30.4.2004 en official journal of the european union c 104 a/1

30.4.2004 EN C 104 A/1Official Journal of the European Union


III

(Notices)

EUROPEAN PERSONNEL SELECTION OFFICE (EPSO)

NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITIONS

(2004/C 104 A/01)

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising the following open competitions, based ontests, to constitute a reserve pool from which to recruit

EPSO/A/20/04 EPSO/A/21/04

HEADS OF UNIT (1) (A 5/A 4 — A* 9) (2) HEADS OF UNIT (1) (A 3 — A* 12) (2)

of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovenian andSlovakian citizenship in the following fields: law, macro/microeconomics/statistics, auditing/financial management, European public administration.

CONTENTS

A. DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE OF CANDIDATES)

B. SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

C. HOW TO APPLY

D. GENERAL INFORMATION

ANNEX: Requests for review — appeal procedures — complaints to the European Ombudsman

The European institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on thegrounds of age, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless ofdisabilities, marital status or family situation.

(1) Successful candidates from this competition might be offered a job as a certified auditor or head of an audit teamin the Court of Auditors.

(2) The Council has adopted new staff regulations involving a new career structure. If you pass this competition youmight therefore be recruited on the basis of the new staff regulations, in accordance with the arrangements setout, in particular, in Article 12 of Section 2 of Annex XIII of the new staff regulations (see the IntraCommwebsite: http://www.europa.eu.int).

C 104 A/24 EN 30.4.2004Official Journal of the European Union

A. DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE OF CANDIDATES)

Competitions EPSO/A/20/04 and EPSO/A/21/04 are being organised to recruit heads of unit (A 5/A 4 —A* 9 and A 3 — A* 12) of Cypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,Slovenian and Slovakian citizenship in the following fields:

1. Law

2. Macro/microeconomics/statistics

3. Auditing/financial management

4. European public administration

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

Number of successful candidates (3) by competition and field:

EPSO/A/20/04 (A 5/A 4 — A* 9)

Field 1 — Law: 20

Field 2 — Macro/microeconomics/statistics: 15

Field 3 — Auditing/financial management: 40

Field 4 — European public administration: 15

EPSO/A/21/04 (A 3 — A* 12)

Field 1 — Law: 15

Field 2 — Macro/microeconomics/statistics: 10

Field 3 — Auditing/financial management: 5

Field 4 — European public administration: 20

The European Personnel Selection Office is holding the following open competitions in parallel:

— EPSO/A/20/04 (A 5/A 4 — A* 9) and EPSO/A/21/04 (A 3 — A* 12) for heads of unit ofCypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovenian andSlovakian citizenship in the following fields: law, macro/microeconomics/statistics, audit/financial management, European public administration.

— EPSO/A/22/04 (A 5/A 4 — A* 9) and EPSO/A/23/04 (A 3 — A* 12) for heads of unit ofCypriot, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovenian andSlovakian citizenship in the field of information, press and public relations.

You may apply for one competition only, and one field only within that competition, failingwhich you will be disqualified. Please indicate your choice on the online registration form.

To ensure that all general texts relating to the competition and all communication between applicants and EPSO areclearly understood on both sides, the competition notices are 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 andapplicants. The language you choose for the pre-selection tests will be the language used for communicating withyou.

(3) An information note detailing the needs of the Institutions for the different fields can be found on the EPSOwebsite: http://europa.eu.int/epso.


I. DUTIES

In all domains, the principal duties will comprise management tasks at Head of Unit level under the directauthority of a Director General or Director. These fall broadly under three headings, notably:

Managing tasks and meeting objectives:

— Participating in the elaboration of the Directorate/Directorate General strategies and procedures.

— Defining the unit’s strategic objectives and agreeing its operational work programme.

— Establishing and following up the unit’s organisation and ensuring effective distribution of dutiesand responsibilities to unit staff in order to achieve the expected results.

— Analysing and optimising the procedures and the workflow of the unit in order to achieve theexpected results.

— Evaluating the accomplishment of objectives using relevant indicators and providing managementreports on the results achieved.

— Verifying that decisions and operations conform to official regulations and procedures.

Managing people and resources:

— Ensuring effective people management within the unit in accordance with the institution’s humanresources policy. This involves inter alia defining job descriptions, evaluating performance andreviewing individual objectives and training plans as well as approving, authorising and givingopinions on issues related to personnel administration, such as leave and part-time work schedules.

— Creating and nurturing high performance teams.

— Developing a true team working attitude within the unit, by building and strengthening the sense ofworking together in view of common goals.

— Being aware of possible areas of tension within the unit and taking personal responsibility to resolveconflicts.

— Developing the effectiveness and the work quality of the team, by leveraging on the individual skillsof the members and acting as a coach.

— Establishing budget requirements and managing annual budgetary resources allocated to the unit.

— Supervising and controlling financial transactions relating to the work program of the unit.

— Verifying and validating financial and budgetary aspects of programs/projects carried out under theunit’s responsibility.

Managing relationships — communication, coordination, consultation, representation and nego-tiation:

— Building and maintaining interactive communication within the team, so that staff are well-informedof relevant policy and strategic aspects and get appropriate feedback on their actions.

— Contributing to internal communication and knowledge sharing within the Directorate General andwith other services within the institutions.

— Providing regular reports and advice on legal and or policy developments and on the outcomes ofdiscussions and negotiations.


— Consulting, coordinating and/or negotiating with other services on issues of relevance to the unit’swork.

— Representing the unit or service on relevant advisory, management or regulatory committees,working groups or other ad-hoc bodies.

— Representing the service vis-à-vis representatives of the Member States and other countries, orinternational public and private organisations, on issues of relevance to the unit’s work.

— Negotiating on behalf of the institutions with Member States, third countries, or international publicand private organisations.

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. Youwill have to show initiative and imagination and be highly motivated. You should be able to workfrequently under pressure, both on your own and in a team, and to adjust to a multicultural workingenvironment. You must be prepared to develop your professional skills throughout your career.

In addition to the principal task of management, candidates should note the specific duties related to eachdomain of this competition which may include, inter alia:

Field 1: Law

— Devising, drafting and analysing Community legislation and EU legislation on police and judicialcooperation,

— providing legal advice to the institutions and its bodies on specific issues and community policies,

— carrying out research into legal issues of a national, Community and international nature,

— taking part in the negotiation of international agreements,

— studying cases and drafting decisions, for example in the area of competition law,

— controlling the implementation and application of community law through contacts with MemberState’s administrations and investigating alleged infringements of Community law,

— various tasks related to court proceedings, preparing positions and representing the institutions incourt proceedings, mainly before the Court of Justice or the Court of First Instance, lawyer functionsin the secretariats of the Court of Justice or the Court of First Instance,

— undertaking, on the basis of general directives, tasks including drafting, studying cases or legislationor monitoring policy in one or several areas of activity of the European Institutions (inter alia:consumer affairs, transport, telecommunications, social affairs, home affairs, external affairs) as wellas within the areas of international law and administration,

— giving advice and opinions, both written and verbal, to the bodies and instances of the institutions.

Field 2: Macro/microeconomics/statistics

— Ongoing evaluation of Member States’ economic, budgetary, monetary and financial policies,

— analysing Member States’ economies and developing the Community’s financial instruments,

— analysing the economies of non-Community countries,


— economic forecasting,

— planning and implementing Community technical assistance,

— analysing and evaluating structural, sectoral and regional policies,

— financial analysis of Community projects,

— analysing the legislative and tax environment for business,

— providing economic or statistical analysis and advice relevant to Community policies such ascompetition, trade, industrial affairs, research and development and employment and labour marketpolicy,

— statistical methodology,

— applied statistics in economics, social affairs/demography, agronomy/environment, accounting/finance etc.,

— analysis of demand and utilisation of available data, and project design,

— definition of aims and coordination of the compilation and aggregation of statistical data, andmanagement of operational systems,

— harmonisation of the compilation of statistics and development of procedures for compiling,processing, validating and analysing statistics,

— statistical models and statistics in the economics field.

Field 3: Auditing/financial management

In the case of the Court of Auditors, appointments will be of certified auditors who will lead teams, with subsequentpossible appointment to Head of Unit.

— examining whether resources are being used efficiently and economically and achieving effectiveresults,

— examining operations to check whether the results are consistent with the goals and objectives andthat activities are carried out as planned,

— assessing and managing the risks associated with Community funds allocated to or collected by thevarious European institutions and bodies, their partners, intermediaries and the ultimate beneficiaries/debtors,

— evaluating and testing the effectiveness of internal control systems within the institutions and inbodies which are managing or benefiting from Community funding or identifying and collectingCommunity revenue,

— examining the reliability and integrity of information systems,

— examining the measures taken to safeguard assets,

— examining the legality and correctness of budgetary and financial operations,

— auditing financial statements for reliability,

— assessing the systems by which organisations are directed and controlled,

— supervising the operation of accounting and financial systems and procedures,

— supervising the presentation of financial statements,


— monitoring debts and recovery procedures,

— supervising accounting methods and the financial management of revenue,

— supervising the financial aspects in programme preparation, operational programming and itsfollow-up,

— drawing up calls for proposals/invitations to tender/calls for expressions of interest with a view toconcluding contracts and agreements relating to grants,

— monitoring selection procedures and the allocation of proposals,

— supervising the terms of reference for contracts and agreements,

— assisting operational units (including delegations).

Field 4: European public administration

— Leading a unit responsible for drafting, studying or monitoring policy in one or more of theinstitution’s fields of activity (including consumer affairs, transport, telecommunications, socialaffairs, home affairs, external affairs, etc.),

— coordinating the preparation of work of different working parties at all levels and providing follow-up,

— devising new approaches or measures by carrying out analyses and specialist studies,

— preparing and attending political dialogue meetings,

— maintaining contacts and coordinating with the institution’s other directorates or with the otherEuropean institutions, Member States or international organisations.

II. ELIGIBILITY (PROFILE SOUGHT)

You may apply for this competition if, on the closing date for registration (see last section C), you meetthe following requirements:

1. Certificates and diplomas

Field 1: Law

You must have successfully completed:

— either a full course in law at university level and obtained a degree,

— or a full course at university level and obtained a degree and a post-graduate course in law andobtained a qualification.


Field 2: Macro/microeconomics/statistics


— either a full course in micro/macroeconomics/statistics at university level and/or businessstudies and obtained a degree,

— or a full course at university level and obtained a degree and a post-graduate course ineconomics and/or statistics or Masters of Business Administration and obtained a qualification.

Field 3: Auditing/financial management

You must have completed a course at university level and obtained a degree relevant to the describedduties or have obtained a professional qualification of equivalent level relevant to those duties.

If your degree is not in a field relevant to the duties concerned, you must have an additionalqualification which is relevant.

Field 4: European public administration


— a full course at university level and obtained a degree in political science and/or law and/oreconomics and/or business studies;

— or a full course at university level and obtained a degree and a post-graduate course in politicalscience and/or law and/or economics and/or a Masters of Business Administration and obtaineda qualification and/or a doctorate.

The selection board will allow for differences between education systems. As a general guide, see theexamples of the minimum qualifications required in the tables annexed to the Guide (see EPSO’swebsite (4)).

2. Professional experience

EPSO/A/20/04 (A 5/A 4 — A* 9) EPSO/A/21/04 (A 3 — A* 12)

Since obtaining the qualification required for Since obtaining the qualification required foradmission to the competition, you must have admission to the competition, you must havegained at least 10 years’ full-time professional gained at least 10 years’ full-time professionalexperience relevant to the duties concerned, of experience relevant to the duties concerned, ofwhich 3 must have been in management pos- which 5 must have been in management pos-itions. itions.

3. Knowledge of languages

You must have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the new Member States —language 1 — (Greek, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese, Polish, Slovene,Slovak) and a satisfactory knowledge — language 2 — of one of the following languages: English,French or German.

(4) http://europa.eu.int/epso


Please give details of which languages you know on the online registration form (5).

After the closing date for registration, you may not change the languages in which you have specifiedthat you wish to take the tests.

4. General terms and conditions

— You must be a citizen of one of the new Member States (Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus,Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia).

— You must be entitled to your full rights as a citizen.

— You must have fulfilled any obligations imposed on you by the laws concerning militaryservice.

— You must meet the character requirements for the duties involved.

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


B. SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

1. Pre-selection tests — marking

Tests (a) and (b) are to be held in German (DE), English (EN) or French (FR) — language 2, as chosen byyou and specified in your application.

(a) A test comprising a series of multiple-choice questions to assess your general ability, in particularyour verbal reasoning skills.

This test will be marked out of 50.

(b) A test comprising a series of multiple-choice questions to assess your general ability, in particularyour numerical reasoning skills.

This test will be marked out of 50.

The pass mark for tests (a) and (b) together is 60 points.

Wrong answers in the pre-selection tests will not be penalised.

Once the pre-selection tests have been marked, the candidates with the highest marks (6), per competitionand per field, out of all those who obtain the pass mark for all these tests (see table below) will beadmitted to the next stage.

EPSO/A/20/04 (A 5/A 4 — A* 9) EPSO/A/21/04 (A 3 — A* 12)

Field 1: 30 Field 1: 25Field 2: 25 Field 2: 15Field 3: 60 Field 3: 10Field 4: 25 Field 4: 30

These candidates will be asked to submit a full application with a view to their possible admission to thecompetition (see section C.3 — scrutiny of applications).

2. Oral test — marking

(a) Prior to the interview with the selection board, those candidates who are admitted to the next stageof the competition will be invited to attend an assessment centre. The tests will run in English,German and French only. For organisational reasons, the assessment centre tests and the interviewwill be held on consecutive days in Brussels. The results of these tests will be sent to the SelectionBoard as expert, technical input to their decision process.

At the assessment centre, the tests may include:

— a written exercise in which candidates will have to process documents,

— an exercise to assess management ability,

— a competency-based interview by a human resources expert.

(6) Candidates with identical marks qualifying them for the last place will all be admitted to the next stage of thecompetition.


(b) On the day following the passage at the assessment centre, the candidate will be invited to aninterview with the Selection Board. The purpose of the interview is to enable the Selection Board toassess:

— his/her professional experience and skills in organising and coordinating the work of anadministrative unit and his/her ability to adapt, negotiate, take decisions and generally performthe duties of a head of unit,

— his/her general knowledge,

— his/her knowledge of languages [1 and 2],

— the main developments in European integration and the different Community policies will alsobe tested.

For candidates of field 3 ‘auditing/financial management’, this test will take into consideration, inthe same way as the other elements examined in the course of this oral test, a written part inconnection with the field. For organisational reasons, this written part will take place on the sameday as the preselection tests. It will only be taken into account for those candidates admitted to theoral test.

The oral test will be marked out of 100 (pass mark 60).

3. Dates and time allowed for the tests

The pre-selection tests will be held simultaneously for all candidates in the new Member States (see thelist of cities on our website).

It is not, therefore, possible to change the dates — which will be scheduled by the European PersonnelSelection Office — at the candidate’s request.

The time allowed for the pre-selection and other tests will be decided by the selection board; you will benotified of this when you receive your invitation to the tests (via the EPSO file).

4. Reserve lists

At the end of the competitions, out of all the candidates who obtain the highest marks (6) in the oral test(as well as the pass mark), the selection board will draw up lists of the successful candidates in eachcompetition and field, divided into merit classes (no more than two groups) and sorted in alphabeticalorder (see section A for number of successful candidates).

You will be informed of the selection board’s decisions concerning you.

The lists will be valid until 31 December 2005 and may be extended. They will be published (7) in theOfficial Journal of the European Union.

(7) A successful candidate may explicitly request that his/her name not be published.


C. HOW TO APPLY

Please refer to the Guide for Candidates, which can be found on EPSO’s website (4) and contains detailedinstructions to help you submit your application correctly.

Online registration form

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all theeligibility criteria (see section A, particularly concerning the types of diploma and professionalexperience required).

If you want to apply, you must register via the Internet by going to the EPSO website (4) and followingthe instructions there concerning the various stages of the procedure.

It is your responsibility to complete your online registration in time (8). We strongly advise you not towait until the last few days before applying, since heavy Internet traffic or a fault with your Internetconnection could lead to the online registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obligingyou to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, youwill not be able to do so.

On completion of your online registration, you will receive on screen a registration number that youmust note — this will be your reference number in all matters concerning your application. When youreceive this number, the registration process is finished — it is confirmation that we have registered thedata 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 your registration. Theinformation you must enter in your registration includes the languages you choose (see A.II.3), and theparticulars of your qualifications (title, name of issuing establishment and date obtained).

Once registered, you can consult the EPSO website (4) (‘Competitions’ ‘Ongoing competitions’) tofollow the progress of the competition and check the test dates and locations.

If you have a disability that prevents you from registering online, you may request — in writing only — a paperversion of the form (9), which you should fill in, sign and return by registered mail, postmarked no later than theclosing date for registration. All subsequent communication between EPSO and you will be by post.

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

(8) No later than 12.00 noon, Brussels time, on 1 June 2004.(9) Write to EPSO — Info-recruitment — Avenue de Cortenbergh 80 — 0/48 — B-1049 Brussels.


The closing date for registration is 1 June 2004. On-line registration will not be possible after12.00 noon Brussels time.

1. Pre-selection tests

The candidates who will be invited to the tests are those who are found to meet the general terms andconditions (see A.II.4) after EPSO has carried out a preliminary eligibility check on the basis of theinformation given in the application forms.

2. Invitation to pre-selection and other tests

Information about the invitation to attend the pre-selection tests, the full application form and theinvitation to the oral test will be available only on the EPSO website (4). You can access it using the username and password you specify when registering. You are responsible for notifying the competitionsecretariat of any change in your postal or e-mail address.

You are responsible for keeping track of the progress of the competition, ensuring that for each stage youcan access the information relevant to your application by consulting your EPSO file. If you find that youcannot do this, it is your responsibility to notify EPSO by e-mail (10).

As far as possible you will be asked to sit the pre-selection tests in the city you choose in the onlineregistration form, from the list on the website. For organisational reasons you will not be able toswitch to another venue unless you can prove that you have changed residence.

The oral test will be held in Brussels.

3. Full application

The candidates who obtain one of the highest overall marks for pre-selection tests (a) and (b) and as wellas the pass mark will be asked to print and complete the full application form which they will find intheir EPSO file on the website (4). It must be sent in by the closing date (11).

(10) Address: epso-A/20/[email protected] and epso-A/21/[email protected].(11) The closing date will be indicated in your EPSO file in good time.


Documents to enclose with the application form

Your application must give full details of your citizenship, studies, training, professional experience andany research you have undertaken. You should also enclose on a separate sheet of paper a list of thesupporting documents, which should be numbered: (uncertified copies of:

— a document proving your citizenship,

— diploma(s),

— evidence of professional experience clearly indicating the starting and finishing dates and the exactnature of the duties carried out, and

— exact details of your experience in management posts).

In filling in your application form, you may not refer to application forms or other documentssubmitted with a previous application. None of the documents submitted with your applicationwill be returned.

Signing and sending the form

It is your responsibility to make sure that your application form, duly completed, signed andaccompanied by all the supporting documents, is sent in time (11) by registered post. The postmarkwill serve as proof of the date of sending.

Scrutiny of applications

The selection board will examine the files of the candidates who have obtained both the pass mark andone of the highest scores (see section B.1) in pre-selection tests (a) and (b) to determine whether theymeet the conditions laid down in section A.II.1, 2, and 3 of this notice. They will invite the candidateswho meet all the conditions laid down in section A.II to the oral test [(a) and (b)].

Should the selection board establish that a candidate does not meet all the conditions for the competition for whichhe/she has applied but does meet the conditions for the other competition, he/she may be considered as havingapplied for that competition.

You will automatically be disqualified if:

— you have posted your application after the closing date,

— you have not completed and/or signed the application form,

— you do not meet all the eligibility criteria.

Important: If you do not give all the required information in your online registration, you will not beinvited to sit the pre-selection tests. Similarly, if you are successful in the pre-selection tests and writtentests but fail to return the full application form duly completed and signed and accompanied by therequisite supporting documents within the time limit specified (11), you will not be admitted to the oraltest.

4. Reserve lists

The candidates who obtain both the pass mark and one of the highest scores (see section B.4) in the oraltest will be put on the reserve lists.


5. If, at any stage in the procedure, it is established that (i) the information on your electronicregistration form or official application form is incorrect or does not tally with the supportingdocuments or (ii) that you do not meet all the conditions for admission to the competition, youwill be disqualified.

6. To facilitate the administration of the competition, in all correspondence you should give yourFULL NAME as in your application, THE NUMBER OF THE COMPETITION AND YOUR LANGUAGE 1,TOGETHER WITH THE REFERENCE NUMBER YOU RECEIVE WHEN YOUR ONLINE REGISTRATION ISACCEPTED.


D. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Equal opportunities

The European institutions take care to avoid any form of discrimination during the competitionprocedure.

They apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without distinction on the grounds ofage, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless ofdisabilities, marital status or family situation.

2. Selection board

A selection board is appointed for each competition. The names of its members will be published on theEPSO website (4) approximately two weeks before the pre-selection tests.

You are strictly forbidden to make any contact with the members of the selection board, eitherdirectly or indirectly. Any infringement of this rule will disqualify you from the competition.

EPSO is responsible for all communication with candidates until the competition is completed.

3. Approximate timetable

The competition will take approximately nine months from start to finish, depending on the number ofcandidates.

Full details are available on the EPSO website (4).

4. Requests for review — appeal procedures — complaints to the European Ombudsman

See Annex.

5. Recruitment

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

If you are offered a post, you will be asked to produce the originals of all the requisite documents such asdiplomas, so that copies can be authenticated.

Recruitment will depend on vacant posts and funds becoming available.

Depending on the nature of a post, candidates on the reserve list may initially be offered a temporarycontract; in this case, their names will remain on the reserve list.


6. You should note that the compulsory retirement age for staff covered by the Staff Regulations orthe Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the Communities is currently 65 years.

7. Category and grade

The reserve pool of heads of unit is intended for the career bracket 5/4 (*9) and 3 (*12) of category A.

8. Remuneration

Basic monthly salary as at 1 May 2004:

grade A* 9, first step: EUR 6 244,87

grade A* 12, first step: EUR 9 045,09


ANNEX

REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE RECONSIDERED — APPEAL PROCEDURES — COMPLAINTSTO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN

If, at any stage of the competition, you consider that your interests have been prejudiced by a particular decision,you can:

— Request for application to be reconsidered:

You can request that your application be reconsidered by sending a letter within 20 days of the date of dispatchof the letter informing you of the decision, setting out the reasons, to:

European Personnel Selection OfficeCORT 80Competition EPSO/A/20/04 or EPSO/A/21/04B-1049 Brussels

EPSO will forward your request to the Chair of the selection board where it comes within the board’s remit. Areply will be sent to you as soon as possible.

— Appeal:

— you can bring a case before:

The Court of First Instance of the European CommunitiesBoulevard Konrad AdenauerL-2925 Luxembourg

under Article 236 of the EC Treaty and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations of officials of the EuropeanCommunities,

— or you can lodge a complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of officials of the EuropeanCommunities, at the following address:

European Personnel Selection OfficeCORT 80Competition EPSO/A/20/04 or EPSO/A/21/04B-1049 Brussels

The time limits for initiating these two types of procedure (see Staff Regulations published in Official Journal ofthe European Communities L 56 of 4 March 1968 — http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex) start to run from the time youare notified of the act allegedly prejudicing your interests.

Please note that the appointing authority does not have the power to amend the decisions of a selectionboard. The Court has consistently held that the wide discretion enjoyed by selection boards is not subject toreview by the Court unless rules which govern the proceedings of selection boards have clearly been infringed.

— Complaint to the European Ombudsman:

You can, like all citizens of the Union, make a complaint to

The European Ombudsman1 Avenue du Président Robert Schuman — BP 403F-67001 Strasbourg Cedex (France)

under Article 195(1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community and in accordance with the conditionslaid down in the Decision of the European Parliament of 9 March 1994 on the Staff Regulations and the generalconditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties, published in Official Journal of the EuropeanCommunities L 113 of 4 May 1994.

Note that complaints made to the Ombudsman have no suspensive effect on the period laid down inArticles 90(2) and 91 of the Staff Regulations for lodging, respectively, a complaint or an appeal with the Courtof First Instance under Article 236 of the EC Treaty.