On 16 th March, the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) will launch a modernised and streamlined selection procedure for EU officials, with its first competition for Administrators under the new arrangements. The new system will be better by establishing annual competitions for the most common job profiles, thus allowing candidates to plan their applications more effectively and helping strategic human resource planning by the EU institutions. It will be faster and more efficient, involving fewer steps than the current set-up

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) has introduced a three-year rolling plan where institutions regularly assess their staffing needs. There will be annual recruitment competitions in three cycles, for Administrators, Assistants and Linguists, complemented by individual competitions for specialists.

To end the situation where successful candidates often spend years on a list without actually finding a post, reserve lists will remain valid for just one year, until the following year's competition cycle is completed. Most candidates on reserve lists will be invited for interview. Participants will be able to receive feedback on their performance in the competition, thus avoiding lengthy review procedures.

EPSO's new selection procedure will improve the quality and reliability of the process. There will now be just two stages in the procedure – computer-based pre-selection testing in individual EU countries and an assessment stage in Brussels. The new cycle will take between 5 and 9 months, rather than up to two years as is the case under the previous system.

Pre-selection will still involve tests of cognitive ability and situational judgement, plus professional and language competency, depending on the profile sought. The previous test on EU knowledge will no longer feature in the first stage, but this will be assessed at the second stage alongside job-related exercises during the assessment.

Selection boards will be professionalised, through the secondment to EPSO of selection board members, the certification of board members in competency-based assessment and greater use of expertise in HR and psychology.

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) took its first practical and very visible steps towards modernised and streamlined selection methods a year ago, but they are becoming fully operational right now.

Promoting diversity

EPSO is also implementing a series of measures to promote diversity within the workforce and to improve the image of the EU institutions as an employer. These include guaranteeing the gender-neutrality of tests, improving services offered to candidates with special needs, and more pro-active handling of reserve lists.