European Personnel Selection Office

1. European Personnel Selection Office Erik Halskov Director

2. The European Communities Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) • Legally established by decision of the EU institutions on 26 July 2002. Fully operational 1 January 2003 • Mission: to organize open competitions to select highly qualified staff for recruitment to all institutions of the European Union

3. EPSO selects candidates *** European Institutions recruit selected candidates

4. European Institutions • European Parliament • Council • European Commission • Court of Justice • Court of Auditors • European Economic & Social Committee • Committee of the Regions • European Ombudsman

5. EPSO Resources • Today: 140 staff • Own premises: Av. de Cortenbergh 80 in Brussels : close to all European Institutions • Annual budget : 22 million €

6. EXAMPLES EUR 2 (Bulgaria and Romania) • Translators (AD5) • Interpreters (AD5) EUR 2 and EUR 10 • Administrators – EPA, Law, Economics, Audit (AD5) • Secretaries (AST1)

7. Structure of presentation • Selection • Recruitment • Career

8. Selection

9. Permanent Officials • Employed and taxed by EU • Separate social security system • Longterm employment security • Salary according to fixed salary table • Recruitment through open competitions • Reform of working conditions as of 1 May 2004

10. Categories of staff AD – Administrators Former A and LA (administrators, managers, linguists) AST – Assistants Former B (administrative assistants) and C (secretaries)

11. BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR “AD” CATEGORY • University degree • EU citizen • Knowledge of 2 EU languages • Specific requirements for each competition

12. Notice of competition • Legal basis • Published in the Official Journal • Category, grade, field • Basic and Specific requirements • Expiry date for application etc.

13. Competition structure 1. Pre-selection tests All applicants 2. Written section Fixed number 3. Oral examination Fixed number

14. Knowledge in specialist field EU-knowledge General aptitude: Verbal & Numerical reasoning All pre-selection tests in Second language Pre-selection tests Multiple-choice questions

15. Essay in specialist field Written section Interview • Interview with Selection board

16. Competition finalized by establishment of the Reserve list Institutions recruit from these lists / EPSO act as “clearing house” No guaranteed recruitment Normally at least a year from application to start of recruitment Reserve listList of successful candidates

17. How to apply? • Application period normally starts when the Notice of competition is published • No regular cycle of competitions • Registration for most competitions on-line • All details on the web site http://europa.eu.int/epso

18. MYTHS • No age limit for EU competitions • No national quotas (though we work to indicative recruitment targets for enlargement competitions)

19. Recruitment

20. Committee of Regions 1% Economical and Social Committee 2% Court of Auditors 2% European Parliament European Court of Justice 13% 3% European Ombudsman 0% Council 9% European Commission 70% Actual staff per institution

22. Commission Staff 2005

23. Recruitment to Commission 2004

25. Career

26. A new career system Objective: Officials producing good results must be able to progress - both in their career and in terms of pay - until retirement • Two basic categories: Assistants and Administrators • Entrance requirements raised for AST: no officials without upper secondary education and three years of professional experience • New career structure: more grades and less function groups • Promotion on merit • Career transition facilitated

27. Old structure

28. New structure

29. Career structure (cont.)

30. Appraisal and promotion Speed of career determined by annual appraisals • Appraisal: Merit- and priority points for achievement of objectives and demonstration of competencies and conduct • Merit and priority points accumulate over the years • the threshold fixed reached: Promotion

31. Training • Increased training budget as result of reform • Increased focus on management training • Language training, knowledge of 3rd language before first promotion • Training to be set up before transfer from function group AST to AD • Inter-institutional co-ordination of certain training via European Administrative School

32. Pay and Pension (officials) PAY • Basic monthly salary for AD5 (step 1): 3837€ • Basic monthly salary for AD14 (step 5): 13193€ • Family allowances: Household allowance, Dependent child allowance, Education allowance • Expatriation allowance PENSION • Normal retirement age 65, but right stay until 67 • Full pension rights 70% of final basic salary • Flexible retirement provisions from 55 years of age

33. Improved flexibility as result of reform Objective: Reconcile family and career • Flexible working arrangements • New flexitime arrangements • Access to part time - and telework easier • Maternity leave of 20 weeks • Parental leave of six months

34. Website http://europa.eu.int/epso • The EPSO website is maintained in three official languages (German, English and French)

35. European Personnel Selection Office http://europa.eu.int/epso QUESTIONS?