A notice of competition is the official document, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, that opens an EPSO competition. It is the legal reference for the whole procedure and defines who may apply, how candidates are tested, and how many laureates will be placed on the reserve list.
The notice of competition sets out every rule that governs the selection. It states the profile and grade, the eligibility conditions covering diplomas, professional experience and required languages, and the exact structure of the tests, from computer-based pre-selection through the talent screener to the assessment centre. It fixes the number of laureates sought, the languages in which each stage is held, the application deadline, and the arrangements for candidates with disabilities. Because it is a legal act, the notice binds both EPSO and the candidates: the selection board cannot introduce criteria that are not in the notice, and candidates who dispute a decision refer back to its wording. Any corrigenda, that is official amendments, are also published in the Official Journal and become part of the notice. Reading the notice line by line is the single most valuable preparation step, because it tells you precisely what will be assessed, in which language, and against which threshold. EPSO publishes each notice on its EU Careers portal alongside sample tests and a candidate contact service, and the notice remains the authoritative source if the summary text elsewhere ever conflicts with it.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is a notice of competition published?
- It is published in the Official Journal of the European Union and mirrored on the EPSO EU Careers portal. Official amendments, called corrigenda, are also published in the Official Journal and form part of the binding text.
- Is the notice of competition legally binding?
- Yes. It is a legal act that binds both EPSO and candidates. The selection board cannot apply criteria absent from the notice, and candidates who challenge a decision rely on its exact wording, so reading it carefully protects your rights.