European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

KEY POINTS

Duties

• EPSO is responsible for operating the staff selection process for EU institutions, agencies and bodies. It does this by organising open competitions, the results of which permit it to draw up reserve lists of suitable candidates.
• It works closely with the institutions so as to assess future staffing needs and prepares a programme of competitions to meet those needs.
• It develops selection methods and techniques that are based on best practice and are in line with the required skills profiles.
• It manages and monitors the use of the reserve lists drawn up following the competitions.

Selection procedures

• Each EU institution has to make a sufficient number of selection board members, examiners and supervisors available to EPSO to allow the selection procedures to proceed smoothly.
• The decision to nominate successful candidates is taken by the appointing authorities of the relevant EU institutions, agencies and bodies.

Additional services

EPSO may also do the following.

• Agree to organise selection procedures for staff recruited by any body, office or agency. Before agreeing to do so, the head of EPSO needs the approval of EPSO’s management board. Any such agreement must cover the financial arrangements relating to the services provided by EPSO.
• Provide technical support for internal competitions organised by individual institutions, offices, agencies and bodies.
• Organise selection procedures for categories other than officials, such as contract agents and temporary agents, and draw up reserve lists of suitable applicants.

Management board

• EPSO has a management board which comprises one member per institution and three staff representatives with observer status appointed by the institutions’ staff committees (trade unions).
• The management board’s main tasks include:
  • approving the rules governing EPSO’s operation and its organisational structure;
  • approving the principles governing EPSO’s selection policy;
  • approving the rates chargeable for EPSO’s additional services;
  • agreeing rules whereby each institution is to make a suitable number of selection board members, examiners and supervisors available to EPSO.

Appointment of EPSO staff

The European Commission appoints the head of EPSO once the management board has issued a favourable opinion in regard to the candidate. The head is responsible for EPSO’s smooth operation and for appointing its staff. The head is appointed for a 5-year term which may be renewed once.

Budget and accounts

EPSO’s budget falls within the section of the EU’s budget relating to the European Commission. EPSO’s accounts must be drawn up in line with the Commission’s accounting rules and methods. It must keep separate accounts of revenue from payments for services provided.