The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising an open competition, based on tests, to constitute a reserve of

Competition EPSO/AST/40/07 is being organised to recruit assistants (AST3) in the field of proofreading for the production of publications in Maltese language.

The object of this competition is to draw up a reserve list of 20 candidates (2) for the purpose of filling vacant posts, within the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities in Luxembourg and/or Institutions of the European Union, corresponding to the nature of duties.

Please note that the tests for the above competitions may be held simultaneously. You may therefore apply for one of these competitions only. You must choose which one when you fill in the on-line registration form and cannot subsequently change it.

Working under supervision, proofreaders will be expected to proofread Maltese-language.

You may apply for this competition if, on the closing date for on-line registration (3) (see section C), you meet the following requirements:

The Selection Board will allow for differences between education systems. For examples of the minimum qualifications required, see the tables annexed to the Guide for Applicants (4) (on EPSO's website) for each category. Note that these are examples only — more stringent requirements may be set in any given notice of competition.

at least three years’ professional experience in the field of production or proofreading of publications in Maltese.

You must have mother tongue knowledge of Maltese or equivalent (main language) and, in the interest of the service, a satisfactory knowledge of English, French or German (language 2) (5).

All details relating to this knowledge must be indicated on the electronic registration form (6) and on the application form. You may not subsequently change your choice of language for the tests.

Candidates who fail to obtain a pass-mark in any of the tests will be eliminated.

Proofreading a text in Maltese (spelling, grammar) and proofreading a series of printer’s proofs in Maltese (spelling, grammar and typography) on the basis of manuscripts.

For organisational reasons, the pre-selection tests and the written test will be held simultaneously for all candidates at one or more centres in the European Union.

The date of the pre-selection and written tests will be scheduled by the Publications Office and cannot be changed at a candidate's request. These details will be notified when you receive your invitation to the tests (via your EPSO profile).

NB: Candidates who, in tests (a), (b) and (c) combined, have obtained both the pass-mark and one of the 60 highest scores (2) will be invited to submit a full application with a view to their admission to the competition.Following examination of this application, and subject to all the requirements being satisfied, the written test will be marked.Candidates will not necessarily be admitted to the competition simply because they took the written test at the same time as the pre-selection tests. The written test of candidates who do not pass the pre-selection test will not be marked.

The time allowed for the pre-selection tests and the written test will be decided by the Selection Board; you will be notified of the time allowed when you receive your invitation to the tests.

Candidates who have obtained the pass-mark for each one of tests (a), (b) and (c) and one of the 60 highest scores (2) in the tests combined, will be asked to print out and complete the full application form in their EPSO profile on the EPSO website (7) with a view to their admission to the second stage.

The application form must be sent in by post by the closing date. All supporting documents must be enclosed with the application (section C.4).

Following examination of this application, and subject to all the requirements being satisfied (see Section A.II), the written test will be marked.

The candidates who in the written test have obtained both the pass-mark and one of the 30 highest scores (2) will be admitted to the oral test.

An interview with the Selection Board to enable an assessment to be made of the candidates’ suitability for the duties mentioned in Section A.I within the European civil service. The interview will focus on candidates’ specialised knowledge in the field and their knowledge of the European Union, the European Union Institutions and Community policies. Their knowledge of the second language will also be examined. The candidates’ ability to adapt to the multicultural working environment of the European civil service will also be examined during the interview.

At the end of the competition, the Selection Board will draw up a reserve list, in alphabetical order, of the 20 candidates (2) who, in the written test and the oral test combined (8), obtained both the pass-mark and one of the highest scores.

The reserve list and their period of validity will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (9).

Please refer also to the Guide for Applicants (4) , which can be found on the EPSO website (7) . It contains detailed instructions to help you submit your application correctly.

Candidates must fulfil all the eligibility criteria (Section A.II) by the deadline for submitting the electronic registration form (21 May 2007).

All communication with the candidates concerning this competition will be in English, German or French, according to the language chosen on the electronic registration form for pre-selection tests (b) and (c).

Before submitting your inscription, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria (see section A, particularly concerning the types of diploma and professional experience required).

If you want to apply, you must register via the internet by going to the EPSO website (7) and following the instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your on-line inscription in time. We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the on-line inscription being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process, and once the deadline has passed you will not be able to do so.

On completion of your on-line inscription, you will receive on screen a number which you must note — this will be your reference number for your application. Once you receive this number, the process is finished — it is the confirmation that we have registered the data you entered.

Please note that you must have an e-mail address. This will be used to identify you. The information you must enter includes your choice of languages (see A.II.3), the details of your qualifications (title, name of issuing establishment and date obtained) and your professional experience.

The closing date for inscriptions is 21 May 2007. On-line inscription will not be possible after 12 noon, Luxembourg time, on that day.

You do not need to submit any documents at this stage. You will be asked to send in a full application later (section C.4).

Once registered, you can use the website (7) (click on ‘Ongoing competitions’) to follow the progress of the competition.

No supporting documents will be accepted at this stage except, where applicable, those relating to any disability.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering on-line, you may request — preferably by fax — a paper version of the form (10) , which you should fill in, sign and return by registered mail, postmarked no later than the closing date for inscription. All subsequent communication between the Publications Office 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.

The candidates invited to the pre-selection tests/written test will be those who are found to meet the general terms and conditions (see A.II.4) after the Publications Office has carried out a preliminary eligibility check based on the information given in the registration.

Please note that an invitation to attend the pre-selection tests does not imply that the eligibility of the candidate has been fully checked.

Details of when and where you must attend the pre-selection tests/written test and the full application form will be available only on the EPSO website (7). You can access it using the user name and password you specify when registering. You are responsible for updating, via your EPSO profile, any change in your postal or e-mail address. Invitation to the oral test will be sent by post.

You are also responsible for consulting your EPSO profile to keep track of the progress of the competition and to the information relevant to your application at every stage. If you find that you cannot do this, it is your responsibility to notify the Publications Office immediately by e-mail (11).

You will be asked to sit the pre-selection tests and the written test in the city designated by the Publications Office. 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 the Publications Office of this at least three weeks before the date scheduled for the pre-selection tests/written test. The oral test will normally be held in Luxembourg.

Once the pre-selection tests have been marked, candidates who have obtained both the pass-mark and the highest scores (Section B.4) will be asked to print and complete the full application form which they will find in their EPSO profile on the website (7). It must be sent in by registered post by the closing date (12).

Your application must give full details of your studies, your professional experience and citizenship. You should enclose with your application the following documents:

No documents will be returned, you should therefore send only uncertified photocopies of these documents.

When completing your application form, you may not refer to any previous applications submitted or to any other documents enclosed with such applications.

It is your responsibility to make sure that your application form, duly completed, SIGNED and accompanied by all the supporting documents is sent by registered post by the deadline indicated later by the Publications Office (12). The postmark will serve as proof of the date of dispatch. The application form should be sent to the following address:

Candidates who are successful in the pre-selection tests but fail to return the full application form duly completed and signed and accompanied by the requisite supporting documents within the time limit specified, will not be admitted to the next stage of the competition.

Before marking the written test, the Selection Board will examine the files of the best candidates in the pre-selection tests who have obtained the highest scores as well as the pass-mark in each of the tests (see Section B.4) to determine whether they meet the conditions laid down in Section A.II of the competition notice. Once this test has been marked, candidates who have obtained both the pass-mark and one of the 30 highest scores (Section B.4), will be admitted to the oral test.

After the oral test, the 20 candidates (2) who have obtained both the pass-mark and the highest scores in the written and the oral tests combined (Section B.6) will be placed on the reserve list.

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.

A Selection Board is appointed for each competition. It is made up of members representing both the Administration and the Staff Committee of the institutions. The names of the members of the Selection Board will be published in the C/A series of the Official Journal of the European Union. The work of the Selection Board is secret (13).

Candidates are strictly forbidden to make any contact with the members of the Selection Board. Any candidate who infringes this rule will be disqualified from the competition.

The Publications Office is responsible for all communication with candidates until the competition is completed (see address under C.4 (10)).

Please note that competition procedures take approximately one year, from the deadline for sending in the electronic registration forms, depending on the number of candidates.

Candidates involved in selection procedures have a special right of access to certain information concerning directly and individually, subject to the conditions described below. The Publications Office may accordingly provide candidates who so request with supplementary information relating to their participation in the competition. Candidates should send any request for information by letter to the Publications Office within one month of being notified of their results in the competition. The Publications Office will reply within a month of receiving the request. Requests will be dealt with in such a manner as to take account of the secret nature of the proceedings of Selection Boards provided for by the Staff Regulations (Annex III, Article 6) and to conform 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 (4).

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

A place on the reserve list for this competition does not constitute a guarantee for recruitment. Candidates who are placed on the reserve lists will be eligible for appointment as probationary official as and when required by the Publications Office in Luxembourg or, possibly, other departments of the institutions of the European Union, for posts corresponding to the duties (see A.I ‘Duties’).

The attention of the candidates is drawn to the fact that, taking into account the fact that this is a specific competition, successful candidates cannot be recruited for employment which does not correspond to the nature of the functions described in the notice of competition.

Candidates placed on a reserve list who are offered a post will subsequently be asked to produce the originals of all the requisite documents, such as diplomas, certificates and evidence of employment, so that they can be authenticated.

If the nature of a post should so require, candidates on the reserve list may be offered a temporary contract; in this case, their names 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. 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 received the transfer request.

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

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 (14).

(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) If a number of candidates tie for the last place, the Selection Board will consider them all.

(5) All communication with the candidates concerning this competition will be in English, French or German, according to the language chosen on the on-line registration form for pre-selection tests (b) and (c).

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

(8) Please note that the scores from the pre-selection test will not be taken into consideration at this stage.

(9) Successful candidates may explicitly ask for their names not to be published.

(10) Write to the Publications Office, Human Resources Unit, Competitions, 2, rue Mercier, L-2985 Luxembourg. Fax (352) 29 29 427 50.

(13) Article 6 of Annex III of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities.

ANNEX

REQUESTS FOR REVIEW — APPEAL PROCEDURES — COMPLAINTS TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN

Since the Staff Regulations apply to both the pre-selection test phase and the competition, please note that all the proceedings of the Selection Board are covered by the confidentiality requirement laid down in Annex III of the Staff Regulations. If at any stage in either part of the selection process you consider that your interests have been prejudiced by a particular decision, you can take the following action:

—

Request for review:

Within 20 days of the notification on the decision, send a letter stating your case to:

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

Human Resources Unit — Competitions

EPSO/AST/40/07

2, rue Mercier

L-2985 Luxembourg

The Publications Office will forward your request to the chair of the Selection Board where it comes within the board's remit. You will be sent a reply as soon as possible.

—

Appeal:

—

You can bring a case before:

European Union Civil Service Tribunal

Boulevard Konrad Adenauer

L-2925 Luxembourg

under Article 236 of the EC Treaty and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities,

—

or you can lodge a complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities, at the following address:

European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

C 80

Open competition EPSO/AST/40/07

B-1049 Brussels

The time limits for initiating these two types of procedure start to run from the time you are notified of the act allegedly prejudicing your interests (see Staff Regulations as amended by Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 723/2004 (OJ L 124, 27.4.2004, p. 1) —http://europa.eu/eur-lex).

You should note that the appointing authority does not have the power to amend the decisions of a Selection Board. The Court has consistently held that the wide discretion enjoyed by Selection Boards is not subject to review by the Court unless rules which govern the proceedings of Selection Boards have clearly been infringed.

—

Complaint to the European Ombudsman

Like all citizens of the European Union, you can make a complaint to:

European Ombudsman

1 avenue du President Robert Schuman — BP 403

F-67001 Strasbourg Cedex

Under Article 195(1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community and in accordance with the conditions laid down in Decision 94/262/ECSC, EC, Euratom of the European Parliament of 9 March 1994 on the Staff Regulations and the general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman's duties (OJ L 113, 4.5.1994, p. 15).

You should note that complaints made to the Ombudsman have no suspensive effect on the period laid down in Articles 90(2) and 91 of the Staff Regulations for lodging appeals with the Civil Service Tribunal under Article 236 of the Treaty establishing the European Community. Please note also that, under Article 2(4) of the general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman's duties, any complaint lodged with the Ombudsman must be preceded by the appropriate administrative actions in place at the bodies concerned.