When different written tests are used in the same competition (e.g. translation tests) these tests are chosen so that they have a similar level of difficulty.
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How can I request special accommodations for the tests due to a disability or medical condition?
You should read the information on Equal opportunities, Diversity and Inclusion, including the guide on How to request specific adjustments for the selection tests.
Please note that in order to benefit from reasonable adjustments to the selection tests, you will have to produce a certificate confirming your disability or medical condition issued by a competent national organisation and/or a specialist.
Don’t forget to fill your application and the form by the deadline for application.
I am pregnant or breastfeeding and I have questions concerning my participation in the selection tests. Whom should I contact?
If you are pregnant during the selection procedure registration period, you can submit your questions, problems or requests for adjustments in the online form that you will be prompted to fill after the submission of your application. The link to the online form will be in the application. Don’t forget to add the medical certificate confirming the expected or actual delivery date.
If you find out later that you are pregnant or you give birth during the selection procedure period, please contact the dedicated team in EPSO as soon as possible by e-mail at epso-accessibility@ec.europa.eu, providing a medical certificate confirming the expected or actual delivery date.
We will inform you of the possible options after examining your request.
I have a disability or medical condition that requires adjustments to my office equipment and/or work environment. Whom should I contact?
Please note that EPSO will not pass on any information regarding your disability and specific needs to recruiting departments, in order to respect data confidentiality and non-discrimination.
If you have a disability or a medical condition that requires adjustments or have some specific needs, you must inform your future employer directly once you are recruited.
You will find information about positive action put forward by certain employers on this page: Positive action programmes
What should I do if I feel that I was not treated fairly during my competition due to my difference(s)?
EPSO places great importance on equality, diversity and inclusion, and makes every effort to respect equal opportunities, equal treatment and equal access for all its applicants.
If you feel that you have been treated in an unfair or discriminatory way, due to one or more of the following characteristics: sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation, please contact us straight away to share your observations and feelings.
We pay a lot of attention to feedback from applicants, who are at the heart of our policies and practices on equality, diversity and inclusion management. For more information on how we put these policies into practice, please see our webpage dedicated to equal opportunities.
I have a disability and have had problems accessing the Candidate account and/or website during my selection procedure. Whom should I contact to share my observations and recommendations?
Accessibility is very important to EPSO. We continually work to improve the accessibility of our communication and selection procedures.
However, if you run into difficulties linked to the accessibility of your Candidate account or our website, please contact us to share your observations and recommendations.
If necessary, EPSO produces adapted formats accessible to assistive technology
Your feedback is essential to us. It helps us improve our services by making them more accessible to everyone.
You can find out more about EPSO's work to improve accessibility on our equal opportunities webpage.
How is equal treatment guaranteed?
Objective evaluation criteria are adopted prior to the selection, in accordance with the competition notice, and are rigorously applied to all candidates in order to ensure equal treatment.
How does EPSO ensure equal opportunities?
All EPSO tests, and how they are scored, are closely analysed in order to ensure that they are fair and do not impact adversely on particular groups of candidates. EPSO is in the process of becoming compliant with the brand new ISO Standard for Assessment Procedures and is already in line with the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
A key aspect of fairness is gender balance and EPSO strives to attract and select a balanced pool of male and female applicants. In practice, men and women apply in disproportionate numbers for some profiles. In general, however, applications are balanced, and the most recent AD Generalist competition produced 50% male and 50% female successful candidates.
How do we ensure equal treatment of candidates and Selection Board impartiality in selection procedures?
Each selection procedure has its own Selection Board to select the best candidates on the basis of qualifications and competencies defined in the competition notice. Selection Boards are made up of officials from the EU Institutions, and EPSO makes every effort to ensure balance in terms of gender, linguistic capacity, staff vs administration representation and institution size. A Chairperson assisted by one or several Vice-Chairs leads the work of the Board. All tasks related to the assessment of candidates during the selection procedure are covered by the secrecy of the Board proceedings.
EPSO places great importance on equality and makes every effort to respect equal opportunities, treatment and access for all its applicants, as follows:
- The overarching principle that guides the work of the Selection Board is the principle of impartiality. For example, no direct hierarchical link or no direct family relationship may exist between a Selection Board member and the candidate s/he assesses. Nevertheless, the existence of a past or even current professional relationship of a more distant nature by itself does not automatically exclude the possibility of assessment.
- Both Selection Board members and candidates are required to declare any possible conflict of interest to EPSO so this can be taken into account and potential adjustments made accordingly.
- The Selection Board follows the pre-established eligibility, selection and assessment criteria set out in the Notice of Competition. These criteria are carefully and consistently documented, adopted and applied.
- Extensive training, coaching and supervision of Board Members as well as regular review meetings ensure a harmonised assessment approach
EPSO carries out systematic quality controls and statistical analyses to monitor and eliminate any possible bias in the assessment of the candidates.