Assessment of the third language - EPSO

Opinion of 4 September 2007 on the notification for prior checking on the "Assessment of the ability to work in a third language (application of Article 45(2) of the Staff Regulations" (Case 2007-88)

Article 45(2) of the Staff Regulations, which entered into force on 1 May 2004, provided for a process of assessment of staff's ability to work in a third language before the first promotion after recruitment. "Officials shall be required to demonstrate before their first promotion the ability to work in a third language among those referred to in Article 314 of the EC Treaty. The institutions shall adopt common rules by agreement between them for implementing this paragraph (…)."  The common rules laying down the procedure for implementing Article 45(2) of the Staff Regulations were adopted by all institutions at the end of December 2006. The assessment, based on tests or on certificates/diplomas, is carried out by EPSO in conjunction with assessment committees or by processors.

The EDPS made a number of recommendations in his opinion on EPSO's assessment of the ability to work in a third language; these chiefly concern the transfer -of data, the wording of contracts between EPSO and processors, and reviewing automated individual decisions.