GENERAL RULES FOR THE SELECTION
OF HEADS OF SECTION AND POLITICAL OFFICERS
IN EU DELEGATIONS
(outside the yearly rotation exercise)
Positions concerned will be filled by publication in accordance with Article 98[1] of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (SR)[2], i.e. by considering applications from officials of the General Secretariat of the Council, the Commission and the EAAS, of temporary staff to whom Article2(e) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS)2 applies and of staff from national diplomatic services of the Member States without giving priority to any of these categories.
It is recalled that, if the interest of the service so requires, the selection procedures can be terminated at any stage and the post be filled by a transfer in accordance with Article7 of the SR.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
- GENERAL
We look for candidates who (in accordance with Article 98 of the SR and in order to meet the needs of the service) must:
1. be officials of the General Secretariat of the Council, the Commission or the EAAS, temporary staff to whom Article 2(e) of the CEOS applies or staff from diplomatic services of the Member States or Croatia[3] ;
2. have the capacity to work in languages of CFSP and external relations necessary for the performance of their duties. Knowledge of other EU languages would also be an asset;
3. have not reached the age of 61 years (or 62 years for posts where the assignment is for 3 years) on the date of the foreseen taking up of duties or, if not specified in the Vacancy Notice, on the closing date for the submission of applications[4];
4. have proven, pertinent external relations experience - for staff from diplomatic services this experience must have been gained from working in a diplomatic service of one of the MemberStates (see table below for minimum number of years required).
- SPECIFIC ELIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EU OFFICIALS AND TEMPORARY STAFF TO WHOM ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE CEOS APPLIES (“EEAS STAFF MEMBERS”)
1. Applications from EEAS staff members in a Delegation are in principle eligible only when they are in their rotation year[5].
2. EEAS staff members who have completed 2 consecutive postings to delegations must return to Headquarters. Applications from individuals in this position are not eligible.
3. EEAS staff members currently in Headquarters who will have completed less than 2years in a Headquarters post on the date of the foreseen taking up of duty or, if not specified in the Vacancy notice, on the closing date for submission of applications, are not, in principle, eligible.
The above 3 eligibility criteria do not apply when an application is made in the context of career progression[6].
- SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR CANDIDATES FROM THE MEMBER STATES
Candidates from the diplomatic services of Member States must (in order to satisfy the requirements set out in Article 12 of the CEOS and in order to meet the needs of the service):
1. be nationals of one of the EU Member States or Croatia[7];
2. (i) possess a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies, attested by a diploma, when the normal period of university education is 4years or more;
or
(ii) possess a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies, attested by a diploma, plus relevant professional experience of at least 1year, when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years;
3. have the required full-time professional experience (see table below for minimum number of years required). This experience must have been gained after completing university studies of 4 years, or of 3 years plus 1year professional experience, as set out at point 2 above.
TABLE OF MINIMUM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
Post at level: (TAs) / AD5 / AD7 / AD9 / AD10 / AD11 / AD12(officials) / AD5/14 / AD5/14 / AD5/14 / AD5/14 / AD5/14 / AD5/14
External relations experience / 1 year / 2 years / 3 years / 3 years / 3 years / 3 years
Professional experience
(MS candidates) / 1 year / 6 years / 10 years / 10 years / 10 years / 12 years
APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE
The procedure will take place in three different and successive steps:
1. Application procedure
Before submitting their application, candidates should carefully check whether they meet all the eligibility criteria in order to avoid automatic exclusion from the selection procedure.
Candidates must apply through the online e-Mobility system (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/eeas/eMobility/). To log on to the system, an ECAS (European Commission Authentication Service) password is required; candidates without a password can register to get one through the e-Mobility link above from 1 March 2013. EEAS staff members and officials from the European Commission should use their professional ECAS account for their application. A helpdesk facility is available by email at .
During the online application procedure candidates will have to upload their CV and motivation letter. EEAS staff members and officials from the European Commission will also have the option to upload their training passport. Candidates from the Member States will, in addition, have to upload a copy of their passport/ID and a statement issued by their Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirming their membership of a diplomatic service.
All candidates will have the opportunity to follow the progress of their application through e-Mobility.
Applications may be made at any point during the period from 1 March 2013 until 22 March 2013 at 12.00 (noon), Brussels time. As the system may experience peak activity around the deadline, candidates are strongly advised to submit their application as early as possible; late applications will not be accepted.
For correspondence with the EEAS Human Resources Department concerning the selection procedures, please use the following email address:
.
2. Pre-selection
The pre-selection will be done by a panel on the basis of the qualifications and the professional experience within the supporting documents. The panel will then produce a shortlist of eligible candidates who best meet the selection criteria for each post.
3. Selection
Candidates who have been shortlisted will be invited for an interview so that the selection panel can evaluate them objectively and impartially on the basis of their qualifications, professional experience and linguistic skills, as listed in the vacancy notice.
The EEAS applies an equal opportunities policy.
CONDITIONS OF RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT
The relevant provisions of the SR and CEOS apply to recruitment and any subsequent employment on the basis of these general rules and the accompanying vacancy notices.
In particular, the successful candidates will be employed by the EEAS on one of the following bases:
either
· EU officials will be appointed to the relevant post for a maximum of 4 years;
or
· Candidates from the Member States will be offered a temporary contract under Article2(e) of the CEOS. Such contracts may not exceed 4 years in duration. The salary and conditions of appointment will be those laid down in the CEOS for temporary agents of the relevant grade (depending on the post), completed by the provisions of Annex X of the SR applicable to temporary agents posted outside the EU (therefore not applicable to the posts in Paris, Rome, Strasbourg and Vienna). All newly engaged temporary staff is required to complete successfully a 6-month probationary period.
Successful candidates must undergo a medical examination to ensure that they are physically fit to perform their duties.
Candidates are deemed to be fully aware of the local living conditions, including information concerning the accommodation provided, before applying. Individual post reports are available from EEAS.MDR.C.6 (Mr Ladislaus Hermans, phone+32.2.584.45.90 ).
Candidates should also ensure that they are fully aware of the provisions of Annex X of the Staff Regulations, as well as the relevant security provisions, especially with regard to security clearance, and, if need be, any other security measures to be taken.
Candidates must be able to work in a different socio-cultural environment and to adapt quickly to evolving situations.
Successful candidates will be required to act independently in the public interest and to make a declaration of any interests which might be considered prejudicial to their independence, as set out in the Staff Regulations and the CEOS.
Page 5 of 5
[1] Official Journal No. L311 of 26.11.2010, p. 5.
[2] http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/docs/toc100_en.pdf
[3] Any recruitment of a candidate from the Croatian diplomatic service will be possible only after Croatian accession to the EuropeanUnion.
[4] Head of Section/Political Officer is normally for 4 years; the retirement age of Officials/Temporary Agents of the European Union is defined as being the end of the month in which the person reaches the age of 65years. It is in the interest of the service to ensure the Heads of Political Sections/Political Officers/Policy Officers are able to complete a full posting of 4 years.
[5] Rotation year: start on 1 January of the 4th year after taking up of duty (or 2/3 years in specific postings) ex: taking up of duty on 1 September 2010, eligible as of 1 January 2014.
[6] The career progression when applying to AD political officers or head of section positions in Delegations only concerns AST certified applying for the first time to an AD post.
[7] Any recruitment of a candidate from the Croatian diplomatic service will be possible only after Croatian accession to the EuropeanUnion.