Notice of open competitions – EPSO/AD/414/24 — Danish-language (DA) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/415/24 — Greek-language (EL) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/416/24 — English-language (EN) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/417/24 — Spanish-language (ES) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/418/24 — French-language (FR) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/419/24 — Italian-language (IT) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/420/24 — Maltese-language (MT) translators (AD 5) – EPSO/AD/421/24 — Dutch-language (NL) translators (AD 5)
Date: 2024-12-03
Institutions: European Personnel Selection Office
Subjects: administrator, competition (EU), information profession, recruitment, translation








C_202407118EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/7118


3.12.2024







            NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITIONS
         
EPSO/AD/414/24 — Danish-language (DA) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/415/24 — Greek-language (EL) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/416/24 — English-language (EN) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/417/24 — Spanish-language (ES) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/418/24 — French-language (FR) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/419/24 — Italian-language (IT) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/420/24 — Maltese-language (MT) translators (AD 5)
EPSO/AD/421/24 — Dutch-language (NL) translators (AD 5)
(C/2024/7118)



Deadline for application: 14 January 2025 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time


CONTENTS







1.

GENERAL PROVISIONS
2










2.

WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?
2










3.

AM I ELIGIBLE?
2










3.1.

General conditions
3










3.2.

Specific conditions – languages
3










3.3.

Specific conditions – qualifications
4










4.

HOW WILL THE COMPETITIONS BE ORGANISED?
4










4.1.

Overview of the competition phases
4










4.2.

Application
4










4.3.

Testing
5










4.4.

Test scoring
6










4.5.

Eligibility check and establishment of the reserve lists
7










5.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
8










ANNEX I —

General rules
9










ANNEX II —

Examples of minimum qualifications
17



1.   GENERAL PROVISIONS









(a)


The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising open competitions, based on qualifications and tests, to draw up lists from which the institutions, bodies, and agencies of the European Union (EU) may recruit new members of the civil service as 
                  ‘translators’ (grade AD 5).













(b)


This notice of competitions and its annexes, including Annex I ‘General rules’, form the legally binding framework for these competitions.












(c)


EPSO endeavours to use gender-neutral and inclusive language. Any reference to a person of a specific gender must be deemed also to constitute a reference to a person of any other gender.












(d)


This notice covers eight competitions. A candidate may only apply for one of them. Candidates must make their choice when they apply and will not be able to change it after they have validated their application form.












(e)


The numbers of successful candidates sought are indicated in Table 1.

Table 1







Competition


Number of successful candidates sought




EPSO/AD/414/24


156 




EPSO/AD/415/24


146 




EPSO/AD/416/24


126 




EPSO/AD/417/24


154 




EPSO/AD/418/24


180 




EPSO/AD/419/24


150 




EPSO/AD/420/24


119 




EPSO/AD/421/24


146 








2.   WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?









(a)


The principal role of translators is to deliver high-quality translations by the deadlines set and to provide other linguistic services so as to enable the institution, body, or agency for which they work to fulfil its mission.












(b)


Their duties may include translation from at least two source languages into the target language as well as revision of translations from those languages, editing, dealing with linguistic quality issues, performing terminology research, helping with training measures and the development of IT tools. The texts involved, which are often complex, generally deal with political, legal, economic, financial, scientific and/or technical subjects encompassing all the EU’s areas of activity. Translation of other types of content, such as localisation of communication material or subtitling, are also possible tasks. Performing these duties requires the intensive use of specific IT and related tools.




3.   AM I ELIGIBLE?

Candidates must meet all the general and specific eligibility conditions (see Sections 3.1 to 3.3) on the closing date for applications except where otherwise noted in Section 3.3.
3.1.   General conditions

A candidate must:






(a)


be a national of one of the Member States of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen;










(b)


have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the laws concerning military service; and










(c)


meet the character requirements for the duties concerned.




3.2.   Specific conditions – languages









(a)


The Staff Regulations (1) stipulate that an official may only be appointed on condition that they produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the EU and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the EU to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties.












(b)


Given the linguistic nature of these competitions and in consideration of the interest of the service, candidates must have knowledge of at least three of the 24 official EU languages, as indicated in Table 2. For ease of reference, those languages will be referred to as ‘language 1’, ‘language 2’, and ‘language 3’.

Table 2









Competition


Language 1 –
the language of the competition


Language 2


Language 3




EPSO/AD/416/24


English


Any official EU language other than English


Any official EU language other than language 1 and language 2




EPSO/AD/418/24


French


English




EPSO/AD/414/24


Danish


English or French




EPSO/AD/415/24


Greek




EPSO/AD/417/24


Spanish




EPSO/AD/419/24


Italian




EPSO/AD/420/24


Maltese




EPSO/AD/421/24


Dutch
















(c)


Required knowledge levels in each linguistic ability requested in the application form (speaking, writing, reading, and listening) are the following:






(i)


language 1: C2 (native-speaker level);










(ii)


languages 2 and 3: minimum C1.
















(d)


These levels and abilities reflect those of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2).












(e)


Language 1 of each competition corresponds to the target language of the recruiting services concerned. Perfect command (at native-speaker level) of language 1 is required for translators who will have to translate complex texts into this language from two source languages.












(f)


The choice of language 2 in competitions other than EPSO/AD/416/24 reflects the fact that the vast majority of texts are translated from English and French. It is therefore essential that each translator can work with English or French as source languages.












(g)


For competition EPSO/AD/416/24, language 2 may be selected from any of the remaining official EU languages, provided it differs from language 3. This requirement is intended to attract translators who can translate into English from a wide variety of source languages. This is important because English serves as a pivot language in translation whenever an intermediary language is needed.












(h)


Language 3 is required for these competitions because – for organisational reasons – the translators need to be able to translate from at least two source languages.












(i)


These language requirements determine the languages of tests (see Section 4.3 below).




3.3.   Specific conditions – qualifications









(a)


To be eligible, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three years, attested by a diploma awarded by 10 April 2025 at the latest. Please see Annex II for examples of minimum qualifications.












(b)


No professional experience is required.




4.   HOW WILL THE COMPETITIONS BE ORGANISED?

4.1.   Overview of the competition phases

These competitions will be organised in the following phases:






—


application (see Section 4.2),










—


testing (see Section 4.3),










—


test scoring (see Section 4.4),










—


eligibility check and establishment of the reserve lists (see Section 4.5).




4.2.   Application









(a)


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 the EPSO applications of a given candidate.












(b)



The candidates must apply online on the

EPSO website
 (3)
and validate their applications by



                     14 January 2025 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time.













(c)


By validating their application form, candidates declare that they meet all the conditions mentioned under Section 3 ‘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.












(d)



By 10 April 2025 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time, candidates will have to upload the scanned copies of the documents supporting the declarations made in their application form to their EPSO account and link them to their application. An explanation on how to do this is available on the EPSO website (4).




4.3.   Testing

(a)   General remarks









(i)


All candidates who have validated their application form by the deadline indicated in point 4.2(b) will be invited to sit a series of tests defined below.












(ii)


The tests will be held and proctored (invigilated) remotely. EPSO will inform candidates about the testing modalities at the latest when inviting them to the tests.




(b)   Reasoning tests

The reasoning tests are multiple-choice tests assessing the candidates’ verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning skills. They will be organised as indicated in Table 3.

Table 3











Tests


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Verbal reasoning test


Language 1


10 questions


18 minutes


0 to 20


Combined pass score: 22/40




Numerical reasoning test


10 questions


20 minutes


0 to 10




Abstract reasoning test


10 questions


20 minutes


0 to 10




(c)   Language knowledge test









(i)


The language knowledge test comprises a set of multiple-choice questions in language 1 aimed at assessing candidates’ linguistic proficiency: vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation, expressions/idiomatic usage/register.












(ii)


The language knowledge test will be organised as indicated in Table 4.

Table 4











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Language knowledge test


Language 1


25 questions


25 minutes


0 to 25


13/25








(d)   Language comprehension test









(i)


The language comprehension test comprises a set of multiple-choice questions in language 3 aimed at assessing candidates’ overall reading ability, linguistic range, vocabulary breadth and control, as well as the grammatical accuracy and sociolinguistic appropriateness of their language use. These questions do not require additional knowledge and are solely based on the information provided in the text.












(ii)


The language comprehension test will be organised as indicated in Table 5.

Table 5











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Language comprehension test


Language 3


12 questions


25 minutes


0 to 12


6/12








(e)   Translation test









(i)


In the translation test, which includes some elements of localisation, candidates will be requested to translate a text from language 2 into language 1.












(ii)


The translation test will be organised as indicated in Table 6.

Table 6










Test


Language


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Translation test


From language 2 to language 1


60 minutes


0 to 100


50/100








(f)   Revision test









(i)


In the revision test, candidates will be asked to revise a text translated from language 2 to language 1.












(ii)


This test will be organised as indicated in Table 7.

Table 7










Test


Language


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Revision test


From language 2 to language 1


30 minutes


0 to 40


20/40








4.4.   Test scoring

(a)   General remarks









(i)


Should a candidate fail to obtain at least the required pass score(s) in one of the tests, their participation in the competition will come to an end. Such candidates will not have their test answers and/or scripts processed any further and will not have their eligibility checked.












(ii)


Test results will only be notified to candidates at the end of the competition (see point 4.5(h)), irrespective of the step in the competition the candidate reached.




(b)   The sequence of test scoring









(i)


Once the testing phase is completed, candidates’ reasoning tests will be scored first.












(ii)


Candidates who obtained at least the pass score in the reasoning tests will have their language knowledge and language comprehension tests scored.












(iii)


Candidates who obtained at least the pass scores in both language knowledge and language comprehension tests, will be ranked – per competition – in the descending order of their results of the language knowledge test. This ranking will be used to determine the candidates who will have their translation tests scored.












(iv)


The scoring of the translation test will be performed for each competition, in the descending order of the ranking referred to in point (iii) above. The Selection Board will only score the scripts of the translation test of a limited number of candidates: not more than 2 times the number of successful candidates sought in a given competition. Should a candidate not be amongst this number, their participation in the competition will come to an end. Such candidates will not have their test scripts processed and will not have their eligibility checked.












(v)


Candidates who obtain at least a pass score in the translation test will have the revision test scored.












(vi)


Candidates who obtain at least a pass score in the revision test will proceed to the next phase of the competition (see Section 4.5).




4.5.   Eligibility check and establishment of the reserve lists









(a)


Candidates who obtain at least a pass score in the revision test will then have the combined overall score calculated.












(b)


The combined overall score for each candidate – out of a maximum of 152 – will be calculated by adding together the candidate’s test scores for the language comprehension test (a maximum of 12), the translation test (a maximum of 100), and the revision test (a maximum of 40).












(c)


Those candidates will then be ranked – per competition – in the descending order of their combined overall scores.












(d)


To draw up the reserve list for each competition, the Selection Board will carry out the eligibility check in the descending order of the ranking referred to in point (c) above until the number of successful candidates sought for each competition is reached or until the pool of candidates included in this ranking is exhausted. The files of other candidates will not be checked.












(e)


The eligibility check involves verifying compliance with the eligibility conditions set out in Section 3 ‘Am I eligible?’. The Selection Board will take the decision on a candidate’s eligibility by comparing (a) the declarations made in the application form and (b) the documents duly provided by the candidates in accordance with Section 2.3, points (1)-(3), of the General rules to support those declarations.












(f)


The reserve lists per competition will therefore only include the names of those eligible candidates who have obtained at least the required pass scores in all the tests as well as one of the highest combined overall scores, out of 152.












(g)


Names in the reserve lists will be listed alphabetically. The reserve lists will be made available to the recruiting services.












(h)


The candidates will be notified of their results (test results and eligibility-check results) unless their test answers and/or scripts have not been processed and/or eligibility has not been checked for the reasons indicated in this notice.












(i)


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












(j)


Candidates should note that prior to recruitment, they might have to undergo security clearance.




5.   EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS









(a)


EPSO endeavours to apply an equal opportunities policy to all candidates.












(b)


Candidates who have a disability or a medical condition that may affect their ability to take the tests, should indicate this in their application form and follow the procedure to request reasonable accommodations as described on the EPSO website (5). Having examined the candidates’ request as well as the relevant supporting documents, EPSO may grant reasonable accommodations where deemed necessary.






(1)  Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ 45, 14.6.1962, p. 1385/62). Consolidated text: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01962R0031-20240101.

(2)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/documents/common-european-framework-reference-languages.

(3)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application.

(4)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/eligibility.

(5)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/how-request-specific-adjustments-selection-tests.




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 check their EPSO account 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)


Any candidates readmitted following a successful request, complaint, or appeal will either (a) re-enter the competition at the phase from which they had been excluded or (b) be added to the reserve list, as applicable.












(5)


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 of the application form.












(6)


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).












(7)


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 dd/mm/yyyy format.
2.1.   Educational qualifications









(1)


Degrees, diplomas and/or certificates, whether issued in Member States or non-EU countries, must be recognised by a competent authority of a 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, level of education, subjects covered, 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 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 comply with the relevance criteria defined 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:






(i)


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










(ii)


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










(iii)


if 25-50 % of tasks are relevant, the given period of professional experience will be counted at the rate of 50 %;










(iv)


if less than 25 % of tasks are relevant, the given period of professional experience will not be taken into account.




















(2)


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






(a)


in the 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 have a duration similar to a regular job;










(b)


in the 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 (ii) the traineeship is remunerated;










(c)


a compulsory traineeship which is part of a programme leading to, or which is a precondition 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 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, even where 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 doctorate studies, the period taken into account shall not exceed 3 years, provided that 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 qualifications or experience not being 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)


Among 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 cases where the notice of competition establishes minimum educational requirements above the level of secondary education);










(c)


in cases of diplomas/certificates issued in a non-EU country, a statement of equivalency issued by a competent authority of a 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 names of the Board members are published on the EPSO website (5).












(2)


Candidates, Selection Board members, and EPSO 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 as soon as the person concerned becomes aware of it. EPSO will evaluate each case individually and take appropriate measures.












(3)


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.












(4)


Candidates who wish to state their case to the Selection Board must do so in writing, submitting this correspondence via EPSO (6).












(5)


A breach of any of the rules mentioned above could result in disciplinary action against a Selection Board member or EPSO staff member and/or in disqualification of a candidate from the competition (see Section 6).




5.   Testing









(1)


EPSO will inform candidates on the testing modalities as well as any necessary details and instructions at the latest when inviting the candidates to the tests.












(2)


If and when instructed, candidates must book a test appointment following the instructions received from EPSO. The booking and testing periods are limited.












(3)


Candidates must complete all the necessary steps referred to in the instructions issued prior to the tests, such as installing software, performing the required synchronisation(s), undergoing a connectivity trial, technical prerequisites’ test, or a systems’ check and/or taking a mock test. Compliance with instructions will allow to check the readiness of the candidate’s IT environment and the compatibility of the candidate’s device with the testing platform or application. Failure to complete the mandatory steps may prevent the candidate from taking the tests and will impede the ability of the test delivery provider to address effectively any technical issues encountered by the candidate during testing.












(4)


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 was due to circumstances beyond the candidates’ control or due to a situation of force majeure. They should contact EPSO as soon as possible, preferably before the test, and must provide the necessary justification, including, where applicable, proof that they contacted the technical support services.












(5)


Failure to comply with the terms and conditions applicable in relation to 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)


Candidates are also invited to consult EPSO's website (7) to become more familiar with EPSO’s selection procedures, including general requirements applicable to testing.




6.   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 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.




7.   Concerns and remedies

7.1.   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 (8).












(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 testing, a candidate must do both of the following:







(a)


report the issue immediately closely following instructions outlined in the letter(s) inviting candidates to test(s),

and











(b)


within 3 calendar days, counting from (and including) the day following the day on which a candidate took the test, contact EPSO via the online contact form (9), giving a detailed description of the problem. The candidate should also attach the proof of attempt(s) to resolve the issue (for example, help-desk or technical support ticket number, chat transcripts, troubleshooting report, etc.). This documentary proof is necessary to enable EPSO to make inquiries into the situation. The invitation letters to tests may specify further requirements and instructions related to reporting of issues encountered during testing.
The obligation to inform EPSO applies in all cases, even where the test delivery provider followed up on the candidate’s complaint.
















(4)


Complaints received after the deadline specified in this point will be considered inadmissible.












(5)


Complaints about technical issues, submitted by candidates who failed to undertake the steps referred to in Section 5(3) will be considered inadmissible unless the candidate can prove that the failure to complete the necessary steps was due to circumstances beyond the candidates’ control or due to a situation of force majeure.












(6)


Claims made in the context of complaints referred to in Sections 7.2.2 and 7.3.1 and based on alleged technical and/or organisational issues that had not been reported in accordance with Section 7.1 read together with Section 5, will be considered inadmissible.




7.2.   Internal review procedures

7.2.1.   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 scoring 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 (10) within 3 calendar days counting from (and including) the day following the day on which a candidate took the test;










(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 7.3.1 and based on alleged issues in MCQ test questions that had not been reported in accordance with Section 7.2.1, will be rejected.




7.2.2.   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 mistake 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 7.3.1).












(4)


The simple fact that candidates may disagree with the evaluation by the Selection Board of their 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)



No request for review is possible in relation to MCQ test results.













(6)


To introduce a request for review, a candidate must:






(a)


contact EPSO via the online form (11) 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.
















(7)


Candidates will receive an automatic acknowledgment 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.












(8)


Requests for review received after the deadline indicated in point (6)(a) above will be considered inadmissible and will not be examined, except where the candidates can prove a situation of force majeure.




7.3.   Other forms of review

7.3.1.   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 7.2.2) 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 notification of the decision of the Selection Board on the request for review.












(4)


Administrative complaints are examined by the Director of EPSO acting as 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 Director of EPSO cannot overturn a value judgement made by a Selection Board and has no legal powers to change the substance of a Selection Board’s decision. If the Director of EPSO finds a procedural mistake or a manifest error of assessment, the case will be referred back to the Selection Board for reassessment.












(6)


To introduce an administrative complaint, a candidate should:






(a)


contact EPSO via the online form (12) 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 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 will be considered inadmissible.




7.3.2.   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 decisions taken by EPSO (rather than by the Selection Board) 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 7.3.1 above).












(3)


All the information on judicial appeals can be found on the website of the General Court (13).




7.3.3.   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 provided by EPSO (see Sections 7.1 and 7.2 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 (14).




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/contact-us.

(7)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en.

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

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

(10)  
            https://epso.europa.eu/en/help/faq/complaints.

(11)  
            https://epso.europa.eu/en/help/faq/complaints.

(12)  
            https://epso.europa.eu/en/help/faq/complaints.

(13)  
            https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/.

(14)  
            https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/home.





ANNEX II
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










 


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


AST 3 to AST 11


AD 5 to AD 16




COUNTRY


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 (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 II, click here to return to main text



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7118/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)