Recruitment - Court of Auditors

Opinion of 23 July 2009 on the notification for prior checking regarding the "selection procedures for the recruitment of officials, temporary staff and contract staff" case (Case 2008-313)

On 23 July 2009 the EDPS adopted an opinion regarding the prior checking of selection procedures for the recruitment of officials, temporary staff and contract staff to the Court of Auditors of the European Communities. Since the data processing operation is intended to evaluate personal aspects relating to the data subject, including his or her ability, efficiency and conduct, it is subject to prior checking.

The competition unit of the Court of Auditors introduced a set of procedures for the recruitment of officials, temporary staff and contract staff. These selection procedures serve to establish lists of successful candidates in order to assist Court of Auditors departments in the recruitment of officials and other staff.

The EDPS considers that the proposed processing does not appear to involve any infringement of the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 provided that certain comments are taken into account. In particular, it recommends that the Court review its data storage policy for the files of candidates who have not been selected and that it store reserve lists/lists of successful candidates in competitions and other selection procedures in compliance with Article 4(1)(e). The EDPS also stressed the importance of the information to be supplied to data subjects in the notices of competition/screening, as well as the need to make the communication of results intelligible.