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European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO [1]) is undergoing its most radical transformation [2] yet. The once-centralised recruitment body is officially splitting selection from recruitment, handing over the recruitment process to institutional HR services. This marks the full deployment of the new EPSO model [3], which removes EPSO’s role in recruitment and transfers hiring decisions to a new expert pool under the Commission’s control. Is this really the best way to address the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors, 2020, Special Report 23/2020 [4]: The European Personnel Selection Office: Time to adapt the selection process to changing recruitment needs?
From Chaos to Fragmentation: EPSO’s Titanic Shift
EPSO has long been under fire for outdated selection methods and excessive delays, with some competitions taking over two years to conclude. Following sustained criticism – including a scathing report from the European Ombudsman [3] exposing systemic failures – EPSO is now relinquishing recruitment entirely.
The new model introduces a two-step hiring process:
- EPSO will handle only the selection phase – conducting tests and establishing much larger reserve lists of laureates, significantly increasing the number of candidates on these lists.
- EU institutions – specifically, the Commission’s DGs will take over recruitment, deciding who gets hired and when.
While this might seem like a move towards efficiency, it raises serious concerns about transparency, fairness, and the risk of nepotism.
A Hiring System Stuck in the Past
Under this new framework, the Commission is creating an expert pool of HR representatives, responsible for evaluating candidates. However, this expert pool includes Active Seniors – retired officials who still assist institutions for free – raising serious concerns about impartiality and modern hiring practices.
- Nepotism Concerns – Will recruitment now be based on personal networks [5] rather than merit? The risk of favouritism increases when hiring is handled internally by senior officials instead of through an independent, structured process, especially with shorter testing procedures leading to oversized reserve lists and less scrutiny of candidates.
- A Generational Gap – How can the EU attract young, diverse talent when recruitment is controlled by those disconnected from modern job markets? This risks entrenching outdated hiring practices instead of embracing innovation.
- AI-Era Hiring, but with Analogue Judges – While AI-driven selection tools are increasingly used to screen applications, final hiring decisions will rest with retired EU bureaucrats – many of whom shaped the very system EPSO is now dismantling. Will they provide modern approach and recognise the skills of the next generation, or prioritise outdated approaches?
Staff Representation Excluded from the Process
Despite the major impact on staff careers, staff representation has been entirely excluded from this new process. The Central Staff Committee (CSC) [6] formaly requested involvement, but so far, no commitments have been made.
Key concerns raised by the CSC:
- Who will select the HR representatives for the expert pool?
- How will transparency and impartiality be ensured during interviews and at hiring decisions?
- What training and guidelines will be provided to maintain consistency?
- How will the 12-month evaluation of this system be conducted and communicated?
Generation 2004 strongly advocates for staff to have a role in shaping recruitment policies. Hiring decisions should not become a closed system where only those with insider connections advance.
A Titanic-Level Reform – or Just Rearranging Deckchairs?
The EU institutions need fresh talent, digital expertise, and diverse perspectives to tackle future challenges. Yet, by handing recruitment to an insider-driven panel, this reform could alienate applicants, reinforce outdated hiring structures and further differentiate public services of EU institutions supposedly governed by the same staff regulations.
The CSC note, led by Generation 2004, also stressed the need for better job matching between experience, skills, and responsibilities. There are growing concerns that job descriptions will multiply without proper coordination and alignment, leading to mismatched roles and career stagnation.
What’s Next?
Generation 2004 will continue to push for a transparent, fair, and merit-based recruitment system. The institutions deserve a modern hiring approach that works for everyone – not just those with the right connections.
- We demand answers: What criteria will guide the expert pool’s decisions? How will transparency be ensured? And why is staff representation being excluded from this process?
- We demand fairness: Recruitment must be about skills and merit – not about who you know.
- We demand action: The Commission must reconsider the role of Active Seniors in hiring and ensure proper oversight.
Final Call
This is not just an internal shift – it is a fundamental change in how the EU hires its future workforce. If we do not act now, we risk creating a recruitment system that prioritises familiarity over ability, networks over merit, and the past over the future.
- For more details, check the CSC official note to DG HR [6]
- Stay tuned and stay vigilant as we continue to monitor and challenge these changes. If you are concerned about your future career prospects in the EU institutions, now is the time to raise your voice!
Vote for transparency. Vote for fairness. Vote Generation 2004!
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