CAST, or Contract Agents Selection Tool, is an open-ended recruitment process without application deadlines. It aims to recruit Contract agents/contract staff.
See also: Contract agents related FAQs.
CAST, or Contract Agents Selection Tool, is an open-ended recruitment process without application deadlines. It aims to recruit Contract agents/contract staff.
See also: Contract agents related FAQs.
Eligibility criteria refer to the specific requirements and conditions that candidates must meet in order to participate in EPSO selection procedures.
These criteria ensure that only qualified and suitable candidates are considered for the positions and that they meet the necessary standards for working within the EU institutions.
The eligibility criteria typically include aspects such as nationality, character, education, work experience, language proficiency, and any additional requirements specified in the Notice of Competition for a specific EPSO competition. Meeting these criteria is a prerequisite for being considered in the selection procedure.
See also: Eligibility and our FAQs section on Eligibility criteria.
Permanent officials are members of the EU civil service appointed for an indefinite time. They constitute the so-called core working force.
There are three categories for permanent EU officials: Administrators (AD), Assistants (AST) and Secretaries/Clerks (AST/SC).
See also: Staff categories.
The field-related multiple choice questionnaire (FRMCQ) includes a series of questions, which are designed to test the skills and the knowledge related to the field of the competition. The questions are based on the duties required for the specific profile. Each question is linked to four different answer options, only one of which is correct.
Further information is indicated in the Notice of Competition and in the invitation letter.
This test is designed to assess a candidate's field-specific expertise. The questions require concise, experience-based answers that demonstrate the candidate's knowledge and skills in the field.
Candidates will receive 10 questions and have 60 minutes to complete the test, with each answer limited to 500 characters, including spaces.
The field-related written test (FRWT) aims to assess the written communication skills and the knowledge in the relevant field of the competition.
See the related FAQs.
Internal competitions are limited to current EU institution employees, promoting opportunities for growth and advancement within their existing workplace.
They are not managed under EPSO’s responsibility, but under the responsibility of the recruiting services themselves.
EPSO may be asked to provide support to the running of such competitions.
The Junior Professionals Programme (JPP) is a talent development and recruitment initiative of the European Commission, aimed at attracting and integrating young professionals with diverse backgrounds and skill sets into the EU institutions.
This programme provides participants with valuable on-the-job experience, mentorship, and opportunities to contribute to the Commission's work in various policy areas.
JPP offers recent graduates and young professionals a 3-year temporary agent contract, including a 12-month traineeship programme, during which they gain hands-on experience in different departments and Directorates-General of the European Commission.
This immersive experience allows participants to build their professional networks, enhance their skills, and contribute to the EU's mission of promoting sustainable development, democracy, and values.
Throughout the JPP, participants are provided with mentorship from experienced staff members, opportunities to attend training sessions, and access to professional development resources. The JPP offers a limited number of temporary agent positions (up to 70 per year), giving the successful candidates an opportunity take part in internal competitions (open to all other eligible staff) to become permanent officials at the end of the programme.
More information about the Junior Professionals Programme, including eligibility criteria, application process, and benefits, can be found on the European Commission's website.
In line with EPSO’s selection procedures, a “laureate” is a candidate who has passed all stages of EPSO testing procedures and has been placed on the reserve list published by EPSO at the end of each competition and used by EU institutions for their specific recruitment needs.
See the related FAQs.
Multiple-Choice Questionnaire is a common format used in EPSO exams. In this format, test-takers are presented with a question and a set of possible answer choices. They must select the correct or most appropriate answer from the given options. MCQs are designed to evaluate the test-taker's knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply concepts in a specific context.
One of the most used MCQs in EPSO selection procedures is the VNAR/reasoning test.
See also the related FAQs.
Multilingualism is one of the European Union’s founding principles. Selection procedures published by EPSO as of 2024 provide candidates with the possibility of doing all their tests in any one of the EU’s 24 official languages. The requirement to use two different languages for taking the selection tests in any given competition continues to apply.
Specific conditions apply to competitions for linguistic profiles. For details, always refer to the respective Notice of Competition.
You can learn more about the EU’s 24 official languages on the Europa website: Languages, multilingualism, language rules | European Union (europa.eu)
The numerical reasoning test evaluates a candidate's logical thinking and proficiency in comprehending numerical data. Applicants must solve questions based on statistical information provided in tables.
This test is part of the three reasoning pre-selection tests (VNAR).
See also the related FAQs
The Official Journal of the European Union is the official publication for EU legal acts, other acts and official information from EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. In the context of EPSO selection procedures, the Notices of competitions are published in the Official Journal.
This term refers to a list of successful candidates/laureates who have passed the selection process for a particular competition, but have not been immediately appointed to a position. These candidates are placed on the reserve list, which serves as a pool of potential candidates for future job openings in the European institutions and contains information on the profile, competencies, and availability of all the successful candidates in a particular selection procedure.
Being on a reserve list is not a guarantee of recruitment, but on average 50% of candidates are recruited within 7 months.
European permanent officials, are classified into three groups: Administrators (AD), Assistants (AST) and Secretaries/Clerks (ASC-SC).
Secretaries and clerks are generally involved in office management and in providing administrative and technical support.
Their duties include finalising documents and files; supporting the unit’s or department’s activities (meetings, official travel, diary); compiling and disseminating information (updating databases, files); performing manual tasks.
A secretary/clerk career ranges from grade AST/SC 1 to AST/SC 6. New staff usually enters at grades AST/SC 1 or AST/SC 2.
See the related FAQs and the EU staff categories.
Selection Boards decide on the difficulty of the competition tests and approve their content, assess the candidates’ compliance with the specific eligibility criteria, compare candidates’ merits, and select the best candidates in the light of the requirements set out in the notice of competition.
The proceedings of the Selection Boards are secret, and their work is facilitated by EPSO.
Each competition for permanent officials has its own Selection Board, composed of officials from the EU institutions and bodies served by EPSO.
Officials join the Selection Board on a voluntary basis, following a dedicated call for interest. Selection Board members are nominated formally by their organisation of origin. They must have no conflict of interest as regards their competition in order to be confirmed as members of the selection board.
Since 1 January 2023, selection boards no longer include permanent members systematically. Gradually, all Selection Boards will be composed of non-permanent members only.
Nominated Selection Board members are trained on selection and assessment methodologies before they take up their duties and continue to receive specific training and guidance from EPSO’s team of psychologists during the different stages of their competition.
A selection procedure is a structured process to recruit staff members for the European institutions.
It involves a series of selection stages to evaluate candidates' skills, knowledge, and experience against the specific requirements of a given profile. It ensures merit-based recruitment and equal opportunities for all applicants.
Selection procedure includes: competitions for Permanent officials and other procedures like CAST.
The term Staff Regulations refers to a comprehensive set of rules and principles that govern the employment conditions, rights, and obligations of personnel working within the EU institutions and bodies. They cover a wide range of aspects, including recruitment, career development, working conditions, salary scales, social security, and pensions. The staff regulations help to establish a uniform and transparent framework for the employment of EU personnel, promoting efficiency, consistency, and fairness across the different institutions...
See also EU staff regulations.
Translators can seek employment opportunities with the EU institutions and agencies via different pathways.
They can apply for an open competition for translators (AD), for temporary posts or for CAST translator profiles. Although a diploma in translation or language studies is desirable, candidates with broader academic backgrounds are also encouraged to apply, promoting a diverse and versatile workforce in the European institutions.
The Verbal Reasoning test consists of several short texts, usually one or two paragraphs, accompanied by a question with 4 to 5 answer options. Candidates must choose the answer that best reflects the information given in the text. This test is part of the three reasoning pre-selection tests (VNAR).
See also the related FAQs.