Notice of open competition – EPSO/AD/427/26 – Administrators (AD 5)
Date: 2026-02-05
Institutions: European Commission, European Personnel Selection Office
Subjects: administrator, competition (EU), job vacancy, recruitment








C_202600711EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/711


5.2.2026







            NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION
         
EPSO/AD/427/26 – Administrators (AD 5)
(C/2026/711)



Deadline for application: 10 March 2026 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
2










3.2.

Specific conditions – languages
2










3.3.

Specific conditions – education and experience
2










4.

HOW WILL THE COMPETITION BE ORGANISED?
2










4.1.

Overview of the competition phases
2










4.2.

Languages used in this competition
3










4.3.

Competition phases
3










4.3.1.

Application
3










4.3.2.

Testing
4










4.3.3.

Test scoring and eligibility check
5










4.3.4.

Establishment of the reserve list
7










5.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
7










ANNEX I.

General rules
8










ANNEX II.

Typical duties
16










ANNEX III.

Examples of minimum qualifications
17



1.   GENERAL PROVISIONS







(a)


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










(b)


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










(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)


Number of successful candidates sought: 1490.




2.   WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?

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

Candidates must meet all the general and specific eligibility conditions (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 candidate must have knowledge of at least two official EU languages, as provided for in Section 4.2.
3.3.   Specific conditions – education and experience







(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 the award of which was decided no later than 30 September 2026. Please see Annex III for examples of minimum qualifications.










(b)


No professional experience is required.




4.   HOW WILL THE COMPETITION BE ORGANISED?

4.1.   Overview of the competition phases

This competition will be organised in the following phases:






—


application (see Section 4.3.1),










—


testing: reasoning tests, an EU knowledge test, a digital skills test, and a free-text essay on EU matters (‘EUFTE’) (see Section 4.3.2),










—


test scoring and eligibility check (see Section 4.3.3),










—


establishment of the reserve list (see Section 4.3.4).




4.2.   Languages used in this competition







(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 EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties.










(b)


Therefore, in this competition, a candidate must have a thorough knowledge (minimum C1 level) of at least one of the 24 official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum B2 level) of a different language to be chosen among the remaining 23 official EU languages. The minimum levels indicated here apply to each linguistic ability (listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production, and writing) requested in the application form. These abilities reflect those of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2).










(c)


For ease of reference, those languages will be referred to as ‘language 1’ and ‘language 2’.










(d)


The languages will be used in different phases of the competition as indicated in Table 1.

Table 1








Competition phase


Tests


Language




Application


—


Any of the 24 official EU languages




Testing


Reasoning tests


Language 1




EU knowledge test


Language 2




Digital skills test


Language 2




EUFTE


Language 2














(e)


Candidates will have to indicate their choice of test languages in their application form.




4.3.   Competition phases

4.3.1.   Application







(a)


To apply, a candidate needs to have a candidate account linked to an EU Login created with an e-mail address that remains valid at all times until the publication of the reserve list (see Section 1(3) of the General rules).










(b)



The candidates must apply online on the

EPSO website
 (3)
and submit their applications by



                              10 March 2026 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time.











(c)


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 10 March 2026 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time, candidates must upload a scanned copy of their valid identity card or passport.










(e)



By 7 October 2026 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time, candidates must upload the scanned copies of all the other documents supporting the declarations made in their application form.










(f)


An explanation on how to upload the documents is available via the dedicated competition page on the EPSO website.




4.3.2.   Testing

(a)   General remarks







(i)


All candidates who have submitted their application form by the deadline indicated in point 4.3.1(b) will be invited to sit a series of tests defined below. Please note that the order in which the tests are organised may differ from the order in which they are listed in this notice.










(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)   Reasoning tests







(i)


The reasoning tests are multiple-choice-question tests assessing the candidates’ verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning skills. They will be organised as indicated in Table 2.

Table 2











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass scores




Verbal reasoning test


Language 1


20 questions


35 minutes


0 to 20


10/20




Numerical reasoning test


10 questions


20 minutes


0 to 10


Combined pass score for numerical and abstract reasoning tests: 10/20




Abstract reasoning test


10 questions


10 minutes


0 to 10














(ii)


To proceed to the next step in the competition (see Section 4.3.3), a candidate needs to obtain at least:






—


a pass score of 10/20 in the verbal reasoning test, and











—


a combined pass score of 10/20 in the numerical and abstract reasoning tests.








(c)   EU knowledge test







(i)


The EU knowledge test is a multiple-choice-question test about the EU, its institutions, procedures, and the main policies. The references to the sources used to develop this test will be made available on the EPSO website after the notice of competition is published.










(ii)


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

Table 3











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




EU knowledge test


Language 2


30 questions


40 minutes


0 to 30


15/30








(d)   Digital skills test







(i)


The digital skills test is a multiple-choice-question test aimed at assessing the candidates’ digital literacy – the ability to understand and use digital technologies for various tasks and purposes, in line with the European Digital Competence Framework (4) (DigComp).










(ii)


The digital skills test will include questions from the following areas:






—


Information and data literacy;










—


Communication and collaboration;










—


Digital content creation;










—


Safety;










—


Problem solving.














(iii)


The test will be organised as indicated in Table 4.

Table 4











Test


Language


No of questions


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




Digital skills test


Language 2


40 questions


30 minutes


0 to 40


20/40








(e)   EUFTE







(i)


The EUFTE is aimed at assessing the candidate’s written communication skills. It will be organised as indicated in Table 5.





Table 5










Test


Language


Duration


Scoring


Pass score




EUFTE


Language 2


40 minutes


0 to 10


5/10










(ii)


Candidates will be required to respond to the test assignment(s) based on the documentation related to EU matters. The documentation will be made available on the EPSO website ahead of the test date. Candidates will receive the same documentation during the test, along with the assignment(s) based on it.










(iii)


The EUFTE is neither a language test nor a test of factual knowledge. The assessment will be based on the specific anchors published on the EPSO website (5).




4.3.3.   Test scoring and eligibility check

(a)   General remarks







(i)


The test scores will be used as indicated in Table 6.

Table 6










Test


Included in the preliminary combined score?


Weighting in the preliminary combined score


Included in the final combined score?


Weighting in the final combined score




Verbal reasoning test


Yes


40  %


Yes


35  %




Numerical and abstract reasoning tests


No


n/a


No


n/a




EU knowledge test


Yes


30  %


Yes


25  %




Digital skills test


Yes


30  %


Yes


25  %




EUFTE


No


n/a


Yes


15  %














(ii)


Should a candidate fail to obtain 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 4.3.2 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 4.3.4(d)), irrespective of the stage of the competition the candidate reached.




(b)   Specific steps







(i)


The multiple-choice-question tests will be scored in the following order: the reasoning tests, the EU knowledge test, and the digital skills test. Each time, a test will be scored only for those candidates who obtained at least the required pass score(s) in the previous test.










(ii)


Candidates who obtained at least all the required pass scores will have their results added together according to weightings indicated in Table 6 to constitute a preliminary combined score.










(iii)


Candidates will then be ranked in the descending order of their preliminary combined scores. This preliminary ranking will be used to determine the candidates who will have the EUFTE scripts scored and eligibility checked.










(iv)


Scoring of the EUFTE scripts and eligibility check (the latter conducted in accordance with point (v) below) will be carried out in parallel for a limited number of candidates taken in the descending order of the preliminary ranking. This number will in principle not exceed 1,5 times the number of successful candidates sought. However, it may be increased by the Selection Board in view of the number of candidates with equal scores.










(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)


Should a candidate not be amongst those who scored the highest as defined in point (iv) above, their participation in the competition will come to an end. Such candidates will not have their EUFTE scripts processed and will not have their eligibility checked.










(vii)


Candidates who obtained at least the required pass score in the EUFTE and were found to be eligible will have their test results added together according to weightings indicated in Table 6 to constitute a final combined score. Candidates will then be ranked in the descending order of their final combined scores. This final ranking will serve as the basis for the establishment of the reserve list.




4.3.4.   Establishment of the reserve list







(a)


After the procedures referred to in point 4.3.3(b) have been completed, the Selection Board will include in the reserve list the names of the candidates who (i) have obtained at least all the required pass scores and one of the highest final combined scores from amongst the candidates referred to in point 4.3.3(b)(iv); 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 is reached or until the pool of candidates meeting the criteria mentioned in this point is depleted.










(b)


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










(c)


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










(d)


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.










(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 (unofficial) can be found here: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1962/31(1)/2026-01-01.

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

(3)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/open-competition-permanent-staff.

(4)  Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S. and Punie, Y., DigComp 2.2, The Digital Competence framework for citizens – With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/115376.

(5)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/what-written-test.

(6)  
            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)


A candidate may apply to the same competition only once.












(3)


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).












(4)


Candidates must ensure that their candidate account in the Single Candidate Portal (2) is linked to an EU Login created with an e-mail address that remains valid at all times until the publication of the reserve list, so that EPSO can reach them via their candidate account throughout the whole competition process. Failing that, EPSO cannot be held responsible for any consequences of non-compliance with this requirement and further instructions, including possible loss of access to their candidate account and to competition-related communication, in particular if using a candidate account linked to an EU Login created with a professional address which may be de-activated for various reasons (end of contract, change of assignment, etc.).












(5)


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.












(6)


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.












(7)


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 (3) in the ‘Reading’ field of the ‘Languages’ section in the application form (see also Section 2.1 of these general rules).












(8)


Candidates can contact EPSO via the online contact form available on the EPSO website (4). Before contacting EPSO, candidates are invited to consult the ‘frequently asked questions’ section on the EPSO website (5).












(9)


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




2.   Education (6)
, experience (7)
, 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:






(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). In the absence of an official diploma, a statement of award or an equivalent document confirming the successful completion of the programme and the conferral of a title, degree, or diploma will be accepted as sufficient evidence;










(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;










(c)


a letter, certificate, or equivalent evidence from the educational institution attesting to the standard duration of the completed study programme. This evidence must indicate the number of years required to complete the programme, as referred to in the specific point of the notice of competition on which the candidate relies to establish their eligibility for the competition.
















(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 (8).












(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 (9) 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)


applying more than once to the same competition;










(b)


making false declarations or declarations unsupported by the appropriate documents;










(c)


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;










(d)


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










(e)


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










(f)


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. 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 (10).




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 (11).




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


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

(2)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/single-candidate-portal-new-online-portal-your-applications.

(3)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/documents/common-european-framework-reference-languages.

(4)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/contact-us.

(5)  
            https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/epso-faqs-by-category.

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

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

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

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

(10)  
            https://curia.europa.eu/site/jcms/.

(11)  
            https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/home.





ANNEX II
TYPICAL DUTIES
1.   Policy development and formulation







(a)


Performing political, policy, legal, or scientific analysis and evaluation, and contributing to formulation of policies in the fields of EU action; and/or










(b)


Ensuring inter-service and inter-institutional coordination and consultation, including during the legislative procedures; and/or










(c)


Carrying out legal research and analysis, and providing advice on legal matters; and/or










(d)


Drafting legal acts; and/or










(e)


Assisting decision-makers by providing written or oral contributions and advice in relation to policy development and formulation; and/or










(f)


Representing the unit, service, or institution at meetings and other fora in the context of policy development and formulation.




2.   Policy implementation and operational delivery







(a)


Contributing to policy implementation in specific sectorial policies; and/or










(b)


Carrying out political, policy, legal, or scientific analysis and translating the findings into policy, legal, or operational measures; and/or










(c)


Interpreting and implementing legal documents, contributing to the enforcement of EU law; and/or










(d)


Ensuring inter-service and inter-institutional coordination and consultation during the implementation of policies and legal acts; and/or










(e)


Managing the relations, coordinating, and liaising with internal and external stakeholders: EU institutions, Member States, national and international organisations, experts, etc.; and/or










(f)


Managing the programme/project cycle; and/or










(g)


Carrying out evaluations and assessments, and drawing up reports; and/or










(h)


Representing the unit, service, or institution at meetings and other fora in the context of policy implementation and operational delivery; and/or










(i)


Contributing to the implementation of strategies and work programmes, including by proposing improvements to the working methods and procedures; and/or










(j)


Drafting policy analysis notes, briefings, and lines to take; and/or










(k)


Contributing to external communication as well as to internal communication and reporting.




3.   Resource management







(a)


Managing, supervising, and optimising the use of resources including staff, finances, and equipment; and/or










(b)


Monitoring the implementation of administrative, financial, and budgetary procedures; and/or










(c)


Participating in the preparation of the budget estimates and in the drawing up of annual reports and accounts; and/or










(d)


Managing strategic, operational, social, and budgetary risks.




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





ANNEX III
EXAMPLES OF MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
(Examples of minimum qualifications per Member State and the United Kingdom and per grade corresponding, in principle, to those required by the notices of competition)

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










COUNTRY


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


AST 3 to AST 11


AD 5 to AD 16




Secondary education (giving access to post-secondary education)


Post-secondary education (non-university higher education course or short university course lasting at least 2 years)


University-level education (lasting at least 3 years)


University-level education (4 years or more)




Belgique — België —Belgien


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


Candidature/Kandidaat
Graduat/Gegradueerde
Bachelor/Professioneel gerichte Bachelor


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


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




България


Диплома за завършено средно образование


Специалист по …


 


Диплома за висше образование
Бакалавър
Магистър




Česko


Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce


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


Diplom o ukončení bakalářského studia (Bakalář)


Diplom o ukončení vysokoškolského studia
Magistr
Doktor




Danmark


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


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


Bachelorgrad (BA eller BS)
Professionsbachelorgrad
Diplomingeniør


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




Deutschland


Abitur/Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife
Fachabitur/Zeugnis der Fachhochschulreife


 


Fachhochschulabschluss
Bachelor


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




Eesti


Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus + riigieksamitunnistus
Lõputunnistus kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta


Tunnistus keskhariduse baasil kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta


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


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




Éire/Ireland


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


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


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


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




Ελλάδα


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


Δίπλωμα επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης (IΕΚ)


 


Πτυχίο ΑΕI (πανεπιστημίου, πολυτεχνείου, ΤΕI)
Μεταπτυχιακό Δίπλωμα Ειδίκευσης (2ος κύκλος)
Διδακτορικό Δίπλωμα (3ος κύκλος)




España


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


FP grado superior (Técnico superior)


Diplomado/Ingeniero técnico


Licenciatura
Máster
Ingeniero
Título de Doctor




France


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


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


Licence


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




Hrvatska


Svjedodžba o državnoj maturi
Svjedodžba o završnom ispitu


Stručni pristupnik/pristupnica


Baccalaureus/Baccalaurea (sveučilišni prvostupnik/prvostupnica)


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




Italia


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


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


Diploma di laurea – L (breve)


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




Κύπρος


Απολυτήριο


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


 


Πανεπιστημιακό Πτυχίο/Bachelor
Master
Doctorat




Latvija


Atestāts par vispārējo vidējo izglītību
Diploms par profesionālo vidējo izglītību


Diploms par pirmā līmeņa profesionālo augstāko izglītību


Bakalaura diploms (min. 120 kredītpunktu)


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




Lietuva


Brandos atestatas


Aukštojo mokslo diplomas
Aukštesniojo mokslo diplomas


Profesinio bakalauro diplomas
Aukštojo mokslo diplomas


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




Luxembourg


Diplôme de fin d’études secondaires et techniques


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


Bachelor
Diplôme d'ingénieur technicien


Master
Diplôme d'ingénieur industriel
DESS en droit européen




Magyarország


Gimnáziumi érettségi bizonyítvány
Szakközépiskolai érettségi-képesítő bizonyítvány


Felsőfokú szakképesítést igazoló bizonyítvány (Higher Vocational Programme)


Főiskolai oklevél
Alapfokozat (Bachelor degree 180 credits)


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




Malta


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


MCAST diplomas/certificates
Higher National Diploma


Bachelor’s degree


Bachelor’s degree
Master of Arts
Doctorate




Nederland


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


Kandidaatsexamen
Associate degree (AD)


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


HBO/WO Master's degree
Doctoraal examen/Doctoraat




Österreich


Matura/Reifeprüfung
Reife- und Diplomprüfung
Berufsreifeprüfung


Kollegdiplom/Akademiediplom


Fachhochschuldiplom/Bakkalaureus/Bakkalaurea


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




Polska


Świadectwo dojrzałości
Świadectwo ukończenia liceum ogólnokształcącego


Dyplom ukończenia kolegium nauczycielskiego
Świadectwo ukończenia szkoły policealnej


Licencjat/Inżynier


Magister/Magister inżynier
Dyplom doktora




Portugal


Diploma de Ensino Secundário
Certificado de Habilitações do Ensino Secundário


 


Bacharel Licenciado


Licenciado
Mestre
Doutorado




România


Diplomă de bacalaureat


Diplomă de absolvire (colegiu universitar)
Învățământ preuniversitar


Diplomă de licenţă


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




Slovenija


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


Diploma višje strokovne šole


Diploma o pridobljeni visoki strokovni izobrazbi


Univerzitetna diploma
Magisterij
Specializacija
Doktorat




Slovensko


Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške


Absolventský diplom


Diplom o ukončení bakalárskeho štúdia (Bakalár)


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




Suomi/Finland


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


Ammatillinen opistoasteen tutkinto – Yrkesexamen på institutnivå


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


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




Sverige


Slutbetyg från gymnasieskolan (3-årig gymnasial utbildning)


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


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


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






—


Licentiatexamen










—


Doktorsexamen




Meriter på avancerad nivå:






—


Magisterexamen, 1 år, 60 högskolepoäng










—


Masterexamen, 2 år, 120 högskolepoäng




Meriter på forskarnivå:






—


Licentiatexamen, 2 år, 120 högskolepoäng










—


Doktorsexamen, 4 år, 240 högskolepoäng








United Kingdom


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


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


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


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





NOTE:

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




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



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/711/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)