Notice of Open Competitions – EPSO/AD/423/25 – DA – Danish-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE – German-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN – English-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET – Estonian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR – Croatian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL – Dutch-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO – Romanian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7) – EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL – Slovenian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
Date: 2025-03-04
Institutions: European Personnel Selection Office
Subjects: administrator, competition (EU), information profession, legal profession, recruitment








C_202501273EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/1273


4.3.2025







            NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITIONS
         
EPSO/AD/423/25 – DA – Danish-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE – German-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN – English-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET – Estonian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR – Croatian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL – Dutch-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO – Romanian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL – Slovenian-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers (AD 7)
(C/2025/1273)



Deadline for application: 10 April 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?
3










3.1.

General conditions
3










3.2.

Specific conditions – languages
3










3.3.

Specific conditions – qualifications
4










4.

HOW WILL THE COMPETITIONS BE ORGANISED?
6










4.1.

Overview of the competition phases
6










4.2.

Application
7










4.3.

Testing
7










4.4.

Test scoring and eligibility check
9










4.5.

Establishment of the reserve lists
10










5.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
11








ANNEX: General rules
12



1.   GENERAL PROVISIONS







(a)


The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising open competitions, based on qualifications and tests, to draw up reserve lists from which the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission may recruit new members of the civil service as 
                        ‘lawyer-linguists’/‘legal revisers’ (grade AD 7).











(b)


This notice of competitions and its Annex ‘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 apply for only one of them.










(e)


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

Table 1







Competition


Number of successful candidates sought




EPSO/AD/423/25 – DA


25




EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE


25




EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN


33




EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET


25




EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR


25




EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL


25




EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO


25




EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL


25














(f)


The eligibility requirements and tests for these competitions are based on the interests of the service while taking into account the differences between the national legal systems in the EU.










(g)


The specificities of competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN stem from the fact that, despite the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, English continues to be one of the principal source languages in the EU institutions. There is therefore great demand in the EU institutions for highly qualified English-speaking lawyer-linguists/legal revisers. As English-speaking Member State jurisdictions include elements of common law, the successful candidates in this competition must demonstrate that, in addition to having a C2-level proficiency in English (equivalent to native-speaker level, see Section 3.2), they have an excellent command of both EU law and common law. This is necessary to ensure legal and linguistic consistency of EU legal texts in all of the EU’s official languages, which all have the same legal value.




2.   WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?







(a)


The EU institutions recruit highly qualified lawyers who must be able to revise translations of EU legal texts into the language of the competition from at least two other languages and to provide advice on legislative drafting in order to ensure the quality of drafting of EU legal acts. The work of a lawyer-linguist/legal reviser involves the use of standard IT and other office-technology tools.










(b)


The lawyer-linguists (at the European Parliament and the Council) follow legislative procedures throughout the process. They may be asked to provide procedural, drafting, and legal advice; to draft, and check the drafting of, amendments to proposals for legislative acts; and to check the legal and linguistic consistency of legislative texts (already translated) in the language of the competition with other language versions of the texts. The lawyer-linguists are likely to have frequent contact with various participants in the legislative process. Their duties may vary depending on the institution in which they work.










(c)


The legal revisers (at the European Commission) provide legal advice to the Commission and its services on legislative drafting during the development of legislative proposals and Commission acts. They also check the legal and linguistic consistency of legislative proposals and Commission acts (already translated and revised) in the language of the competition with other language versions of the texts. The nature of their duties means that there is frequent contact with the various services of the Commission.




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 stated otherwise in Section 3.3.
3.1.   General conditions

A candidate must:






1.


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










2.


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










3.


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 nature of duties of lawyer-linguists/legal revisers and in consideration of the interests 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/423/25 – EN


English


Any official EU language other than English


Any official EU language other than language 1 and language 2




EPSO/AD/423/25 –DA


Danish


English




EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE


German




EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET


Estonian




EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR


Croatian




EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL


Dutch




EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO


Romanian




EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL


Slovenian














(c)


Required knowledge levels in each linguistic ability requested in the application form (listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production, writing) 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. Native-speaker level of language 1 is required for lawyer-linguists/legal revisers because they will have to draft or revise complex texts, provide legislative advice, and carry out legal and terminological analysis in this language.










(f)


The choice of English as language 2 in competitions other than EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN reflects the fact that the vast majority of texts are translated from English. It is therefore essential that each lawyer-linguist/legal reviser can work with English as source language: revise texts translated from English into one of the competition languages, ensure consistency of legal terminology between the text in English and the text in the language of the competition, etc.










(g)


In competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN, language 2 may be selected from any of the remaining official EU languages, provided it differs from language 3.










(h)


Language 3 is required for these competitions because lawyer-linguists/legal revisers are also responsible for checking the legal and linguistic consistency of translated legislative texts in the language of the competition with other language versions of the text.










(i)


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




3.3.   Specific conditions – qualifications







(a)


The specific educational qualifications that are in principle required for each particular competition covered by this notice are listed in Sections 3.3.1-3.3.8. For workers who have exercised their freedom of movement between Member States within the meaning of Article 45 TFEU, equivalence with these qualifications may also be accepted by the Selection Board, in the light of the principles laid down in the judgment of 7 September 2022, OQ v European Commission, T-713/20, ECLI:EU:T:2022:513.










(b)


To determine whether a candidate has attained a level corresponding to completed university studies, the Selection Board will take into account the rules in force at the time when the qualification was awarded.










(c)


In principle, no professional experience is required.










(d)


However






(i)


in cases where a candidate’s educational qualifications correspond to university studies of three years completed in an EU Member State (3), and in cases where a candidate relies on point 3.3.3(d)(i), they should also provide proof of having subsequently obtained legal experience of at least one year;











(ii)


in cases where a candidate relies on point 3.3.3(d)(ii) or (iii), they must fulfil the requirements detailed in the respective point.














(e)


Legal experience, where required under this notice, should be obtained while working as an employed or a self-employed lawyer in the private sector, in one of the EU institutions, agencies, or other bodies, in a national administration, in an intergovernmental or international organisation, in a non-governmental organisation, or at a university.










(f)


In cases where a diploma is sufficient to meet the eligibility requirements for a given competition (see Sections 3.3.1-3.3.8 below), such diploma must be awarded at the latest on 14 September 2025.




3.3.1.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – DA

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – DA, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following qualifications in Danish law:

Juridisk kandidateksamen (cand.jur.) eller erhvervsøkonomisk-erhvervsjuridisk kandidateksamen (cand.merc.jur.).

3.3.2.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following qualifications in Austrian or German law:

Juristische Ausbildung im deutschen oder im österreichischen Recht, die mit der deutschen Ersten Prüfung (Erstes Juristisches Staatsexamen) bzw. mit dem österreichischen Magister der Rechtswissenschaften (mag.iur.) abgeschlossen wurde.

3.3.3.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d) and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN, a candidate must meet the requirements listed in one of the following points:






(a)


have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by an academic degree in the law of Ireland awarded in Ireland; have been called to the Bar of Ireland; or have been admitted as a solicitor in Ireland;










(b)


have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following academic degrees in the law of Malta in accordance with the provisions of the Statute of the University of Malta:






(i)


Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) or Master of Advocacy (M.Adv.);










(ii)


Diploma of Notary Public (N.P.) or Master of Notarial Studies (M.Not.St.); or










(iii)


Bachelor of Arts in Legal and Humanistic Studies with Diploma of Legal Procurator (B.A., L.P.) or Bachelor of Laws (Hons) with Diploma of Legal Procurator (LL.B. (Hons), L.P.);














(c)


before 1 January 2021:






(i)


have attained a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by an academic degree in the law of England and Wales awarded in England or Wales;










(ii)


have attained a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by an academic degree in the law of Scotland awarded in Scotland;










(iii)


have attained a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by an academic degree in the law of Northern Ireland awarded in Northern Ireland;










(iv)


have been called to the Bar in England and Wales or in Northern Ireland, or have been admitted as an advocate in Scotland; or










(v)


have been admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales, in Scotland or in Northern Ireland;














(d)


have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three years, taught in English, attested by an academic law degree in a legal system related to or derived from the common law legal system in force in one of the Member States, awarded in a third country in which one of the official languages is English, and meet one of the following requirements:






(i)


have completed a module in EU law worth at least 30 ECTS credits or equivalent as part of the studies referred to in point (d) above;










(ii)


have completed university studies of at least one academic year, attested by a certificate or diploma in EU law; or










(iii)


have at least two years of legal experience in EU law (see also point 3.3(e) above).








3.3.4.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following qualifications in law:






(a)



Eestis ja eesti keeles omandatud endine bakalaureusekraad õigusteaduses (160 AP ehk 240 EAP);











(b)



magistrikraad õigusteaduses vastavalt 3+2 õppekavale, mis koosneb järgmisest:







(i)



Eestis ja eesti keeles omandatud bakalaureusekraad õiguse õppesuunal (180 EAP) ning











(ii)



Euroopa Liidus omandatud magistrikraad õigusteaduses (vähemalt 60 EAP).









3.3.5.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following qualfications in Croatian law:






(a)



diplomirani pravnik / diplomirana pravnica;











(b)



magistar / magistra prava;











(c)



sveučilišni magistar / sveučilišna magistra prava.





3.3.6.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following qualifications in law:






(a)



diploma van een Nederlandstalige opleiding Nederlands recht (meester (mr.) of Belgisch recht (licentiaat of master);











(b)



bachelor van een Nederlandstalige opleiding Nederlands of Belgisch recht, gevolgd door een master (LL.M.).





3.3.7.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by the following qualification in Romanian law:

diplomă de licență.

3.3.8.   EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL

Without prejudice to point 3.3(d)(i) above and to the General rules (in particular point 2.2(1)), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL, a candidate must have a level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by one of the following qualifications in Slovenian law:






(a)



V Sloveniji pridobljena univerzitetna izobrazba pravne smeri s strokovnim naslovom ‘univerzitetni diplomirani pravnik/univerzitetna diplomirana pravnica’ (po študijskem programu za pridobitev univerzitetne izobrazbe, sprejetem pred 11. 6. 2004) oziroma;











(b)



univerzitetna izobrazba pravne smeri s strokovnim naslovom ‘diplomirani pravnik (UN)/diplomirana pravnica (UN)’, dopolnjena z magistrsko izobrazbo s strokovnim naslovom ‘magister prava/magistrica prava’ (druga stopnja po bolonjskem programu).





4.   HOW WILL THE COMPETITIONS BE ORGANISED?

4.1.   Overview of the competition phases

This competition will be organised in the following phases:






—


application (see Section 4.2),










—


testing (see Section 4.3),










—


test scoring and eligibility check (see Section 4.4),










—


establishment of the reserve lists (see Section 4.5).




4.2.   Application







(a)


To apply, a candidate needs to have a candidate account.










(b)



The candidates must apply online on the

EPSO website
 (4)
and submit their applications by



                           10 April 2025 at 12:00 (midday), Brussels time.











(c)


Candidates can complete their application form in any of the 24 official EU languages. By submitting their application form, candidates declare that they meet all the conditions mentioned under Section 3 ‘Am I eligible?’. It is the candidates’ responsibility to ensure that they complete and submit their application within the deadline. Once the application deadline has passed, candidates will no longer be able to make any changes to their application.










(d)



By 15 September 2025 at 12:00 (midday), Brussels time, candidates will have to provide the scanned copies of the documents supporting the declarations made in their application form. An explanation on how to do this is available on the dedicated competition page on the EPSO website.




4.3.   Testing







(a)



General remarks







(i)


All candidates who have submitted 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.










(iii)


If a candidate fails to sit or complete one or more of the tests, as specified in this notice and/or in the instructions provided to the candidates, their participation in the competition will come to an end (see Section 5 of the General rules).














(b)



EU law test







(i)


The EU law test is a multiple-choice test assessing candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles and the legal framework governing the EU, its institutions, and its policies.










(ii)


The EU law test will be organised as indicated in Table 3.

Table 3











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




EU law test


Language 1


30 questions


60 minutes


0 to 30


15/30


















(c)



Language comprehension tests







(i)


The language comprehension tests comprise a set of multiple-choice questions 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)


Candidates for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN will sit two language comprehension tests – for the languages 2 and 3 they have selected.










(iii)


Candidates for competitions other than EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN will sit a single language comprehension test – for the language 3 they have selected (5).










(iv)


The language comprehension tests will be organised as indicated in Table 4.

Table 4










Test


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Language 2 comprehension test
(only for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN)


12 questions


25 minutes


0 to 12


n/a




Language 3 comprehension test
(all competitions)


12 questions


25 minutes


0 to 12


n/a


















(d)



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 5.

Table 5











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Verbal reasoning test


Any of the 24 official EU languages


10 questions


18 min


0 to 10


Combined pass score: 15/30




Numerical reasoning test


10 questions


20 min


0 to 10




Abstract reasoning test


10 questions


10 min


0 to 10














(e)



Revision test







(i)


The revision test is designed to reflect closely the typical working methods of lawyer-linguists/legal revisers in different languages. Candidates for competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN will be asked to revise a text drafted in English (language of the competition). This approach aligns with the role of EN-language lawyer-linguists/legal revisers who focus on ensuring the quality of texts drafted in English.










(ii)


Candidates for competitions other than EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN will be asked to revise a text translated from language 2 (English) to language 1 (language of the competition). They will also be asked to translate untranslated parts of the same text from language 2 (English) to language 1 (language of the competition). This reflects the fact that lawyer-linguists/legal revisers for languages covered by those competitions are primarily responsible for ensuring the quality of texts translated into the competition language, including identifying any gaps in translation.










(iii)


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

Table 6










Test


Language


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Revision test – competition EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN


Language 1


90 minutes


0 to 100


50/100




Revision test – competitions other than EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN


Languages 1 and 2












4.4.   Test scoring and eligibility check







(a)



General remarks







(i)


The test scores will be used as indicated in Table 7.

Table 7









Competition


Test


Included in the combined overall score?


Weighting applied to the test score in the combined overall score




All


Verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning tests


No, the tests will only be scored to determine if the candidate obtained at least the pass score.


n/a




All


EU law test


Yes, provided that the candidate obtained at least the pass score.


30 %




All


Revision test


Yes, provided that the candidate obtained at least the pass score.


50 %




EPSO/AD/423/25 – EN


Language 2 comprehension test


Yes


10 %




Language 3 comprehension test


Yes


10 %




EPSO/AD/423/25 – DA
EPSO/AD/423/25 – DE
EPSO/AD/423/25 – ET
EPSO/AD/423/25 – HR
EPSO/AD/423/25 – NL
EPSO/AD/423/25 – RO
EPSO/AD/423/25 – SL


Language 3 comprehension test


Yes


20 %














(ii)


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.










(iii)


Candidates who fail to sit or complete all the tests (see Section 4.3 above and Section 5 of the General rules) will not have any of their test answers and/or scripts processed and will not have their eligibility checked.










(iv)


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














(b)



Specific steps







(i)


The reasoning tests will be scored first.










(ii)


Candidates who obtained at least the pass score in the reasoning tests will have their EU law tests scored.










(iii)


Candidates who obtained at least the pass score in the EU law test, will be ranked – per competition – in the descending order of their results in this test. This preliminary ranking will be used to determine the candidates who will have their eligibility checked.










(iv)


The Selection Board will check candidates’ eligibility in descending order based on their preliminary ranking until the number of candidates deemed eligible reaches no more than four times the number of successful candidates sought for each competition. Eligibility of any remaining candidates will not be checked.










(v)


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 2.4, points (1)-(3), of the General rules to support those declarations.










(vi)


Candidates deemed eligible will have the revision test and language-comprehension test(s) scored. The tests of the remaining candidates will not be scored.










(vii)


Candidates who obtained at least the pass score in the revision test will have their combined overall scores established as indicated in Table 7.










(viii)


Those candidates will be ranked – per competition – in the descending order of their combined overall scores. This final ranking will serve as the basis for the establishment of the reserve lists.








4.5.   Establishment of the reserve lists







(a)


The Selection Board will include in the reserve lists the names of the candidates who (i) have obtained at least all the required pass scores and one of the highest combined overall scores and (ii) were found to be eligible. This will be performed in the descending order of the final ranking until the number of successful candidates sought per competition is reached or until the pool of candidates included in this ranking is exhausted.










(b)


All candidates who tie for the last available place in a reserve list will be added to that reserve list.










(c)


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










(d)


The candidates will be notified of their results (test results and/or 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.










(e)


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




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 (6). 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)  See Sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3 (a)-(c), 3.3.4, 3.3.5, 3.3.6, 3.3.7, 3.3.8.

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

(5)  Comprehension of language 2 (English) in these competitions is tested via the revision test which requires candidates to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of languages 1 and 2.

(6)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/how-request-specific-adjustments-selection-tests.




ANNEX

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 candidate accounts. They should check their candidate 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 candidate 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 a reserve list, they will all be included on that 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 candidate 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 ‘Reading’ field of the ‘Languages’ section in the application form (see also Section 2.1 of these general rules).










(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.   Education (5)
, experience (6)
, supporting documents

2.1.   
                           ‘My CV’ section of the candidate account

Before applying for a competition, candidates must complete ‘My CV’ section of their candidate account. When applying for a specific competition, a candidate does not need to re-enter the information from ‘My CV’ into the application form. A snapshot of data from ‘My CV’ section will be automatically attached to their application form at the moment the candidate submits their application. It is the candidates’ responsibility to ensure that ‘My CV’ is up to date at that moment.
2.2.   Education









(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.




2.3.   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 more than 50 % but less than or equal to 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.








2.4.   Supporting documents







(1)


Candidates will have to upload – to their candidate account – copies of the documents supporting the declarations made in their application form (see also Section 2.1 of these general rules). 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 educational qualifications or experience not being taken into account.










(3)


At any phase of the procedure, candidates may be requested 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, candidates will have to provide at least:






(a)


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










(b)


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 (7).










(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 their candidate account.










(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 (8) 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 candidate 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 their candidate account.










(2)


For issues with the candidate account or 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 strictly 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 their candidate account, 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 their candidate account 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 educational 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, educational 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 their candidate account within 5 calendar days counting from (and including) the day following the publication of the contested decision in the candidate 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 their candidate account 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 (9).




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 (10).




End of ANNEX, click here to return to main text


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

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

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

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

(5)  For the purposes of this competition, the expressions ‘education’ and ‘educational qualifications’ are used interchangeably.

(6)  For the purposes of this competition, the expressions ‘experience’, ‘professional experience’, and ‘work experience’ are used interchangeably.

(7)  
            https://epso.europa.eu/en.

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

(9)  
            https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/.

(10)  
            https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/home.



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/1273/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)