Notice of open competition – EUIPO/AD/01/23 – Administrators (AD 6) in the field of intellectual property
Date: 2023-07-20
Institutions: European Personnel Selection Office
Subjects: European Union Intellectual Property Office, administrator, competition (EU), intellectual property, recruitment








CA2023255EN.01000101.xml










20.7.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 255/1






NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION
EUIPO/AD/01/23 – Administrators (AD 6) in the field of intellectual property
(2023/C 255 A/01)


Deadline for application: 29 August 2023 at 12:00 (midday), Central European Time


CONTENTS







1.

GENERAL PROVISIONS
2










2.

WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?
2










3.

AM I ELIGIBLE?
2










3.1.

General conditions
2










3.2.

Specific conditions — languages
2










3.3.

Specific conditions — qualifications and work experience
2










4.

HOW WILL THE COMPETITION BE ORGANISED?
3










4.1.

Overview of the competition procedures
3










4.2.

Languages used in this competition
3










4.2.1.

Language requirements
3










4.2.2.

Application and test languages
3










4.3.

Competition phases
4










4.3.1.

Application
4










4.3.2.

Testing
4










4.3.3.

The ranking of candidates, eligibility check, and establishment of the reserve list
5










5.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
6










6.

PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION
6










ANNEX I

– General rules
7










ANNEX II

– Typical duties
14










ANNEX III

– Examples of minimum qualifications
15



1.   GENERAL PROVISIONS

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 Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) located in Alicante, Spain, may recruit new members of the civil service as ‘administrators’ (function group AD). This open competition is organised in the name and on behalf of the European Union Intellectual Property Office acting as appointing authority (hereinafter ‘EUIPO’ or ‘the Appointing Authority’).
This notice of competition and its annexes, including Annex I ‘General rules’, form the legally binding framework for this competition.

Number of successful candidates sought: 200

EPSO and EUIPO endeavour to use gender-neutral and inclusive language to the extent possible. Any reference to a person of a specific gender must be deemed also to constitute a reference to a person of any other gender.
2.   WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?

Please see Annex II for information about the typical duties that the successful candidates can expect to perform.
3.   AM I ELIGIBLE?

Candidates must meet all the general and specific eligibility conditions listed below, on the closing date for applications.
3.1.   General conditions

A candidate must:






1.


enjoy full rights as a citizen of a Member State of the EU;










2.


have fulfilled any obligations imposed by national laws concerning military service;










3.


meet the character requirements for the duties concerned.




3.2.   Specific conditions — languages

A candidate must have knowledge of the languages as provided for in Section 4.2.1 below.
3.3.   Specific conditions — qualifications and work experience

Please see Annex III for examples of minimum qualifications.






(a)


To be eligible, a candidate must meet the requirements listed in one of the following points:






(i)


Have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three years, attested by a diploma in law, followed by a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience.










(ii)


Have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three years, attested by a diploma in a field other than law, followed by a minimum of five years of relevant professional experience.










(iii)


Have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three years, attested by a diploma, followed by a minimum of four years of relevant professional experience, and have an advanced degree in intellectual property rights (Master’s, PhD/doctorate, or equivalent).














(b)


The professional experience referred to in points 3.3(a)(i) to (iii) above will be considered relevant if it was acquired in the field of intellectual property and is directly related to the nature of at least two duties, indicated in Annex II to this notice.
In cases referred to in point (a)(iii), up to three years of the total length of the PhD/doctorate (or equivalent) studies will count as professional experience for the purposes of establishing whether the candidate meets the requirement of the minimum length of relevant professional experience set by this point.




4.   HOW WILL THE COMPETITION BE ORGANISED?

4.1.   Overview of the competition procedures

This competition will be organised in the following phases:






—


Application (see Section 4.3.1).










—


Testing and scoring: reasoning tests, a multiple-choice question test related to the field of intellectual property (‘field-related MCQ test’), and a case study (see Section 4.3.2).










—


The ranking of candidates, eligibility check, and establishment of the reserve list (see Section 4.3.3).





The tests will be held and proctored remotely. Candidates must book a test appointment following the instructions received from EPSO. The booking and testing periods are limited. All other necessary details and instructions will be specified in the invitation letters to the tests.
4.2.   Languages used in this competition

4.2.1.   Language requirements

A candidate in this competition must have both of the following:






(a)


a thorough knowledge (minimum C1 level) of one of the 24 official EU languages. This language will further be referred to as ‘language 1’;










(b)


a satisfactory knowledge (minimum B2 level) of English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. This language will further be referred to as ‘language 2’. Language 2 must be different from language 1.




The minimum levels indicated above 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 (1)

The language requirements in this competition have been defined in accordance with the following regulations and the resulting interests of the service:






(a)


Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) (‘EUTMR’). Article 146(2) of the EUTMR provides that the languages of EUIPO are English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.










(b)


Council Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 (3). Articles 97 and 98 of Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 stipulate that these languages are languages of proceedings before EUIPO.




These language requirements also determine the languages of tests (see Section 4.2.2 below).
4.2.2.   Application and test languages

Languages will be used in different phases of the competition as follows:







Competition phase


Tests


Language




Application


—


In one of the 24 official EU languages




Testing


Reasoning tests


Language 1




Field-related MCQ test


Language 2




Case study


Language 2




Successful candidates, once recruited, will be asked to demonstrate their skills and competencies — both general and field-related — in one of the languages of the EUIPO. It is therefore necessary to organise the main aspects of the selection in this language.
Due to technical reasons and to guarantee consistency across the tests, the instructions given during tests, the IT interface(s) for test administration, and the language of communication with proctors will be in English. In the invitations to candidates and on EUIPO website, a link will be provided with the translation of the instructions and of the relevant print screen(s) of IT interface(s) into the five languages of EUIPO.
4.3.   Competition phases

4.3.1.   Application

To apply, a candidate needs to have an EPSO account. Candidates who do not yet have an EPSO account, will need to create one. Only one account may be created for all of a candidate’s EPSO applications.

The candidates must apply online on the
EPSO website (4)
by


29 August 2023 at 12:00 (midday), Central European Time.

By validating their application form, candidates declare on their honour that they meet all the conditions mentioned under Section ‘Am I eligible?’. Once the candidates have validated their application form, they will no longer be able to make any changes. It is the candidates’ responsibility to ensure that they complete and validate their application within the deadline.
Candidates will have to upload — to their EPSO account — scanned copies of the documents supporting the declarations made in their application form by 2 October 2023 at 12:00 (midday), Central European Time.
4.3.2.   Testing

All candidates who have validated their application form by the deadline indicated in this notice will be invited to sit a series of tests.
(a)   Reasoning tests

The tests of the candidates’ reasoning abilities will be organised as follows:









Test


Language


Questions


Duration


Pass mark




Verbal reasoning


Language 1


20 questions


35 min


10/20




Numerical reasoning


Language 1


10 questions


20 min


Numerical and abstract combined: 10/20




Abstract reasoning


Language 1


10 questions


10 min




To succeed in the reasoning tests, a candidate needs to reach both a pass score of at least 10/20 in the verbal reasoning test and a combined pass score of at least 10/20 in numerical and abstract reasoning tests.
These tests are aimed at selecting candidates with sufficient level of reasoning abilities. These tests are eliminatory, which means that while candidates need to reach the pass scores to remain in the competition, the scores obtained will not count towards the final overall score (see Section 4.3.3).
Candidates who do not reach the required pass score in the reasoning tests will not have the results of other tests (field-related MCQ test and the case study) scored and will not be notified of those results.
(b)   Field-related MCQ test

The field-related MCQ test will be organised as follows:










Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Field-related MCQ test


Language 2


30


35 minutes


0–30


15/30




A candidate needs to reach at least a pass score of 15/30. For candidates who reach the pass score, the score obtained in this test will count towards the final overall score as indicated in Section 4.3.3.
Candidates who do not reach the pass score in the field-related MCQ test will not have their case study scored.
(c)   Case study

The case study is aimed at assessing a candidate’s competency in written communication. It will be taken in language 2 and scored from 0 to 10. A candidate must reach at least a pass score of 5/10. For candidates who reach the pass score, the score obtained in this test will count towards the final overall score as indicated in Section 4.3.3.
4.3.3.   The ranking of candidates, eligibility check, and establishment of the reserve list

The Selection Board will verify and confirm the scores of the reasoning tests and field-related MCQ test and score the case study.
The Selection Board will then draw up the list of candidates in the descending order of their final overall scores established in the following way:









Test (5)



Scoring


Candidate’s test score


Weighting applied to the candidate’s test score (%)


Weighted scores




Field-related MCQ test


0–30


X


70



A = X * 0,7 




Case study


0–10


Y


30



B = Y * 3 * 0,3 





Final overall score = A + B





The Selection Board will then carry out the eligibility check which involves verifying compliance with the eligibility conditions set out in Section 3 (‘Am I eligible?’) of this notice. The Selection Board will take the decision on a candidate’s eligibility by verifying and comparing:






(a)


the declarations made in the application form; and










(b)


the documents uploaded to the candidate’s EPSO account to support those declarations.




The Selection Board will check the document files of the candidates in the descending order of their final overall scores until the number of candidates found to be eligible reaches the number of successful candidates sought.
The names of these candidates will be included in the reserve list. Candidates who tie for the last available place in the reserve list will also be added to that reserve list.
The document files of the remaining candidates will not be checked.
The candidates will be notified of their test results as indicated in this notice.
Names in the reserve list will be listed alphabetically and published in the Official Journal. Candidates will have five working days from the date of the notification of the results to inform EUIPO via the relevant EUIPO functional mailbox (6) should they wish their name not to be published. The reserve list will be made available to the recruiting services for further recruitment procedures, which may include further tests and interviews, as deemed appropriate.

Inclusion on a reserve list does not confer any right to or guarantee of recruitment.

5.   EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

EPSO and EUIPO endeavour to apply an equal opportunities policy to all candidates.
Candidates who have a disability or a medical condition that may affect their ability to take the tests, should follow the procedure to request reasonable accommodations as described on EPSO website (7). Having examined the candidates’ request as well as the relevant supporting documents, EPSO may grant reasonable accommodations where deemed necessary.
6.   PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION

Candidates’ personal data are processed as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8). EPSO and EUIPO shall act as joint controllers within the meaning of Article 28 of that Regulation.
The Specific Privacy Statement is available at this link (9).


(1)  https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52

(2)  Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the European Union trade mark (OJ L 154, 16.6.2017, p. 1).

(3)  Council Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 of 12 December 2001 on Community designs (OJ L 3, 5.1.2002, p. 1).

(4)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application

(5)  See conditions in Section 4.3.2.

(6)  EUIPO-AD-01-23@euipo.europa.eu

(7)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/selection-procedure/equal-opportunities-diversity-inclusion/how-to-request-special-adjustment

(8)  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).

(9)  https://euipo.europa.eu/tunnel-web/secure/webdav/guest/document_library/contentPdfs/data_protection/IPCompetition2023_en.pdf




ANNEX I
GENERAL RULES
1.   Basic provisions







(1)


The provisions of these general rules apply unless the notice of competition states otherwise.










(2)


Candidates receive time-sensitive information in their EPSO accounts. They should check their EPSO account at least every 3 calendar days to keep track of their progress during the competition and to avoid missing a deadline.
If a candidate cannot do this due to a technical problem on the part of EPSO, they must notify EPSO immediately via the online contact form (1).










(3)


Where several candidates tie for the last available place at any phase of the competition, they will all go on to the next phase of the competition. Where several candidates tie for the last available place on the reserve list, they will all be included on the reserve list.










(4)


When EPSO addresses a candidate via the EPSO account or by email, it will do so in one of the languages that the candidate has declared to have knowledge of at level B2 or higher (2) in the ‘Ability to read’ section in the application form.










(5)


Candidates can contact EPSO via the online contact form available on the EPSO website (3). Before contacting EPSO, candidates are invited to consult the ‘frequently asked questions’ section on the EPSO website (4).










(6)


EPSO reserves the right to cease any improper (i.e. repetitive, abusive and/or irrelevant) correspondence.




2.   Qualifications, experience, supporting documents

The start and end of periods of education or experience should always be indicated in the dd/mm/yyyy format.
2.1.   Educational qualifications







(1)


Degrees, diplomas and/or certificates, whether issued in EU or non-EU countries, must be recognised by a competent authority of an EU Member State.










(2)


The differences between national education systems, in particular the differences between the titles given to degrees, diplomas and certificates, will be taken into account when assessing whether candidates have the qualifications required by the notice of competition.










(3)


For any educational qualification, candidates should indicate the title, the level of education, subjects covered, the start and end dates of the studies, and the regular/official study duration.










(4)


In the ‘Education’ tab of the application form, candidates should also include their secondary education qualification.




2.2.   Professional experience







(1)


To be taken into account, professional experience must meet the following general/minimum conditions:






(a)


it must be acquired after obtaining the required minimum educational qualification indicated in the notice of competition;










(b)


it must constitute genuine and effective work;










(c)


it has to be remunerated;










(d)


it must involve a professional relationship, i.e. being part of an organisational structure, or supplying a service;










(e)


it must be relevant to the duties listed in Annex II as indicated in the notice of competition. If only a part of the tasks carried out during a given period of professional experience can be considered relevant, the following rules will apply:






—


if more than 75 % of tasks are relevant, the whole period of professional experience will be considered relevant,










—


if 50–75 % of tasks are relevant, the given period of professional experience will be counted at the rate of 75 %,










—


if 20–50 % of tasks are relevant, the given period of professional experience will be counted at the rate of 50 %,










—


if less than 20 % of tasks are relevant, the given period of professional experience will not be taken into account.


















(2)


Professional experience listed below will be considered in the light of specific rules, including certain exemptions from the requirements referred to in paragraph (1) above.






(a)


In case of voluntary work, ‘remuneration’ is to be understood as any financial contribution received, including cost reimbursement and insurance coverage. Furthermore, voluntary work must involve weekly hours and duration similar to a regular job.










(b)


In case of traineeships, ‘remuneration’ is to be understood as any financial contribution received, including cost reimbursement and insurance coverage. A compulsory traineeship which is part of a studies programme, may be taken into account provided that (i) the traineeship is undertaken after achieving the minimum educational qualification indicated in the notice of competition; and that (ii) the traineeship is remunerated.










(c)


A compulsory traineeship which is part of a programme leading to, or which is a pre-condition for, registration with a professional association in order to obtain a right to practise a profession (for example, admission to the lawyers’ bar association) may be taken into account irrespective of whether or not the work was remunerated. However, where the work was not remunerated, the traineeship period may only be considered provided that the programme was successfully completed and the right to practise obtained. In all cases, only the minimum compulsory duration will be taken into account.










(d)



Compulsory military service that occurred before or after obtaining the required minimum educational qualification indicated in the notice of competition will be taken into account, including if it does not meet the relevance criteria defined in the notice of competition, but only for a period not exceeding the obligatory duration in the relevant Member State.










(e)



Maternity, paternity, adoption, or parental leave may be taken into account if covered by an employment contract.










(f)


In the case of a doctorate, the period taken into account shall not exceed 3 years, provided the doctorate was obtained, and irrespective of whether the work was remunerated.










(g)


The period taken into account in cases of part-time work shall be calculated pro rata, e.g. half-time work for 6 months will count as 3 months.








2.3.   Supporting documents







(1)


Candidates will have to upload — to their EPSO account — scanned copies of the documents supporting the declarations made in their application form. They will have to do so by the date established in the notice of competition or — if no date is set by the notice — by the date indicated by EPSO.










(2)


Failure to provide supporting document(s) by the date mentioned above may result in a candidate being considered ineligible or in their specific qualification or experience not taken into account.










(3)


At any phase of the procedure, candidates may be requested (typically, via an email) to provide additional information or documents.










(4)


Amongst other documents, candidates will have to upload a copy of their identity card or passport which must be valid on the closing date for the applications. When requested, candidates will have to present an original of their identity card or a passport.










(5)


As a proof of their educational qualifications and training, candidates will have to provide:






(a)


a copy of their diploma(s) and/or (training) certificate(s) attesting to educational qualifications giving access to the competition (see section ‘Am I eligible’ in the notice of competition);










(b)


secondary education diploma/certificate (including in cases where the notice of competition establishes minimum educational requirements above the secondary school diploma);










(c)


in cases of diplomas/certificates issued in a non-EU country, a statement of equivalency issued by a competent authority of an EU Member State.














(6)


All periods of professional activity must be covered by originals or certified copies of the following documents:






(a)


documents from former and/or current employer(s): employment contract(s) indicating the start and end dates of employment and/or first and last pay slips. These documents should indicate the nature, level, as well as a detailed description of duties performed, and they should bear an official header and stamp of the employer, and the name and signature of the person in charge;










(b)


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 specifying the nature and period of the duties performed or services rendered;










(c)


for freelance translators: documents attesting the time periods worked and the number of pages translated;










(d)


for freelance interpreters: documents attesting the number of days worked, and the languages interpreted from and into.








3.   The role of the Selection Board







(1)


The Selection Board of the competition decides on the difficulty of the competition tests and approves their content, assesses the candidates’ compliance with the specific eligibility conditions, compares candidates’ merits, and selects the best candidates in the light of the requirements set out in the notice of competition.










(2)


The proceedings of the Selection Board are secret.










(3)


The work of the Selection Board is facilitated by EPSO.




4.   Conflict of interest







(1)


The decision(s) establishing the Selection Board and appointing its members are published on the EPSO website (5).










(2)


Candidates, Selection Board members, and EPSO or EUIPO staff members facilitating the organisation of a specific competition are required to declare any conflict of interest that might arise, in particular, in cases of a family or direct working relationship. A situation that might constitute a conflict of interest must be declared to EPSO or to EUIPO as soon as the person concerned becomes aware of it. EPSO or EUIPO will evaluate each case individually and take appropriate measures.










(3)


In general, no direct hierarchical link or no direct family relationship may exist between a Selection Board member and a candidate. The existence of a past or even current professional relationship of a more distant nature would not by itself create a conflict of interest.










(4)


To ensure the Selection Board’s independence, except in expressly authorised cases, it is strictly forbidden for candidates or anyone outside the Board to attempt to contact any of its members on any matter related to the competition or the Board’s proceedings.










(5)


A breach of any of the rules mentioned above could result in disciplinary action against a Selection Board member or EPSO and/or EUIPO staff member and/or in disqualification of a candidate from the competition (see Section 7).




5.   Testing







(1)


Tests will be held and proctored (invigilated) remotely (online). The IT requirements for passing the tests (6) are specified on EPSO website. Candidates are strongly encouraged to consult the website as early as possible to make sure their digital set-up meets the prescribed requirements.










(2)


Candidates must book a test appointment following the instructions received from EPSO. The booking and testing periods are limited.










(3)


All other necessary details and instructions will be specified in the invitation letters to the tests. In cases where candidates fail to book, sit or complete one or more of the tests it will be considered that their participation in the competition has come to an end, unless the candidates can prove that the failure to book, sit or complete a test is due to circumstances beyond the candidates’ control or due to a situation of force majeure. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions for testing specified in the instructions and information made available to candidates will not be considered as a circumstance beyond the candidates’ control or a situation of force majeure.




6.   Access to information







(1)


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 acts adversely affecting them.










(2)


This obligation to state reasons must be balanced with the confidentiality of the Selection Board proceedings, which ensures the Selection Board’s independence and the objectivity of the selection. Due to confidentiality, attitudes adopted by the members of Selection Boards regarding the individual or comparative assessments of candidates cannot be disclosed.










(3)


These access rights are specific to candidates in a competition and legislation on public access to documents may not confer on them rights broader than those specified in this section.










(4)


Candidates will automatically receive the following information via their EPSO account:






—


reasoning tests: candidates will receive their results and a grid with their answers and the correct answers by reference number/letter. Access to the text of the questions and answers is explicitly excluded,










—


field-related MCQ tests: candidates who obtained the pass mark in the reasoning tests will receive their results and a grid with their answers and the correct answers by reference number/letter. Access to the text of the questions and answers is explicitly excluded,










—


candidates who obtained the pass mark in the reasoning and the MCQ tests: will receive their results for the case study (score). Candidates may not request an uncorrected copy of their answers in the case study since EPSO does not communicate to candidates any answers of written tests which content is intended for re-use in future competitions,










—


candidates who are amongst those who achieved the highest combined scores in the case study and MCQ test and are found non-eligible, will be notified the reasons for non-eligibility.








7.   Disqualification from the competition







(1)


Candidates may be disqualified at any stage of the competition on the following grounds:






(a)


creating more than one EPSO account;










(b)


applying through several channels when this is prohibited by the notice of competition;










(c)


making false declarations or declarations unsupported by the appropriate documents;










(d)


cheating during the tests, recording online tests or attempting to manipulate the fair conduct of tests, or compromising the integrity of the competition process in any other way;










(e)


contacting or attempting to contact a member of the Selection Board in an unauthorised manner;










(f)


failing to inform EPSO of a potential conflict of interest with a Selection Board member or with an EPSO or EUIPO staff member;










(g)


signing or making a distinctive mark on written or practical tests despite being instructed otherwise.














(2)


Candidates for recruitment by the EU institutions are expected to act with the highest possible integrity, in accordance with Article 27, first paragraph, and Article 28(c) of the Staff Regulations. In case of fraud or attempted fraud, EPSO may decide to declare a candidate ineligible for future competitions for a limited period of time.




8.   Concerns and remedies

8.1.   Technical and organisational issues







(1)


If at any phase of the selection procedure candidates encounter a serious technical or organisational problem, they should inform EPSO via the online contact form (7).










(2)


For issues with the application form, candidates must contact EPSO immediately and in any case before the deadline for applications.










(3)



If the problem occurs during remote testing, a candidate must do both of the following:







(a)


immediately alert the proctors (invigilators) or contact technical support (via a dedicated link) to enable a prompt solution, and at the same time request that the complaint be recorded in writing;
and










(b)



within 1 calendar day, i.e. by the end of the day following the day of the test in question, contact EPSO via the online contact form (8), giving a brief description of the problem and attaching the proof of attempt(s) to resolve the issue (for example, help-desk ticket number, chat transcripts, etc.). This documentary proof is necessary to enable EPSO to make inquiries into the situation.
The obligation to inform EPSO applies in all cases, even where the proctors (invigilators) or technical support followed up on the candidate’s complaint.
Complaints received after the deadline specified in this point or complaints not accompanied by the evidence of attempt to resolve the issue will be rejected.














(4)


Claims made in the context of complaints referred to in Sections 8.2.2 and 8.3.1 and based on alleged technical and/or organisational issues that had not been reported in accordance with Section 8.1, will be rejected.




8.2.   Internal review procedures

8.2.1.   Complaints about MCQ test questions







(1)


Candidates who consider that they have justifiable reasons to believe that an error in one or more of the questions in the multiple-choice-question (MCQ) test affected their ability to answer, may ask for the question(s) concerned to be reviewed.










(2)


The Selection Board may decide to ‘neutralise’ the question(s) containing the error: cancel the question(s) concerned and redistribute the points initially allocated to that/those question(s) among the remaining questions of the test. Only those candidates who received the question(s) concerned will be affected by the recalculation. The marking of the tests remains as indicated in the relevant sections of the notice of competition.










(3)


To introduce a complaint about MCQ test question(s), a candidate should:






(a)


contact EPSO via the online form (9)
within 1 calendar day, i.e. by the end of the day which follows the day of the test in question;










(b)


describe the question(s) concerned as accurately as possible; and










(c)


explain the nature of the alleged error(s).














(4)


Complaints submitted after the deadline or complaints which do not clearly describe the contested question(s) and/or alleged error(s) will not be taken into account. In particular, complaints merely pointing out alleged issues of translation, without specifying the problem, will not be taken into account.










(5)


Claims made in the context of complaints referred to in Section 8.3.1 and based on alleged issues in MCQ test questions, that had not been reported in accordance with Section 8.2.1, will be rejected.




8.2.2.   Requests for review







(1)


Candidates can request a review of a decision taken by the Selection Board, which establishes their results, determines whether they can proceed to the next phase of the competition, or affects their legal status as a candidate in another way.










(2)


The purpose of the review procedure is to allow the Selection Board to amend the contested decision in cases where there is a reason to do so (such as a genuine mistake or material irregularity in the assessment). In the review procedure, the Selection Board will review its assessment of the candidate’s merits and will either confirm its initial conclusions or provide a revised assessment.










(3)


The Selection Board will not reply to any legal arguments, whether related to the contested assessment or not. Any arguments of a legal nature and claims related to the legal framework of the competition may be put forward in the form of an administrative complaint (see Section 8.3.1).










(4)


The simple fact that candidates may disagree with the evaluation by the Selection Board of heir performance in a test or of their qualifications and/or experience, does not mean that the Selection Board made an error of assessment. The Selection Board enjoys a wide margin of discretion in making value judgements about candidates’ performance, qualifications, and experience.










(5)


To introduce a request for review, a candidate must:






(a)


contact EUIPO’s functional mailbox (10) within 5 calendar days counting from (and including) the day following the publication of the contested decision in the candidate’s EPSO account;










(b)


indicate clearly the decision which the candidate wishes to contest and the grounds for contesting it.














(6)


Candidates will receive an acknowledgement that their request has been received. The Selection Board will examine the request for review and will inform the candidate of its decision as soon as possible.










(7)


Requests for review received after the deadline indicated in point (5)(a) above will be considered inadmissible and will not be examined, except where the candidates can prove a situation of force majeure.




8.3.   Other forms of review

8.3.1.   Administrative complaints under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations







(1)


Candidates may lodge an administrative complaint against a measure (a decision or an absence of it) if:






(a)


they consider that the rules governing the competition procedures have been infringed; and










(b)


the contested measure adversely affects the candidate concerned, i.e. directly and immediately affects their legal status as a candidate (i.e. establishes their results, determines whether they can proceed to the next phase of the competition, or affects their legal status as a candidate in another way).














(2)


The complaint can be made against the absence of a decision in those cases where there is an obligation to take a decision within a deadline specified in the Staff Regulations.










(3)


Candidates who have submitted a request for review (see Section 8.2.2) must wait until they are notified of the reply to that request before they decide whether to introduce an administrative complaint. In such cases, the deadline for introducing an administrative complaint starts running from the date of the notification of the decision of the Selection Board on the request for review.










(4)


Administrative complaints are examined by the appointing authority under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations.










(5)


The purpose of the administrative complaints’ procedure is to verify if the legal framework of the competition has been respected. The candidates should note that the appointing authority cannot overturn a value judgment made by a Selection Board and has no legal powers to change the substance of a Selection Board’s decision.










(6)


To introduce an administrative complaint, a candidate should:






(a)


contact EUIPO’s functional mailbox (11) within the deadline set in Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations, i.e. 3 months counting from (i) the date of notification of the contested decision; or (ii) the date on which such a decision should have been taken;
and










(b)


indicate clearly the decision or the absence of a decision, which the candidate wishes to contest and the grounds for contesting it.














(7)


Administrative complaints received after the deadline set in Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations mentioned above will be considered inadmissible.




8.3.2.   Judicial appeals







(1)


Candidates have a 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.










(2)


Judicial appeals against a decision taken by the appointing authority will not be admissible before the General Court unless a candidate has duly availed themselves of the remedy of an administrative complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations (see Section 8.3.1 above).










(3)


All the information on judicial appeals can be found on the website of the General Court (12).




8.3.3.   Complaints to the European Ombudsman







(1)


All EU citizens and residents can make a complaint to the European Ombudsman about instances of maladministration.










(2)


Before submitting a complaint to the Ombudsman, candidates must first have exhausted the internal remedies (see Sections 8.1, 8.2 above).










(3)


Complaints made to the Ombudsman have no suspensive effect on the deadlines laid down for lodging requests, complaints, or judicial appeals referred to in these rules.










(4)


All the information on complaints to the Ombudsman can be found on the dedicated website (13).




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


(1)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/contact-us

(2)  https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52

(3)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/contact-us

(4)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/epso-faqs-by-category

(5)  https://epso.europa.eu/en

(6)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/it-requirements-passing-epsos-remotely-proctored-tests

(7)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/help/faq/complaints

(8)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/help/faq/complaints

(9)  https://epso.europa.eu/en/help/faq/complaints

(10)  EUIPO-AD-01-23@euipo.europa.eu

(11)  EUIPO-AD-01-23@euipo.europa.eu

(12)  https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/

(13)  https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/home





ANNEX II
TYPICAL DUTIES






1.


Substantive examination and management of trade mark applications: absolute grounds for refusal and preparing related decisions.










2.


Substantive examination and management of trade mark opposition cases and preparing related decisions.










3.


Substantive examination and management of trade mark cancellation cases and preparing related decisions.










4.


Substantive examination and management of design applications and/or invalidity cases and preparing related decisions.










5.


Substantive examination and management of appeal cases relating to intellectual property and drafting related decisions, including preparatory work such as research and analysis of case-law.










6.


Substantive examination and management of court cases relating to intellectual property and drafting related decisions, including preparatory work such as research and analysis of case-law.










7.


Analysing, preparing and drafting legislative texts, guidelines, policy papers, studies, reports and other complex texts relating to intellectual property.










8.


Providing legal advice, assistance and/or technical expertise in the field of intellectual property, mainly trade marks, designs and Geographical Indications.










9.


Research, benchmarking and other substantive analytical work relating to the fight against infringements of intellectual property rights, within the remit of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights.










10.


Handling of, or contributing to, dispute settlement procedures, via litigation or alternative dispute resolution, in the field of intellectual property.




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





ANNEX III
EXAMPLES OF MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
(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 2 years)


University-level education (lasting at least 3 years)


University-level education (4 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 (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 À 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, À level (VCE À 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.