EPSO in flux: translator retests, leadership changes, and new competitions ahead
It’s been a turbulent few weeks in the EPSO world. The AD5 Translators competition hit a major snag when technical problems during the testing phase – tied to the TestWe platform, not EPSO itself – led to invalidated results and the need for a partial retest. The situation has sparked criticism from candidates and stakeholders alike, with András Baneth publishing an open letter calling for greater transparency and accountability in how EPSO handles such disruptions.
In leadership news, EPSO announced its new director will be Olivier Salles, after current director, Minna Vuorio, completes her five-year mandate on 15 May 2025.
Looking ahead, EPSO confirmed that more regular CAST testing dates are expected to be announced between September and December, but only after finalising an open call for tender for computer-based testing contracts.
In competition news, candidates affected by testing issues in past exams -including Economists and Crisis and Migration - are also being retested this month. Applications opened for the new Lawyer-Linguist CJEU competition, while candidates for the COM/EP/Council Lawyer-Linguist competition await test dates. Internal competitions continue across the Commission, EESC and have also been announced within the GSC.
Lastly, all eyes are on the much-anticipated Generalist Administrators AD5 competition, originally scheduled for applications to open in July. With EPSO in a period of transition and ongoing testing platform challenges, it's unclear whether this timeline will hold.
Quick Navigation:
- Retesting
- Open for applications - Lawyer-linguists CJEU
- Lawyer-linguists EC-EP-Council
- CAST
- COM Internal
- EESC & GSC Internal
- Upcoming EPSO competitions
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Retesting
Retesting is still underway for competitions that experienced technical issues during the original exam sessions. For the Economists and Crisis and Migration competitions, some candidates are only now sitting their replacement tests, which explains why results are still pending, nearly five months on.
Meanwhile, candidates in the AD5 Translators competition will sit a full retest of Exam Day 1 on 14 May 2025. This will include the Reasoning tests and Language knowledge test (L1) in the morning block, followed by the Language comprehension test (L3) in the afternoon. EU Training has preparation packages available for each of these components to help candidates prepare effectively.
- Translators AD5 prep packages
- Economists prep packages
- Crisis management prep packages
- Migration and internal security prep packages
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EPSO Lawyer-Linguists AD7 | CJEU
Open for applications
On 24 April 2025, EPSO opened applications for a new lawyer-linguist competition this time for the CJEU. There are 8 languages to choose from - Czech (CS), Danish (DA), Estonian (ET), Finnish (FI), French (FR), Italian (IT), Latvian (LV) and Swedish (SV) - and you can only apply to one of these profiles.
Helpful resources
- Watch the recording of the free webcast presented by András Baneth
- Get a summary of the Notice of Competition
- Start practicing for the Reasoning Skills Test
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EPSO Lawyer-Linguists AD7 | COM-EP-Council
Applications closed last month, which means it’s officially prep time. To help you get exam-ready, EU Training has launched a brand-new Revision Test practice tool designed to mirror the real test environment. You can now practise revising legal texts under timed conditions (30 minutes) in Exam Mode, using a platform similar to the one used on test day.
This new service is included in our discounted prep packages, or you can purchase it on its own. The packages also include Reasoning Skills, EU Law questions, and Language Comprehension tests, providing a useful toolkit to help you prepare.
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CAST (Contract agent selection tool)
EPSO has confirmed these CAST testing dates: 3 June and 16 July 2025. These are part of the planned return to more regular test dates, with additional dates expected between September and December.
Boost your chances of hitting the pass mark (see the requirements below) by joining an EPSO Reasoning Skills Workshop, where you'll learn strategies to tackle the trickiest question types and improve your speed and accuracy during an interactive training session with an expert.
You can also practise under real exam conditions using EU Training’s test simulations – designed to replicate the EPSO testing environment and help you manage time pressure effectively.
And remember, CAST exams only consist of Reasoning Skills questions now, there are no longer any Field-Related MCQs as part of the CAST selection process. Find out more about how the CAST selection process works in this article: How To Get An EPSO CAST Job | Unravelling This Complex Selection Process.
This table shows how many questions, how long for each set and what the pass marks are for CAST. You will find this information in EPSO's official Calls for Expression of Interest for Contract Staff:
|
Test type |
Questions |
Duration |
Pass mark |
|
Verbal reasoning |
20 questions |
35 minutes |
10/20 |
|
Numerical reasoning |
10 questions |
20 minutes |
NR and AR combined passmark: 10/20 |
|
Abstract reasoning |
10 questions |
10 minutes |
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COM Internal Competitions
For many internal candidates it's time to focus on the Oral Test, which includes both the Interview and the Oral Presentation. These two components require different skills, and preparing for both is key to performing confidently and making a strong impression. Our expert trainers will guide you through what to expect, how to structure your answers, and how to handle time pressure effectively.
EU Training offers Oral Test preparation sessions, both online and in-person in Brussels, to suit your needs and schedule.
See the full schedule of available Oral Test training sessions here.
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Other Internal Competitions
Two other internal competitions are ongoing at the moment. One is the The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) internal competition covering 6 profiles. Testing stage 1 includes reasoning skills tests and the EUFTE (Free-Text Essay on EU Matters). Take a look at what's included in the prep package here.
The General Secretariat of the Council (GSC) also organises internal competitions regularly, currently we have a package available for the CONS/AD/295-INT/2025, Administrators (AD5). Check out the full details for this prep package here.
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UPCOMING EPSO COMPETITIONS
These are the competitions that will be opening for applications later this year according to the EPSO website.
June 2025
- Assistants in the field of communication (AST3)
July 2025
- Generalist administrators | AD5
October 2025
- Secretaries | AST/SC1
Date and further info to be specified:
- Building specialists AD7
- a Luxembourg-specific competition, tentatively opening at the end of this year.
No other information is available at this time.
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