EU hopefuls get ready for exams

By Tim King

Date: 23/03/06

Applicants to join the EU's civil service will next Wednesday (29 March) sit the first competitive examinations for more than seven years that are open to non-specialist candidates from the Union's 15 older states.

The long-awaited examinations will also be the first for generalist administrators since the EU changed the rules to make it easier for less academically qualified candidates to apply.

Recruitment of generalists has in recent years been confined to candidates from the ten new member states.

The last time that a selection competition was held for general administrators from the old member states, in 1998, the tests were blighted by reports of widespread cheating and had to be held again in February 1999.

The European Personnel Selection Office will be staging a further four competitions on Friday (31 March) for administrators and assistants in specialist subjects.

In total 41,000 candidates have been invited to sit the pre-selection tests: 20,000 for the general administrators in European public administration/human resources and a further 21,000 for the other four tests which are, respectively for administrators in the specialisms of law, economy and statistics, and audit and assistants in financial management/accounting or project management.

The tests will be held in 43 centres across the 25 EU states.

Article previews selection competitions to join the European Commission's staff, organised by the European Personnel Selection Office. The selection tests on 29 and 31 March 2006 were to include the first competitive examinations for more than seven years that were open to non-specialist candidates from the European Union's 15 older states.

European Personnel Selection Office: Press Release: EPSO/06/1: The European Personnel Selection Office is running a series of competitions for 41 000 candidates from the 25 EU member states, 24.3.06 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=EPSO/06/1&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

---