines from the other staff involved in carrying out tasks conferred on the EDPS.
In the EDPS and the EDPB Secretariat, the administrators’ main duties may include, but are not limited to:






—


informing and advising the EUIs under EDPS supervision on good practice in the area of data protection and informing and advising those responsible for processing personal data of their obligations, drafting respective guidance documents and contributing to promoting public awareness and understanding of the risks, rules, safeguards and rights in relation to processing of personal data;










—


providing information to data subjects concerning the exercise of their rights;










—


conducting investigations on the application of the data protection rules applicable to EUIs;










—


cooperating with Data Protection Officers of the EUIs as well as with national Data Protection Authorities, international organisations and other bodies competent in the field of data protection;










—


dealing with consultations, including prior consultations on data protection impact assessments, on decisions and authorisations under data protection rules applicable to EUIs under EDPS supervision;










—


assessing the impact of technological choices on data protection and providing advice on designing technological solutions that support data protection;










—


performing audit activities, assessing and evaluating the security of computer and automated systems and assessing personal data breach notifications to evaluate their severity and advise controllers on appropriate measures;










—


advising the EUIs, in charge of administrative measures and internal rules, on processing of personal data;










—


following up legislative developments in the field of data protection, assessing compliance of legislative or policy proposals with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and relevant data protection legislation and formulating recommendations for the EU legislator (on legislative or policy proposals);










—


performing various tasks in connection with litigation, drafting position statements and representing the institution in court cases, where necessary, before the Court of Justice or the General Court, in the field of data protection;










—


monitoring relevant technological developments, insofar as they have an impact on the protection of personal data, in particular the development of information and communication technologies;










—


advising on policies and legislation concerning technological developments that affect privacy and personal data protection;










—


promoting and reinforcing application of the principles of ‘data protection by design and by default’;










—


contributing to the drafting of EDPB documents, such as guidelines, opinions and binding decisions;










—


in the framework of the EDPB Secretariat, providing analytical and some administrative support to the EDPB, including relating to its day to day management;










—


providing information to data subjects concerning the exercise of their rights in relation with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










—


handling complaints lodged under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 by data subjects or by bodies, organisations or associations mandated to act on their behalf, and investigate, to the extent appropriate, the subject matter of the complaint;










—


handling, where appropriate, access to personal information, access to documents and access to file requests.




(b)   For the legal services and other departments of the recruiting institutions

To ensure, that Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018‘on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions’ is applied within the European institutions, the laureates recruited shall ensure that the rights and freedoms of the data subjects are unlikely to be adversely affected by the processing operations of the institutions and the Controller is compliant with its duties.
In the institutions, the administrators’ main duties may include, but are not limited to:






—


contributing to the implementation and monitoring the application of data protection rules by Directorates-General within the institutions and to provide guidance in this respect;










—


advising on the application of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679;










—


recommending practical improvements of data protection for existing or planned processing in the institutions;










—


participating to all projects of the Institution involving personal data, providing suggestions, recommendations and best practices for a lawful application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










—


contributing to ensuring cooperation with the European Data Protection Supervisor, the Data Protection Officers and the Coordinators of other institutions and Agencies;










—


providing information to data subjects concerning the exercise of their rights in relation with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725;










—


handling complaints lodged under Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 by data subjects or by bodies, organisations or associations mandated to act on their behalf, and investigate, to the extent appropriate, the subject matter of the complaint;










—


handling where appropriate, access to personal information, access to documents and access to file requests.




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





ANNEX II
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); or










—


post:





European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)




EPSO accessibility




L107 02/DCS




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 judgement 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.








5.



SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR RECRUITMENT IN THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION





In accordance with Article 10(2) of Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 (1), all European Commission staff handling sensitive and classified information requiring a high degree of confidentiality (‘EU classified’ information) must have the appropriate level of security authorisation (‘EU SECRET’).
Consequently, successful candidates in a competition may be asked, as a pre-requisite for recruitment to certain posts in the European Commission, to submit themselves to the security clearance procedure laid down in the Decision. Such a pre-requisite will be clearly indicated in the vacancy notice for the post concerned. Successful candidates shall be prepared to undergo the clearance procedure which is carried out by the national competent authority in the Member State of their nationality. Applicants are advised to inform themselves about the procedure before applying to this competition.
End of ANNEX II, click here to return to main text


(1)  Commission Decision 2015/444 of 13 March 2015 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 72, 17.3.2015, p. 53).





ANNEX III
EXAMPLES OF MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS PER MEMBER STATE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM 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




Česko


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 (IΕΚ)


 


Πτυχίο ΑΕI (πανεπιστημίου, πολυτεχνείου, ΤΕI)
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 licenţă


Diplomă de licenţă
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





NOTE:


UK diplomas awarded in 2020 (until 31 December 2020) are accepted without an equivalence. UK diplomas awarded as from 1 January 2021 must be accompanied by an equivalence issued by a competent authority of an EU Member State.





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