Irish-Language (GA) lawyer-linguists

• Reference number: EPSO/AD/431/26 – GA
• Open for application: 21/10/2026
• Type of contract: Permanent official
• Grade: AD 7
• Deadline: 25/11/2026 - 12:00 (Brussels time)
• Status: Applications open
• Institution/Agency: Court of Justice
• Location(s): Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

Deadline for application: 25 November 2026 at 12.00 (midday), Luxembourg time

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 Court of Justice of the European Union (‘Court of Justice of the EU’), based in Luxembourg, may recruit new members of the civil service as ‘lawyer-linguists’ (grade AD 7).

• (b) This notice of competitions including its Annex ‘General rules’ forms 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 8 competitions. A candidate may only apply for one of them.

• (e) The number of successful candidates sought per competition is indicated in Table 1.

  Table 1

  Competition	Number of successful candidates sought
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – BG	12
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – DE	30
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – EL	20
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – ES	20
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – GA	30
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – MT	10
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – NL	20
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – RO	12

2.   WHAT DUTIES CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?

• (a) The Court of Justice of the EU recruits highly qualified lawyers, who must be able to translate often complex legal texts into the language of the competition from at least two other languages. The work of a lawyer-linguist involves the use of standard IT and other office-technology tools.

• (b) The duties involve translating legal texts (judgments of the Court of Justice and the General Court, Opinions of the Advocates General, written pleadings of the parties, etc.) into the language of the competition from at least two other official EU languages, reviewing such translations, and providing legal analysis in cooperation with the Registries and the other departments of the Court of Justice of the EU.

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 point 3.3.1(g).

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 three official EU languages as provided for in Section 4.2.1.

3.3.   Specific conditions – qualifications

3.3.1.   Common provisions

• (a) The eligibility requirements 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.

• (b) The specific educational qualifications that are in principle required for each particular competition covered by this notice are listed in Sections 3.3.2–3.3.9.

• (c) 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.

• (d) To determine whether a candidate meets the specific educational qualifications, the Selection Board will take into account the rules in force at the time when the qualification was awarded.

• (e) In principle, no professional experience is required. However, where a candidate’s qualification – listed under Sections 3.3.2–3.3.9 – was obtained following only three years of university-level studies, the candidates must also have legal professional experience of at least one year. The professional experience must have been acquired after the obtention of the relevant qualification.

• (f) Experience referred to in point (e) above will be considered relevant if it is acquired in one or more of the following areas:

  • legal translation,

  • drafting legal texts,

  • legal experience acquired as a self-employed lawyer,

  • legal experience in a law firm, in a business, in a national administration (including at local and regional level), in an intergovernmental or in an international organisation, in one of the EU institutions, agencies or other bodies, in a non-governmental organisation, or in a university.

• (g) In cases where a diploma is sufficient to meet the eligibility requirements for a given competition (see Sections 3.3.2–3.3.9), such diploma must be awarded no later than 29 March 2027.

3.3.2.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – BG

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – BG, a candidate must have completed university-level studies in Bulgarian law, attested by the following qualification:

Българска диплома за завършено висше юридическо образование ‘магистър по право’.

3.3.3.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – DE

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – DE, a candidate must have completed university-level studies in Austrian or German law, attested by one of the following qualifications:

Juristische Ausbildung im deutschen oder im österreichischen Recht, die mit der deutschen Ersten Juristischen Prüfung (Erstes Juristisches Staatsexamen) bzw. mit dem österreichischen Magister der Rechtswissenschaften (mag. iur.) oder einem österreichischen Master of Laws (LL.M.) abgeschlossen wurde, der die Anforderungen von § 2a des Richter- und Staatsanwaltschaftsdienstgesetzes erfüllt.

3.3.4.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – EL

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – EL, a candidate must have completed university-level studies in Greek or Cypriot law, undertaken in the Greek language, attested by one of the following qualifications:

Πτυχίο Νομικής: πτυχίο που πιστοποιεί την περάτωση πλήρους κύκλου πανεπιστημιακών σπουδών στο ελληνικό ή στο κυπριακό δίκαιο, διάρκειας τουλάχιστον τεσσάρων ετών, σε ελληνόφωνο πανεπιστήμιο της Ελλάδας ή της Κύπρου.

3.3.5.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – ES

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – ES, a candidate must have completed university-level studies in Spanish law, attested by one of the following qualifications:

• (a) Licenciatura en Derecho;

• (b) Grado en Derecho.

3.3.6.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – GA

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – GA, a candidate must have completed university-level studies in law, attested by one of the following qualifications:

Leibhéal oideachais arb ionann é agus cúrsa ollscoile a bheith críochnaithe agus deimhnithe le céim iomlán sa dlí, nó cáilíocht mar abhcóide nó aturnae a baineadh amach in Éirinn; féadfar dioplómaí nó cáilíochtaí coibhéiseacha a baineadh amach sa Ríocht Aontaithe roimh an 1 Eanáir 2021 a chur san áireamh.

3.3.7.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – MT

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – MT, a candidate must have obtained one of the following academic degrees in the law of Malta in accordance with the provision of the Statute of the University of Malta:

• (a) Dottorat fil-Liġi (LL.D.) jew Master fl-Avokatura (M.Adv.);

• (b) Diploma ta’ Nutar Pubbliku (Dip.Not.Pub.) jew Master fl-Istudji Notarili (M.Not.ST.);

• (c) Baċellerat fl-Arti fl-Istudji Legali u Umanistiċi b’Diploma ta’ Prokuratur legali (B.A., L.P.) jew Baċellerat fil-Liġi b’diploma ta’ Prokuratur Legali (LL.B (Hons), L.P.

3.3.8.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – NL

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – NL, a candidate must have completed university-level studies, attested by one of the following qualifications:

Voltooide juridische studie, afgesloten met een diploma Nederlands recht (doctorandus of master) of Belgisch recht (licentiaat of master, afgegeven door een Nederlandstalige rechtenfaculteit). Ook een bachelor Nederlands of Belgisch recht, afgegeven door een Nederlandstalige rechtenfaculteit, gevolgd door een master internationaal of Europees recht, wordt aanvaard, ongeacht de taal waarin de masteropleiding werd afgelegd.

3.3.9.   EPSO/AD/431/26 – RO

Without prejudice to point 3.3.1(e), to be eligible for competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – RO, a candidate must have completed university-level studies in Romanian law, attested by the following diploma:

Diplomă de licenţă.

4.   HOW WILL THE COMPETITIONS BE ORGANISED?

4.1.   Overview of the competition phases

These competitions will be organised in the following phases:

• application (see Section 4.3.1),

• testing (see Section 4.3.2),

• test scoring and eligibility check (see Section 4.3.3),

• establishment of the reserve lists (see Section 4.3.4).

4.2.   Languages used in these competitions

4.2.1.   Language requirements

• (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) The lawyer-linguists at the Court of Justice of the EU need to be able to translate legal texts into the language of the competition from at least two source languages. Therefore, candidates must have knowledge of at least three different official EU languages out of those 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/431/26 – BG	Bulgarian	French	One of the following: English, German, Italian, Polish, or Spanish
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – EL	Greek
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – GA	Irish
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – MT	Maltese
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – NL	Dutch
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – RO	Romanian
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – DE	German	One of the following: Bulgarian, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, Italian, Polish, or Spanish
  EPSO/AD/431/26 – ES	Spanish	One of the following: English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Polish, or Portuguese

• (c) Required knowledge levels in each linguistic ability requested in the application form (listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production, and writing) are the following:

  • (i) language 1: C2 (native-speaker level);

  • (ii) languages 2 and 3: minimum C1 at least in reading ability.

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

• (e) The Court of Justice of the EU is a multilingual institution and the language rules under which it operates are defined in the rules of procedure.

• (f) The translations at the Court of Justice of the EU are organised in a mixed system using both direct translation and translation via a certain number of ‘pivot languages’. Direct translation is preferred whenever possible, but if no means are available, a pivot language can be used instead. Currently, such pivot languages are German, English, Italian, Polish and Spanish. What is more, the French language, being the language for deliberations, requires its translation unit to be able to provide direct translations from all the official languages of the European Union. French is therefore a natural pivot language.

• (g) The language options indicated in Table 2 are based on the above considerations as well as on real current and anticipated recruitment needs in the relevant language units.

• (h) Language 1 of each competition corresponds to the target language of the translation unit concerned. A native-speaker level of language 1 is required for lawyer-linguists, because they will have to translate complex legal texts into this language. Also, candidates must demonstrate that, on the basis of a native-speaker proficiency in language 1, they will be able to carry out the legal and terminological analysis of references for a preliminary ruling submitted by national courts in that language, and related tasks.

• (i) The decision to designate French as language 2 reflects the fact that the majority of texts are to be translated from French, particularly judgments and orders of the Court of Justice and the General Court. In order to ensure that the case-law can be published in all the official EU languages, it is essential that each lawyer-linguist in each of the translation units concerned can work from French.

• (j) Language 3 in competitions EPSO/AD/431/26 – BG, EPSO/AD/431/26 – EL, EPSO/AD/431/26 – GA, EPSO/AD/431/26 – MT, EPSO/AD/431/26 – NL and EPSO/AD/431/26 – RO needs to be chosen among English, German, Italian, Polish, and Spanish due to the fact that the vast majority of texts to be translated from a language other than language 2 (French) are processed through pivot languages (i.e. English, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish).

• (k) Language 3 in competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – DE needs to be chosen among Bulgarian, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, Italian, Polish and Spanish for the following reasons:

  • (i) The vast majority of texts to be translated from a language other than language 2 (French) are processed through pivot languages other than German, namely English, Italian, Polish and Spanish;

  • (ii) Additionally, the German translation unit – as a ‘pivot unit’ for Bulgarian, Estonian, Finnish and Dutch languages – must ensure adequate coverage for these languages.

• (l) Language 3 in competition EPSO/AD/431/26 – ES needs to be chosen among English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Polish and Portuguese for the following reasons:

  • (i) The vast majority of texts to be translated from a language other than language 2 (French) are processed through pivot languages other than Spanish, namely English, German, Italian and Polish;

  • (ii) Additionally, the Spanish translation unit – as a ‘pivot unit’ for Hungarian, Latvian and Portuguese languages – must ensure adequate coverage for these languages.

• (m) These language requirements determine the languages of tests (see Section 4.2.2).

4.2.2.   Application and test languages

• (a) The languages will be used in different phases of the competitions as indicated in Table 3.

  Table 3

  Competition phase	Tests	Languages
  Application	—	Any of the 24 official EU languages
  Testing	Reasoning tests	Language 1
  EU law test	Language 1
  Translation test	Language 1 and language 2
  Translation review test	Language 1 and language 3

• (b) Owing to the specific constraints on lawyer-linguists’ work at the Court of Justice of the EU as outlined in the previous section, it is appropriate to require candidates to take the reasoning tests and the EU law test in their language 1.

• (c) The translation test and the translation review test will require candidates to demonstrate ability to use languages 1, 2, and 3, corresponding to the languages they will use in their day-to-day work. This offers the best guarantee that the candidates recruited will be of the highest standard in terms of ability and efficiency and will be operational upon recruitment.

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 email address that remains valid at all times until the publication of the reserve list (see Section 1(4) of the General rules).

• (b) The candidates must apply online on theEPSO website (3)and submit their applications by

  25 November 2026 at 12.00 (midday), Luxembourg 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 25 November 2026 at 12.00 (midday), Luxembourg time, candidates must upload a scanned copy of their valid identity card or passport.

• (e) By 29 March 2027 at 12.00 (midday), Luxembourg 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, including due to a failure to comply with 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

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 4.

Table 4

(c)   EU law test

The EU law test is a multiple-choice question test assessing the candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles and the legal framework governing the EU, its institutions, and its policies. It will be organised as indicated in Table 5.

Table 5

(d)   Translation test

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

Table 6

(e)   Translation review test

The translation review test will be organised as indicated in Table 7.

Table 7

4.3.3.   Test scoring and eligibility check

(a)   General remarks

• (i) The test scores will be used as indicated in Table 8.

  Table 8

  Test	Included in the combined overall score?	Weighting applied to the test score in the combined overall score
  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
  EU law test	Yes, provided that the candidate obtained at least the pass score.	30 %
  Translation test	Yes, provided that the candidate obtained at least the pass score.	35 %
  Translation review test	Yes, provided that the candidate obtained at least the pass score.	35 %

• (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 4.3.2 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 step of the competition the candidate reached.

(b)   Specific steps

• (i) The reasoning tests will be scored first. This will be done only for candidates who completed all the required tests (see Section 4.3.2).

• (ii) Candidates who obtained at least the required pass score in the reasoning tests will have their EU law tests scored.

• (iii) Candidates who obtained at least the required pass score in the EU law test will have their eligibility checked.

• (iv) 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 (a) examining the declarations made in the application form; and (b) verifying them against the documents duly provided by the candidates in accordance with point 4.3.1(e) above and Section 2.4, points (1), (2) and (3), of the General rules to support those declarations.

• (v) Candidates deemed eligible will have the translation test scored.

• (vi) Candidates who obtained at least the required pass score in the translation test will have their translation review test scored.

• (vii) Candidates who obtain at least the required pass score in the translation review test will have their combined overall scores established as indicated in Table 8.

• (viii) Candidates will then be ranked – within each competition – in the descending order of their combined overall scores. This ranking per competition will serve as the basis for the establishment of the reserve list for each respective competition.

4.3.4.   Establishment of the reserve lists

• (a) The Selection Board will include in the relevant reserve lists the names of the candidates who (i) have obtained at least all the required pass scores as well as one of the highest combined overall scores; and (ii) were found to be eligible. This will be performed in the descending order of the ranking referred to in point 4.3.3(b)(viii) until the number of successful candidates sought for each respective competition is reached or until the pool of candidates included in the 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.

• (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 (4). Having examined the candidates’ request as well as the relevant supporting documents, EPSO may grant reasonable accommodations where deemed necessary.

6.   INFORMATION ON PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT UPON RECRUITMENT IN LUXEMBOURG AND ON TRANSFERS

• (a) The purpose of these competitions is to provide reserve lists of successful candidates for the Court of Justice of the EU, based in Luxembourg.

• (b) Article 29(1)(a)(i) and (b) of the Staff Regulations provide that, at any time in their career, officials may apply for a transfer within the same Union institution or agency or to another Union institution or agency.

• (c) However, candidates should note that, in the interests of the service:

  • (i) during an official’s first three years of service after starting work as a probationer official, a transfer to another Union institution or agency that does not involve a change of place of employment will only be possible in exceptional, duly justified cases;

  • (ii) during an official’s first four years of service after starting work as a probationer official, a transfer within the same institution or agency or to another institution or agency that involves a change of place of employment will only be possible in exceptional, duly justified cases.

• (d) It should also be noted that any such transfer between institutions or agencies during the periods mentioned in point (c) will be conditional upon the agreement of the official’s original institution or agency and the institution or agency to which they wish to transfer.

• (e) In order to be able to perform their duties under the best possible conditions, newly recruited officials should be given the opportunity to integrate as effectively as possible into the culture and working environment of the place of employment and the institution or agency that recruits them.

• (f) Moreover, recruiting institutions or agencies invest resources in induction and training for new officials and in helping them to integrate both at work and in the place of employment. It is thus necessary to ensure a certain degree of continuity and predictability in the filling of posts by newly recruited officials, who should complete a minimum period of service in the recruiting institution or agency and in their place of employment.

(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://selection.eu-careers.europa.eu/en/documents/common-european-framework-reference-languages.

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

(4)   https://selection.eu-careers.europa.eu/en/reasonable-accommodations.

ANNEX

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.
• 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.

  (3) 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 email 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) failing to comply with testing instructions, where such instructions state that non-compliance may result in disqualification;

  • (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.
• 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);

  (3) 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.
• 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;

  (6) 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).

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

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

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

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

(5)   https://selection.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://selection.eu-careers.europa.eu/en.

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

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

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