Press Release: Successful launch for new EPSO selection procedure for EU officials

More than 51,000 people applied for the first selection competition for EU officials under the new system launched in March 2010 by the European Personnel Selection Office. Testing of the candidates began on 6 April and continued until 21 May. Pre-selection testing was done in centres across the EU, as well as in non-EU countries, as there were also 389 candidates in New York, 137 in China and 55 in Australia. For the first time, testing centres were established outside the EU, in recognition of the fact that many Europeans move outside Europe to study and work.

Assessment centres will take place from September to November 2010 for candidates who are successful in the pre-selection tests, and reserve lists of successful candidates will be ready before Christmas. The average age of candidates for this round of selection is 32.6 years and the gender spread is 53.5 percent women and 46.5 percent men. The greatest number (56.4 percent) applied for the European Public Administration option, with 14.2 percent applying for law, 12.4 percent economics, 11.4 percent ICT and 5.7 percent audit.