EU administrative assistant, secretaries, clerks etc.
Permanent officials of the EU Civil Service are divided into different functional groups and must pass a recruitment competition. Secretaries/Clerks make up one of these groups.
AST/SC level officials are generally employed in office management and administrative support roles. They take on a broad range of administrative tasks, which vary greatly according to their post. Secretaries maintain the smooth running of the EU institutions by coordinating meeting, organising conferences, preparing files, while others support teams, managers, or units within the EU Institutions.
Anyone who meets the general eligibility criteria and relevant qualifications required can apply for EPSO AST/SC selection competitions. AST/SC competitions are announced when staff recruitment needs arise.
To apply for an EPSO Secretaries/Clerks competition, applicants must have successfully completed secondary education. Previous experience requirements are dependent on the AST/SC competition’s grade. EPSO AST/SC selection competitions are advertised from grades AST/SC1 to AST/SC6:
- New staff usually enter at grades AST/SC1
- AST/SC1 roles require a candidate to have completed secondary education and have some relevant professional qualification in the field.
- AST/SC2 roles require candidates to have more professional experience
Every EPSO competition starts with its Notice of Competition being published in the Official Journal of the EU. The Notice of Competition is the official and authentic document in which the details and conditions of that specific competition are outlined: such as the exams to be undertaken, the number of people EPSO plans to place on the reserve lists, the language requirements, the application due date etc. Make sure you consult each AST/SC competition’s Notice of Competition for the full details.
In addition to the specific requirements for any given competition, to become an EU official applicants must also meet some basic eligibility criteria. To be eligible, applicants must:
- have EU citizenship. Applicants must be a citizen of one of the EU's 27 Member States.
- have fulfilled any military service requirements.
- meet the character requirements
- have knowledge of any of the 24 official EU languages
Getting a job at an EU institution is no easy task, but working in EU affairs is a great career choice. Find out every-thing you need to know about EU careers from EU Training, the leader in EU selection preparation and advice.
We offer a wealth of practice materials for all stages and levels of the EPSO selection exams, as well as an online community to share ideas and experiences, FREE e-books, helpful tips & tricks articles, e-learning materials and free guidance to help EPSO candidates excel. If at any point you have a question or need additional help to understand the EPSO processes, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please note that Online EU Training is an independent organisation and not part of EPSO or the EU Institutions.