The sheer number of comments at the main post ‘So I Won’t Be A Commission Official‘ has been causing problems, so all the old comments are here instead, and hence searchable.

2,067 Comments

  1. quasar

    Hi Georgia,

    indeed, this sounds as if there might be a fair chance of future employment. From my experience, the procedure of how to select candidates from the list is different for every EU institution.
    I was directly invited for an interview and got an employment offer afterwards. In some cases (mainly the JRCs), they first look into the CA database and if they can’t find enough suitable candidates (Cat. IV), they are allowed to invite/select candidates from ELSA.
    So in some cases, you don’t even have to pass the EPSO test in order to get a CA-contract!

  2. Andras

    Hi Georgia,

    I can only speak about my experience with the Commission. When I got contacted they asked me my availability both for starting work and an interview. So I think you can definitely expect an interview and that should be it.

    I have a friend in DG COMP who also passed CAST25, they contacted him, he went to an interview, then the medical test and the admin procedure – and then he got the contract.

  3. Georgia

    @quasar
    @Andras
    @Maria
    or anyone who has passed the CAST EU 25 exams
    I got an e-mail yesterday from ECHA, the new agency being set up in Helsinki, calling me to send in my cv and date of availability. Does this mean there’s a chance of employment there? Have you heard anything about how the contract agents system works? Are there further exams and/or interviews? It seems every agency do their own thing.

  4. sebastian

    Thanks to all of you for wishing me well. I really appreciate it. This forum sure helped to ease the pressure building up over the various stages of the competition. All the best to all still in the middle of a competition or about to embark on this “adventure”.

  5. Hi Sebastian,
    I´ve been following this forum from the beginning and I´m very happy for your success, you deserve it. It´s impressive how hard and constantly you´ve been working to achieve it. Good luck from now on!

  6. Lakoivan

    Well done Sebastian! Very glad for you. Have a nice start with the COM.
    And don’t hesitate to call me, if you think I can help with anything in Bxl. You have my coordinates. Best.

  7. sebastian

    Thank you suzana!
    I hope it works out for you as well

  8. suzana

    congratulations, Sebastian!
    its both strange and nice to see ur first comment 1year ago and this one. Glad you’ve made it…best wishes for the start of ur career!

  9. sebastian

    AD 26/05 has come to an end – I made it.
    Interestingly, I feel more relieve than joy.

    Good luck to anyone who is still in the process and best of luck to any potential new candidates.

  10. miriana

    @Maria

    Thx a lot.

  11. 4John: This is not the only example

  12. AD/25/05 : More than one year after the beginning of the competition, the reserve has just been published ! http://www.europa.eu/epso/laureats/listlaur_EN_25_ape.pdf

  13. aleksandra

    Hallo,

    just started to prepare for my oral and practical test for AST – Secretarias……do u maybe have some tips for me ? Thanx a lot

  14. Nevila

    Hi! is anyone preparig for the Administrator pre-selection test for communication, media this june. It’d be great to get some feedback.
    Congrats for the site!

  15. no wonder why more than 4000 complants for epso have been filled to Ombudsman last year….makes no difference really..

  16. @Georgia
    thx! have seen it and these lists merely indicate that 1/2 of II, 1/3 of III and 1/4 of IV are in. The remaining, we are in the waiting list. Heard also that they have reached their targets for EU15 and priority is given to EU10. Also, 9000 CAs (all categories) are employed to date. Personally I’m off from it….but again you never know.thank you again
    @Miriana
    all the general questions are the same for all. My 5 cents, watch euronews, follow up europa.eu and the relevant dgs for the specific section of the test. also look at the parliamentary committees; in your case, budget, control, internal market, development etc and the council…bonne chance & courage pour tes exams and hopefully your nationality will help you more!

    my second 5 cents on this: dont raise your expectations high, continue your life/work/holidays, etc etc. At least you will not set up yourself for disappointment….>>>look the posts above

  17. miriana

    Hello Maria,

    I’ve seen posted the message that you successfully passed the 25 Cast selection. I will sit for a similar exam (27Cast ) in Economic, private sector and trade development. Which area have you contested for? My e-mail: miriana_mir@yahoo.com

  18. Georgia

    @Maria

    Have a look here.
    Does anyone have an idea of how these statistics could be interpreted?
    http://europa.eu/epso/cast27/pdf_archives/FGII_STATS.pdf

  19. Hello Jon and thank you for providing the space for this kind of discussion!
    i have also passed the EU cast25 and wondering whether anyone is aware of the final numbers of successful applicants per category and if there is or will be a reserve list. I will very much appreciate any information since not much is available….

  20. Georgia

    @Mary

    Yes, the alphanumerical tests and the EU knowledge tests (computer based) were the same on EU 25 for every function group. Only the third part ( competency test/ paper based) comprised a different set of questions depending on each job profile.

  21. Georgia

    Further to this, I ‘ve also got two rejecting e-mails from two agencies I’d applied for, saying I haven’t been selected for an interview.

    Does anybody who has passed EU 25 intend to re-sit for EU 27? They say you can do that and apply for different job profiles. In that case one can be on both lists.

    Does anybody know if the list of successful candidates for EU 25 is available anywhere? They aren’t on the reserve lists pages.

  22. Georgia

    Here’s an e-mail I got yesterday. For those who can afford it.

    Luxembourg, 17 April 2007

    Dear Ms Papadopoulou,

    From 2 to 6 July 2007, the Luxembourg Antenna of the European Institute of Public Administration – the European Centre for Judges and Lawyers – is organising a Summer School entitled: “Preparing for EPSO Open Competitions for the European Institutions (Advanced Level)”.

    The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) regularly announces a variety of open competitions for positions within the EU institutions. The competitions are fiercely competitive and, for this reason, good preparation is essential. EIPA will offer you a comprehensive training on how to prepare to pass the written and oral tests. The focus will lie on frequently asked topics, such as the latest developments in EU policies, recent changes in the EU institutional design and the current debate concerning the future of the EU. The training will also provide “tips and tricks” on how to pass the verbal and numerical reasoning test, write a good essay and succeed the oral examination.

    The Summer School is designed mainly, but not exclusively, for those applying for positions in the EU Institutions at the level of Administrator grades (“AD” grades). The training may also be of interest to those applying for other grades or who simply wish to update their knowledge of EU affairs and to get a comprehensive overview.

    The number of participants will be limited to 40. For registrations received and the referring payment effectuated before 1 June, the registration fee is € 1200 (including documentation, beverages, 5 lunches and a cocktail). The fee for registrations after this date is € 1425. The working language of the seminar will be English.

    Further information about the seminar’s programme, the registration form or hotels in Luxembourg are available under http://www.eipa.eu/en/activities/show/&tid=1811 or via the Programme Organiser, Stéphanie BOUDOT-COMODI (Tel.: +352 426 230 301, Fax: +352 426 237, E-mail: s.boudot@eipa.eu). You can also consult our web site: http://www.eipa.eu (Training and Research/Conferences and seminars). We would be most grateful if you could distribute this information to other persons who may be interested in this seminar.

    We look forward to welcoming you to this seminar.

    Yours sincerely,

    EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

    European Centre for Judges and Lawyers

    2 Circuit de la Foire Internationale

    L – 1347 LUXEMBOURG

    Tel: 00352 426 230 – 1

    Fax: 00352 426 237

  23. Andras

    @Georgia
    I’ve got contacted by two units (one in DG AGRI and one in DG EMPL) so far. Both said they would offer a one-year contract to the successful candidate which could theoretically be extended for two more years.

    I asked them if it would be possible to turn these into fonctionnaire positions if I passed a concours (which I have but I did not tell them). They said no, I would have to apply for other jobs if I wanted to stay permanently in the Commission. So that was the end of it.

  24. hi guys!
    First time I got here. Thanx Jon !

    Congratulations to those who have passed the exams !

    @Georgia
    I’ve heard that people who passed EU CAST 25 were contacted only if they had some relevant work experience in the past. Really?!?!
    CAST EU 25 : the questions(1st and 2nd step) are similar to each big category (Function)?

  25. Georgia

    Hi, everyone! Congratulations to those who have passed the exams.

    I would like to know if there are any people who have passed the CAST EU 25 and if yes, has anyone been contacted by any of the agencies?

    Does anyone know of any other forum with informations about that exam?

  26. viking

    Hi Juan, Steven and Frog,

    First of all: Contratulations to you all.

    I agree that we should cooperate. There has been enough competing.

    I’d suggest that we exchange e-mail-adresses. I’ve created a temporarly e-mail for us which is: ad2505laureats@yahoo.com. You can send your (or rather any of yours) addresses there and then I’ll make a distribution list so we can contact eachother. I have some ideas on how we can cooperate but I’d like to present them in a mail.

    Greetings,
    V.

  27. Steven,

    we are no longe competitors. 210 people are not too much for EU jobs. Moreover, the method is now not anymore “comparative” (our exam “merits” are not compared to those of the others): now it depends on the CV, each one different, so we’re no competitors.

    I know two other people, Spaniards, who have succeeded. Sure we can keep in touch. Didn’t you get my answer to your personal mail, Steven?

  28. Steven

    Frog, Juan,

    Ok then. That makes 3 of us. Now for the remaining 207. Where would they be?

    No seriously, I would suggest we keep each other informed of any news we might get.

    Even though we are competitors for the same jobs, it will not hurt either of us to let the others know where we stand.

    Deal?

    Steven

  29. Hi Steven, I am on the list 25/05 as well.

  30. Steven,

    je vergist je: ik ben OOK op 25/05! En ik geloof dat onze italiaanse vriend frog ook op dezelfde lijst ist.

  31. Steven

    Buongiorno Frog,

    Sono Belga io, pero parlo un po l’italiano.
    Qual esame hai fatto?
    Io sono sulla lista 25/05 e se non sbaglio Juan su quella 29/05.

    E tu?

    Steven

  32. Hi Juan, I am Italian.

  33. Hi Frog.

    Congratulations! Where are you from?

    Steven, I’m considering whether to wait at least until the publication of the reserve list (I think it will be after the 20th April, remember the little note in the communication…) of to start straight away with “CV campaign”.

  34. Steven

    Hi Juan,

    Congratulations to you as well. I haven’t seen any statistics yet. But I do know that the candidates with the top 210 scores obtained at least 74 points out of 100 for their oral and written tests.

    What are you planning to do next?

  35. Hi Viking, Steven and Juan:

    I am on the list too (1st merit group). Don’t know anything about statistics, but the list will be made public within a couple of weeks (my guess).

    Cheers.

  36. Hi Viking, hi Steven.

    I’m on the list as well. I am Spaniard, second merit group. Do you have any information about statistics of the final results?

    Are there other people in this blog on the list?

  37. Steven

    Hey Viking,

    First of all: many congrats! I was in the same competition and I know how hard it has been.

    I’m on the list too. I’m Belgian and I’m in the third merit group. You?

    Steven

  38. viking

    AD/25/05 are finished and i’m on the list 🙂

  39. Cristina

    If you have MCQ in EU Law and essay topics, please send them to cristina_popa4n@yahoo.com. Thanks in advance. I would also appreciate lawyer linguist materials.

  40. @Rosa

    HI ROSA 🙂

    I would just love to have the lawyer linguist material that you are in possesion of.
    I would be so great if you could send it to me : faha@dffe.dk.

    I can send you questions for the test of specialist knowledge for the selection of contract agents in the field of EU Law (EPSO CAST 25). I can also send you some answers to the tests. Also I have a written paper that has been used at a previous competition in a similar format to that of your chosen competition.

    Otherwise I can really recommend the book “The Ultimate EU Test Book” by John Harper containing
    * More than 1200 multiple choice questions
    * Comprehensive, detailed answer key
    * 424 pages
    * EU history, Policies, Decision-making, Constitutional Treaty, Verbal and numerical reasoning etc.

    Fur further information visit:

    http://www.eu-testbook.com

    I might also have some more material that I can get for you – just ASK!! 🙂

    Looking forward to recieve your e-mail….

    Thanks a bunch

    Fia

  41. Dear Rosa,

    I’m still interested in the lawyer linguist material, so if you already have a scanned version, and would you be so kind to send me…
    It is urgent this Thursday…

    Thanks in advance,
    Zita
    (zbencsik@citromail.hu)

  42. I’m still interested in the Lawyer linguist material, so if you already have a scanned version, and would you be so kind to send me…
    It is urgent this Thursday…

    Thanks in advance,
    Zita

  43. Dear WWW Administrator,

    please delete my message posted on 22/03/2007 due to spaming, which took advantage of my email address posted on your website.

    Thank you!

    Regards,
    Minde

  44. Dima,

    I would be very grateful if you could send me the March 16 questions in law as well. My email is phish23@walla.com.

    Thans a lot in advance.

  45. Hi Lakoivan,

    thanks a bunch mvoska@gmail.com

  46. ToMaZiO

    HI all!

    Does anyone have any sample questions for econ field? I’m particularly interested in the MCQs!!!

    tomaz_g@yahoo.com

    Thanks
    T.

  47. Hi Dima,
    I would be very grateful if you could send me the MCQ for lawyers’ AD tests of 16 March you mention if you have them available. my address: libusa.tencerova@gmail.com.Many many thanks! I have my tests next week and also seem to go the ‘wrong direction’…ibi

  48. @ Lakoivan
    I would also like to ask to forward me the Essay questions and MCQs eelman is asking for.
    My address is inesenite@one.lv. Many thanks in advance!

    Hope you did the written tests well! I heard there were couple more surprises apart from ones mentioned here earlier!

  49. eelman

    @ Lakoivan

    Could you be so kind as to send me the Essay and MCQ asked in the BG concours that you mention?

    I’m taking the HR/Pub admin exam (Cypriot) on March 30.

    Many thanks, Christos
    ctheophilou@hotmail.com

  50. Lakoivan

    @ Minde, and Nita
    Hi, give me your email addresses, I can send you the essay topics and MCQ for Public Admin (BG concours of last Friday + EPSO 25/05), if you don’t have them already. Let me know.

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