14.9.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CA 221/3

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NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITIONS

(2006/C 221 A/01)

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising open competitions, based on qualifications and tests, to establish a reserve pool from which to recruit

LAWYER-LINGUISTS  (1) (AD7)

WITH MAIN LANGUAGE ESTONIAN (ET) — EPSO/AD/63/06

WITH MAIN LANGUAGE LATVIAN (LV) — EPSO/AD/64/06

WITH MAIN LANGUAGE LITHUANIAN (LT) — EPSO/AD/65/06

WITH MAIN LANGUAGE SLOVENIAN (SL) — EPSO/AD/66/06

CONTENTS

A.	DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

B.	SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

C.	HOW TO APPLY

D.	GENERAL INFORMATION

ANNEX:

Requests for review — Appeal procedures — Complaints to the European Ombudsman

A.   DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

Open competitions EPSO/AD/63-64-65-66/06 are being held to recruit lawyer-linguists who have Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian or Slovenian as their main language (language 1).

The purpose of these competitions is to draw up reserve lists from which to fill vacant posts in the European Union institutions.

Number of successful candidates by competition and by channel:

	‘Court of Justice’ channel	‘Parliament, Council, Commission’ channel
EPSO/AD/63/06 — ET	20	10
EPSO/AD/64/06 — LV	20	12
EPSO/AD/65/06 — LT	20	12
EPSO/AD/66/06 — SL	20	10

The competition is divided into two channels: a ‘Court of Justice’ channel and a ‘Parliament, Council, Commission’ channel. You may apply for only one of these two channels.

Your attention is drawn to the fact that the Court of Justice in Luxemburg is the institution which employs the largest number of lawyer-linguists.

You may apply for only one of these competitions and channels. You must choose which one when you register online, and cannot change it after the closing date for registration.

To ensure that all general texts relating to the competition and all communication between candidates and EPSO are clearly understood on both sides, this competition notice is being published solely in English, French and German. These three languages will also be used for the invitations to the various tests and correspondence between EPSO and candidates.

I.   DUTIES

‘Court of Justice’ channel

‘Parliament, Council, Commission’ channel

Translation and revision into the language of the competition, from at least two of the official languages of the European Union; of legal texts (Judgments of the Court of Justice, of the Court of First Instance and of the European Union Civil Service Tribunal, conclusions from the Advocates General, pleadings for the parties, etc) and legal analysis work together with the Registry and the other departments of the Court of Justice.

Checking the competition-language version of legislative texts (already translated and revised) for linguistic and legal consistency with the other language versions. Checking their drafting and compliance with formal presentational rules. Occasionally translating short legal texts, particularly from English or French.

The European Union institutions recruit highly qualified lawyers who have the capacity to adapt throughout their career. Applicants must be able to translate often complex legal/legislative texts into the competition language from at least two other languages and/or check such texts. The work will involve use of standard computing and other office-technology tools.

The institutions place particular importance on the ability of candidates to grasp problems of all kinds, often complex in nature, to react rapidly to changing circumstances and to communicate effectively. You will have to show initiative and imagination and be highly motivated. You should be able to work frequently under pressure, both on your own and in a team, and adjust to a multicultural working environment. You will also be expected to develop your professional skills throughout your career.

II.   ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT) (2)

You may apply for the competitions if on the closing date for online registration and submission of paper applications (see section C) you meet the following requirements:

1.   Qualifications

You must have completed the equivalent of a university course of at least four years and obtained the relevant leaving qualification in law.

EPSO/AD/63/06: lawyer-linguists with Estonian as their main language

You must have an academic higher education in Estonian law, that is, a former bachelor's degree in law (160 points) or a diploma which has been recognised as equivalent or a master's degree in law (3+2 programme).

(Akadeemiline kõrgharidus Eesti õiguses, s.o endine bakalaureuse kraad õigusteaduses (160 ainepunkti) või sellega võrdsustatud diplom või magistrikraad õigusteaduses (3+2 õppekava).)

EPSO/AD/64/06: lawyer-linguists with Latvian as their main language

You must have completed a full, approved course of study in Latvian law at university level and have obtained the relevant leaving qualification, and you must be qualified as a lawyer or have an equivalent diploma.

(Kandidātiem ir jābūt diplomam par augstāko juridisko izglītību Latvijas tiesību zinātnēs, kas iegūts akreditētā studiju programmā, vai minētā līmeņa izglītībai pielīdzināmam diplomam un jurista kvalifikācijai.)

EPSO/AD/65/06: lawyer-linguists with Lithuanian as their main language

You must have a level of education corresponding to a full university course in Lithuanian law and have obtained a degree or master's degree in law or an equivalent diploma evidencing your qualification as a lawyer.

(Kandidatai turi turėti universitetinį išsilavinimą Lietuvos teisės srityje, patvirtintą teisės bakalauro ar teisės magistro diplomu arba juos atitinkančiu diplomu, suteikiančiu teisininko kvalifikaciją.)

EPSO/AD/66/06: lawyer-linguists with Slovenian as their main language

You must have completed the equivalent of a university course of at least four years and obtained the relevant leaving qualification in Slovenian law.

(Popolna pravna izobrazba, potrjena z univerzitetno diplomo iz slovenskega prava.)

2.   Knowledge of languages

‘Court of Justice’ channel	‘Parliament, Council, Commission’ channel
You must satisfy the three following conditions:	You must satisfy the three following conditions:
(a) have a perfect command of your competition language (language 1);	(a) have a perfect command of your competition language (language 1);
(b) have a thorough knowledge of one of the following languages (language 2): English, French, German, Italian or Spanish;	(b) have a thorough knowledge of English or French (language 2);
(c) have a thorough knowledge of one of the following languages (language 3): Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish or Swedish, which must be different from languages 1 and 2.	(c) have a thorough knowledge of English, French or German (language 3), which must be different from language 2.
Language 2 or language 3 must be French.	Language 2 or language 3 must be English.
(d) Optional test	(d) Optional tests:
For this test, you must choose a language listed in (c) (language 4), which must be different from languages 1, 2 and 3.	For optional test 1, you must choose one of the following languages (language 4): Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish or Swedish, which must be a language other than languages 1, 2 and 3.

Your language knowledge must be proven by supporting documents, which should be attached to your application. If you have no such supporting documents, you should explain in detail, on a separate sheet, how you acquired your knowledge of these languages.

You must state in the online registration form  (3) and the paper application (to be printed from the website) which languages you choose for each of the different tests. This choice may not be modified after the closing date. Please note that any modification, before the closing date, must be done both online and on the paper application form (see C). Should there be a difference between the information provided in the online registration form and that given in the paper application form, EPSO will consider the latter as definitive.

The oral test will take place in German, English or French. Candidates should indicate their choice for this test under language 5 in the online registration form.

3.   General conditions

You must:

—	be a citizen of one of the Member States of the European Union,

—	enjoy your full rights as a citizen,

—	have fulfilled any obligations imposed on you by the laws on military service, and

—	meet the character requirements for the duties involved.

B.   SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

1.   Admission to the competition

(a)	The appointing authority will draw up a list of candidates who meet the general requirements set out at A.II.3 above and send it to the Chair of the Selection Board together with their application files.

(b)	After reading these, the Selection Board will draw up a list of candidates who meet the specific requirements set out at A.II.1 and 2 above and can therefore be admitted to the competition.

2.   Selection on the basis of qualifications

After setting the criteria it will use, the Selection Board scrutinises the qualifications of all the candidates admitted to the competition and decides who will be admitted to the tests.

This selection is made by the Board on the basis of the supporting documents provided by candidates on the closing date for applications and on the information in their curriculum vitae (see C. 2).

You should therefore include in your file a copy of all the supporting documents the Selection Board requires to enable it to examine your application.

3.   Compulsory written tests — marking

‘Court of Justice’ channel	‘Parliament, Council, Commission’ channel
(a) Translation into your competition language (language 1), without a dictionary, of a legal text in the language (language 2) you chose from those listed at section A.II.2.b. This test will be marked out of 40 (pass mark: 20). Time allowed: two and a half hours.	(a) Translation into your competition language (language 1), without a dictionary, of a legal text in the language (language 2) you chose from those listed at section A.II.2.b. This test will be marked out of 40 (pass mark: 20). Time allowed: two and a half hours.
(b) Translation into your competition language (language 1), without a dictionary, of a legal text in the language (language 3) you chose from those listed at section A.II.2.c. This test will be marked out of 40 (pass mark: 20). Time allowed: two and a half hours.	(b) Translation into your competition language (language 1), without a dictionary, of a legal text in the language (language 3) you chose from those listed at section A.II.2.c. This test will be marked out of 40 (pass mark: 20). Time allowed: two and a half hours.
French must be chosen for one of those two tests.	English must be chosen for one of those two tests.
Test (b) will be marked only if you obtain the pass mark for test (a).	Test (b) will be marked only if you obtain the pass mark for test (a).
	(c) Revision of a legal text translated into your competition language from the language you chose for the compulsory written test (a) (language 2); This test will be marked out of 30. Time allowed: one and a half hours.
	Test (c) will be marked only if you obtain the pass mark for tests (a) and (b).

4.   Compulsory oral test — marking

If you obtain the pass mark for the compulsory written tests (where applicable) you will be admitted to the oral test.

Interview with the Selection Board in your language 5 (English, French or German), to enable it to assess:

—	your general and legal knowledge. At this point, the Board may take into account knowledge of languages other than those used in the written tests; legal knowledge will be tested in your language 1,

—	your motivation and ability to adjust as a European civil servant in a multicultural working environment.

This test will be marked out of 100 (pass mark: 50)

5.   Optional test(s)

‘Court of Justice’ channel	‘Parliament, Council, Commission’ channel
The purpose of the optional test is to enable you to display your full range of language knowledge. It will not be taken into account by the Selection Board when it decides who will be on the reserve list and their ranking within it. Its purpose is to help the institutions make the best use of the list when recruiting from it.	The purpose of the optional tests is to enable you to display your full range of language knowledge. They will not be taken into account by the Selection Board when it decides who will be on the reserve list and their ranking within it. Their purpose is to help the institutions make the best use of the list when recruiting from it. You may choose one or more of the following tests:
Translation into your competition language (language 1), with a (non-electronic) dictionary, of a legal text in the language (language 4) you chose at section A.II.2.d. This test will be marked out of 20. Time allowed: one hour.	(1) Translation into your competition language (language 1), with a (non-electronic) dictionary, of a legal text in the language (language 4) you chose from those listed at section A.II.2.d. This test will be marked out of 20. Time allowed: one hour.
	(2) Translation into the language you chose for the compulsory written test (a) (language 2), with a (non-electronic) dictionary, of a legal text in your competition language (language 1). This test will be marked out of 20. Time allowed: one hour.
	(3) Essay, in your competition language (language 1), on a subject chosen from a number of general subjects in areas relevant to the European Union. This test will be marked out of 20. Time allowed: one hour.
This test may be held at the same time as the compulsory tests, but will be marked only for candidates placed on the reserve list.	These tests may be held at the same time as the compulsory tests, but will be marked only for candidates placed on the reserve list.

6.   Date and place of the tests

The written tests will be held at the same time for all candidates at one or more centres in the European Union.

The date for the tests, to be set by the European Personnel Selection Office cannot be changed at candidates’ request. Candidates will be informed in their letter of invitation to the tests (via the EPSO profile).

In principle, the oral test will take place in Brussels or Luxembourg.

7.   Reserve lists

The Selection Board will draw up the list of successful candidates (see section A for number). This will be broken down by competition, channel and merit group (maximum of 4), with the names in each merit group being listed in alphabetical order. It will contain the names of those candidates who obtained the pass mark (where applicable) in each of the compulsory written tests and the oral test and the highest total marks (4) from those tests.

The reserve lists, together with their expiry date, will be published (5) in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the EPSO website (6).

C.   HOW TO APPLY

Please refer also to the Guide for Applicants (2), which can be found on the EPSO website (6). It contains detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.

Your application will be rejected if, by the closing date, you have not:

—	registered online, AND

—	sent the full paper application by registered post.

The closing date for registration is 17 October 2006. Online registration will not be possible after 12.00 Brussels time on that day.

1.   Creating an EPSO profile/online registration

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria.

If you want to apply, you must register via the Internet by going to the EPSO website (6) and following the instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your online registration in time (7). We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy Internet traffic or a problem with the Internet connection could lead to the online registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will not be able to register.

On completion of your online registration, you will receive on screen a registration number which you must note — this will be your reference number in all matters concerning your application. Once you receive this number, the registration process is finished — it is the confirmation that we have registered the data you entered.

If you do not receive a number, your application has not been registered!

Please note that you must have an e-mail address. This will be used to identify you. The information you must enter in your registration includes the languages you choose (see section A.II.2), and the details of your qualification giving access to the competition (title, name of issuing establishment and date obtained).

After having duly completed your online registration you must print out the electronic registration form and enclose it with your application form.

Once registered, you can use the website (6)(click on ‘Ongoing competitions’) to follow the progress of the competition.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering online, you may request — preferably by fax — a paper version of the form (8), which you should fill in, sign and return by registered mail, postmarked no later than the closing date for registration. All subsequent communication between EPSO and you will be by post.

You must enclose with your application form a certificate attesting your disability, issued by a recognised body. You should also set out on a separate sheet of paper any special arrangements you think are needed to make it easier for you to take part in the tests.

2.   Sending the complete paper application by registered post

In addition to registering online, you must print out and complete the application form on the EPSO website (6) and send it to EPSO by the closing date (9).

Documents to enclose with the application form

Your application must give full details of your citizenship, studies, training, work placements, research and language knowledge. You should also enclose with your application the following documents:

—	a detailed curriculum vitae,

—	a photocopy of a document proving your citizenship (e.g. your passport etc.),

—	a photocopy of your qualification(s),

—	documents explaining how your language knowledge was acquired,

—	a photocopy of any document that could help the selection board to appreciate your profile,

—	a numbered index of the above documents.

All these documents must be accompanied by a translation of them in English, French or German (you may do the translation yourself).

A CURRICULUM VITAE IS NOT A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT.

You should send only uncertified photocopies of the above documents. Paper copies downloaded from websites and/or references to websites do not constitute such documents.

The application form must be completed in full, i.e. you may not refer to any previous application forms submitted or any other documents enclosed with such applications. None of the documents submitted with your application will be returned.

Signing and sending the form

It is your responsibility to make sure that your application form, duly completed, SIGNED and accompanied by all the supporting documents, is sent in time  (9) by registered post (the postmark will serve as proof of the date of sending) to the following address:

European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

CORT 80

Open competition EPSO/AD/../06 (indicate the number of the competition chosen)

B-1049 Brussels

You will automatically be disqualified if you:

—	have not completed your online registration in time (7),

—	have posted your paper application after the closing date (9),

—	have not completed and/or signed the application form (original signature required),

—	do not meet all the eligibility criteria,

—	have not sent all the supporting documents by the closing date (9).

3.   Invitations

Details of when and where you must attend the written and oral tests will be available only on the EPSO website (6). You can access it by entering the user name and password you specify when registering online. You are responsible for updating any change, via your EPSO profile, in your postal or e-mail address.

It is also your responsibility to keep track of the progress of the competition by consulting your EPSO profile, ensuring that for each stage you can access the information relevant to your application. If you find that you cannot do this, notify EPSO immediately by e-mai (10).

As far as possible you will be asked to sit the written tests at the test centre which is considered closest to the address given at the time of your online registration. For organisational reasons you will not be able to switch to another venue unless you can prove that you have changed residence and have informed EPSO of this at least three weeks before the planned date of the written tests.

4.   Reserve lists

The names of the successful candidates (see section B.7) will be included in the reserve lists.

5.	If, at any stage in the procedure, it is established that the information in your online registration form or official application form is incorrect you will be disqualified from the competition.

6.	To facilitate the administration of the competition, in all correspondence you SHOULD GIVE YOUR FULL NAME AS IN YOUR APPLICATION, THE NUMBER OF THE COMPETITION AND THE REFERENCE NUMBER YOU RECEIVED WHEN YOUR ONLINE REGISTRATION WAS ACCEPTED.

D.   GENERAL INFORMATION

1.   Equal opportunities

The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.

2.   Selection Board

A Selection Board is appointed for each competition. It is made up of both representatives from the administration and representatives from the institutions’ Staff Committee. The names of its members will be published on the EPSO website (6) approximately two weeks before the written tests.

You are strictly forbidden to make any contact with the members of the Selection Board, either directly or indirectly. It is for the Selection Board to decide whether any infringement of this rule should disqualify you from the competition.

Your sole contact for all information on the competition throughout the whole process will be EPSO.

3.   Approximate timetable

Depending on the total number of candidates, the competition will take approximately nine months from start to finish, beginning on the closing date for online registration.

Full details are available on the EPSO website (6).

4.   Requests from candidates for access to information concerning them

Under the selection procedures, candidates are acknowledged to have a specific right of access to certain information concerning them directly and individually, on the conditions described below. In accordance with this right, EPSO may provide candidates who so request with supplementary information concerning their participation in the competition. Candidates must send any requests for information in writing to EPSO within a month of being notified of their results in the competition. EPSO will reply within a month of receiving the request. Requests will be dealt with in such a manner as to take account of the confidential nature of the proceedings of Selection Boards, as provided for in the Staff Regulations (Annex III, Article 6) and will comply with the rules on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data. Examples of the type of information which may be supplied are given in the Guide for Applicants, section III.2.

5.   Requests for review — Appeal procedures — Complaints to the European Ombudsman

See Annex.

6.   Recruitment

If you are placed on the reserve list you will be eligible for appointment as a probationary official as and when required by the European institutions, in Luxembourg, Brussels or any other place of activity.

If you are offered a post you will subsequently be asked to produce the originals of all the requisite documents, such as diplomas, certificates and statements of employment, of which you have sent photocopies.

Recruitment will depend on posts and funds becoming available.

In view of the nature of the post, if you are successful you may be offered a temporary contract; in this case, your name will remain on the reserve list.

Article 29(1)(b) of the Staff Regulations refers to the possibility for officials to request a transfer to another institution or agency at any time in their careers. However, in the interests of the service, during their first three years of service newly recruited officials are transferred only in exceptional and duly justified cases. Any such transfer is subject to the agreement of both the institution or agency that originally recruited the official and the institution or agency in receipt of the transfer request.

7.   Retirement scheme

You should note that the retirement age for staff is laid down in the Staff Regulations as follows:

—	either automatically at the age of 65 years;

—	or, at the official’s own request, at the age of 63 years or where the official is between 55 and 63 years of age and satisfies the requirements for immediate payment of a pension;

—	exceptionally, at the official's own request and where it is considered to be in the interest of the service, at not later than the age of 67.

8.   Grade

This reserve pool of lawyer-linguists is for grade AD7.

9.   Remuneration

Basic monthly salary as at 1 January 2006:

grade AD7, first step: EUR 5 020,47

10.   Protection of personal data

As the body responsible for organising the competition, EPSO ensures that applicants’ personal data is treated as required by Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data. This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data (Official Journal of the European Communities L 8 of 4 January 2001).

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(1)  The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic characteristics, language, religious, political or other convictions or opinions, belonging to a national minority, financial situation, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.

(2)  http://europa.eu/epso/on-line-applications/guide_en.htm

(3)  For practical reasons this form is available in English, French or German only.

(4)  If a number of candidates have obtained the same number of marks for the last place, the Selection Board will admit all the ex aequo.

(5)  If successful, you may explicitly request that your name not be published.

(6)  http://europa.eu/epso

(7)  No later than 12 noon, Brussels time, on 17 October 2006.

(8)  Write to EPSO — Info-recruitment — Avenue de Cortenburgh, 80 4/17 — B-1049 Brussels — Fax (32-2) 295 74 88.

(9)  Postmarked no later than 17 October 2006.

(10)  E-mail: EPSO-AD-..-06@ec.europa.eu (indicate the number of the competition chosen)

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