EPSO/AD/188/10 (grade AD 5) — EPSO/AD/189/10 (grade AD 7)

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Each competition includes several languages and several options.

You may apply for only one competition, one language and one option. You must make your choice when you apply on-line and you will not be able to change it after your on-line application form has been confirmed and validated.

However, where a candidate does not have the required qualifications for the AD 7 competition but satisfies the eligibility requirements for the AD 5 competition, the selection board may, with the candidate's consent, reassign the application to the AD 5 competition.

Similarly, where a candidate admitted to the AD 7 competition fails the interpretation tests in one of the three languages, but fulfils the requirements for passing the AD 5 competition, the selection board may offer to enter that candidate's name on the reserve list for the latter. Such reassignment, in order of merit, will be possible only in so far as there are available places on the reserve list for that competition.

Note: Experience as a court interpreter, liaison interpreter, company interpreter or interpreter for social or other public services will not be considered experience as a conference interpreter.

2.1

Qualifications

Either (a)

You must have successfully completed a full course of training as a conference interpreter equivalent to four years of studies at university level and obtained the relevant qualification.

or (b)

You must have a level of education which corresponds to full university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma AND completed training as a conference interpreter attested by a certificate or other proof of success.

or (c)

You must have a level of education which corresponds to full university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma AND one year's professional experience as a conference interpreter, evidenced by documents clearly indicating the number of days worked as a conference interpreter.

2.2

Professional experience

Grade AD 5

No professional experience is required unless you are applying under III.2.1.(c), in which case the experience must have been gained since you obtained the first qualification required under that heading.

Grade AD 7

You must have at least four years' graduate-level professional experience gained since obtaining your first degree or diploma.

Such professional experience must include at least 100 days of conference interpreting since the date when the condition set out in III.2.1(a), (b) or (c) was fulfilled.

These four years must be additional to both the training as a conference interpreter evidenced by the relevant qualification and the one year of experience working as a conference interpreter required under III.2.1(b) or (c) above.

2.3

Knowledge of languages

The official languages of the European Union are:

BG (Bulgarian)

CS (Czech)

DA (Danish)

DE (German)

EL (Greek)

EN (English)

ES (Spanish)

ET (Estonian)

FI (Finnish)

FR (French)

GA (Irish)

HU (Hungarian)

IT (Italian)

LT (Lithuanian)

LV (Latvian)

MT (Maltese)

NL (Dutch)

PL (Polish)

PT (Portuguese)

RO (Romanian)

SK (Slovak)

SL (Slovenian)

SV (Swedish)

For recruitment to the Court of Justice, an understanding of written French is required.

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

‘Language combination’ means the languages used by conference interpreters in their work. Working languages are either ‘active’ or ‘passive’ languages, and are defined below as ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ languages.

Active languages

Language ‘A’ or ‘A*’:

Your main language (mother tongue or an exact equivalent), of which you have a perfect command and into which you work from all your working languages, both simultaneously and consecutively.

Language ‘B’:

Although not your main language, a language of which you have a full command and into which you interpret from language A, either simultaneously or consecutively.

Passive languages

Language ‘C’:

Language from which you interpret and which you understand fully.

Note

Please note that your general competencies will be tested at the assessment centre in English (EN), French (FR) or German (DE); the language chosen must be different from active language A or A*.

2.3.1

Language combinations required for the following languages:

Grade AD 5

Option 1(a)

(A+CC)

Active A language: Bulgarian, Romanian or Slovenian

Passive C languages:

Option 2(a)

(A+B)

Active A language: Bulgarian, Romanian or Slovenian

Active B language:

Option 3(a)

(A*+CC)

Active A* language:

Passive C languages:

Grade AD 7

Option 1(b)

(A+CCC)

Active A language: Bulgarian, Romanian or Slovenian

passive C languages:

Option 2(b)

(A+B+C)

Active A language: Bulgarian, Romanian or Slovenian

Active B language:

Passive C language:

Option 3(b)

(A*+CCC)

Active A* language:

Passive C languages:

2.3.2

Language combinations required for the following languages:

Grade AD 5

Option 1(c)

(A+CC)

Active A language: English or Dutch

Passive C languages:

Grade AD 7

Option 1(d)

(A+CCC)

Active A language: English or Dutch

Passive C languages:

Option 2(d)

(A+B+C)

Active A language: English or Dutch

Active B language:

Passive C language:

, you have declared that you fulfil the general and specific conditions listed in section III.

A series of tests comprising multiple-choice questions to assess your general ability as regards:

Test (a)

language

Verbal reasoning

Active A or A*

This test will be marked out of 20

Pass mark: 10

Test (b)

language

Numerical reasoning

Active A or A*

This test will be marked out of 10

Test (c)

language

Abstract reasoning

Active A or A*

This test will be marked out of 10

Aggregate pass mark for tests (b) and (c): 8

Test (d)

language

Verbal reasoning

Active B

(for options 2(a), 2(b) and 2(d))

Passive C1

(for the other options)

This test will be marked out of 10

Pass mark: 5

Test (e)

language

Verbal reasoning

Active B (second test)

(for option 2(a))

Passive C

(for options 2(b) and 2(d))

Passive C2

(for the other options)

This test will be marked out of 10

Pass mark: 5

Nature, marking and time allowed

For the competition at AD 5 level, a intermediate interpreting test will be held.

This test consists in the simultaneous interpretation of a recorded speech. It may involve the use of audio-visual material at a test centre.

Language: candidates have the choice between a speech in English, French or German; the language chosen must be different from their active language.

Candidates who have applied for option 2a may also choose a speech in Dutch, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish.

Time allowed: approximately 12 minutes

This test will be marked out of 20

Pass mark: 10

The marks obtained in this test will not be added to those obtained in the assessment centre session.

You will be assessed in Brussels, normally during a two-day session:

More information on these competencies can be found in point 1.2 of the guide to open competitions.

These competencies will be tested in English (EN), French (FR) or German (DE) (this language must be different from active language A or A*) by means of:

Grade AD 5: Each interpretation test will be marked out of 30

Pass mark for each test: 15

Grade AD 7: Each interpretation test will be marked out of 30

Pass mark for each test: 15

Grade AD 5: These competencies combined will be marked out of 40

Pass mark: 20

Grade AD 7: These competencies combined will be marked out of 60 (3)

Pass mark: 30

The selection board will place you on the reserve list (see the number of successful candidates in section I.1) (4) if you are among the candidates having obtained pass marks and the highest aggregate marks in the tests held at the assessment centre.

Reserve lists will be drawn up by competition and names will be listed in alphabetical order.

You must apply on-line following the instructions on the EPSO website.

Deadline: 19 August 2010 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time

In parallel with your on-line application, you must print out a copy of your validated on-line application form, sign it and send it together with the relevant supporting documents to the following address:

Closing date: 19 August 2010

Details: See point 2 of the guide to open competitions.