We are

The European External Action Service (EEAS) supports the work of the High Representative in defining and implementing an effective and coherent EU foreign policy. The EEAS supports his tasks of conducting the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and chairing the Foreign Affairs Council. It also supports the High Representative in his capacity as Vice President of the Commission with regard to his responsibilities within the Commission in the external relations field including the coordination of other aspects of the EU's external action. The EEAS works in close cooperation with Member States, the Council and relevant services of the European Commission.

The Division SG.AFFGEN.2 "Administrative Law and EU Civil Service Law" is one of the two legal divisions which together constitute the EEAS Legal Department, under the responsibility of the Chief Legal Officer.

The Legal Department provides independent legal advice to the High Representative and the EEAS services, upon request or on its own initiative, on all aspects relating to their mandates and tasks under the Treaties and the Council Decision establishing the EEAS. The Legal Department also represents the HR and the EEAS in judicial proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union, and other jurisdictions as required.

The Division SG.AFFGEN.2 covers all legal questions relating, inter alia, to the EEAS administrative activities and the implementation of the EU Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS) in headquarters and EU delegations.

In particular, this Division:

• provides advice on administrative law (contractual, financial and procurement issues);
• provides legal advice on EEAS staff matters (including rights and obligations, career, administrative inquiries and disciplinary matters);
• reviews draft internal administrative rules (in particular those implementing the EU Staff Regulations/CEOS);
• reviews draft replies to administrative requests and complaints, as well as other individual decisions where necessary;
• reviews draft confirmatory replies to access to documents requests and draft replies to Ombudsman requests;
• represents the HR and the EEAS in judicial proceedings in administrative and staff matters.

We propose

The position of “Legal Adviser” contract agent FGIV as per article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS)¹. The selected candidate will be required to provide legal analysis, advice and assistance in particular on local staff in Union Delegations.

Place of employment: EEAS Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

Post available: 1 May 2023

We look for

We are seeking a highly motivated colleague, with a strong service attitude and ability to work in a team and with an ability to handle complex legal issues in the field of administrative law and EU civil service law.

Subject to adjustments intended to reflect the interest of the service, the legal issues which the candidate would be required to handle will include:

• drafting and reviewing decisions, employment contracts, appeal replies, in particular on local agents;
• researching and providing legal advice on EU and local employment law in the various host states of the Union Delegations in the world;
• providing legal advice to the administration and Union Delegations on managing local agent employment contracts, including for disciplinary procedures, termination of contracts and conflict resolution (also before local jurisdictions);
• providing legal advice on ad hoc cases or horizontal issues in other areas of administrative law and EU civil service law, including and not limited to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, data protection and access to documents, etc.

Legal basis

The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the CEOS, in particular Article 82 thereof.

Subject to having passed the CAST exam, the successful candidate will be offered a contract agent position (Function group IV), on the basis of a contract with an initial duration of one year that may be renewed for a maximum duration of 6 years.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates for this contract agent IV post should:

• (i) have passed a valid EPSO CAST in FG IV; (ii) be registered in the EPSO Permanent Contract Agent Selection Tool (CAST) for FG IV (https://epso.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application). In that case, while the registration will render the candidate eligible for the selection procedure, the recruitment of a candidate on this vacant post will be subject to their successfully passing the CAST exam that this candidate will be called to attend.²
• have completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma and have a university degree in law;
• have at least 1 year proven, pertinent experience as a lawyer, legal officer or legal adviser; this experience must have been gained after obtaining the university degree in law;
• have the capacity to work in languages of CFSP and external relations necessary for the performance of their duties. Knowledge of other EU languages would be an asset;
• be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and enjoy full rights as a citizen.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Candidates should:

• have professional experience providing legal advice;
• have strong drafting and analytical skills combined with sound legal judgement;
• have sound knowledge of EU legal and institutional matters;
• have sound understanding of the EU Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment of other Servants (CEOS);
• have excellent communication skills and the ability to establish and maintain a network of contacts both within and outside the EEAS;
• have strong service attitude;
• be able to draft legal texts in English and in French and have the ability to communicate in the other of these two languages with a view, in the medium term, to draft legal texts in both languages;
• be a flexible team player.

Furthermore, the following would be considered as strong assets:

• professional experience in national labour law;
• professional experience in the EU Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment of other Servants;
• knowledge and experience in EU law on access to documents and data protection;
• professional experience of judicial proceedings before national courts and/or the Court of Justice of the European Union or before national courts;
• working experience with or within other EU institutions;
• knowledge of any other EU languages, especially Spanish.

Specific conditions of employment

The signature of the contract will be subject to prior favourable opinion of the Medical Service.

The successful candidate may be required to undergo security vetting if she or he does not already hold a Personal Security Clearance at the an appropriate level, in accordance with relevant security provisions.³

Equal Opportunities

The EEAS is committed to an equal opportunities policy for all its employees and applicants for employment. As an employer, the EEAS is committed to promoting gender equality and to preventing discrimination on any grounds. It actively welcomes applications from all qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds and from the broadest possible geographical basis amongst the EU Member States. We aim at a service, which is truly representative of society, where each staff member feels respected, is able to give their best and can develop their full potential.

Candidates with disabilities are invited to contact CONTRACTAGENTS-HQ@eeas.europa.eu in order to accommodate any special needs and provide assistance to ensure the possibility to pass the selection procedure in equality of opportunities with other candidates. If a candidate with a disability is selected for a vacant post, the EEAS is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in accordance with Art 1d.4 of the Staff Regulations.

Application and selection procedure⁴

Please send your CV and cover letter (with your EPSO CAST number), in English or in French via email, with reference to the Vacancy number in the Subject field, to:SG-AFFGEN-2@eeas.europa.eu

Deadline for sending application: 27/03/2023 at 12.00 (CET).

Candidates shall draft their CV using the Europass CV which can be found at the following internet address: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae.

Late applications will not be accepted.

The selection panel will make a pre-selection on the basis of the qualifications and professional experience described in the CV and motivational letter, and will produce a shortlist of eligible candidates who best meet the selection criteria for the post. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be informed about the outcome of the pre-selection phase.

Pre-selected candidates shall be invited to sit the CAST exam before or after the interview stage by the selection panel (in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out above).The panel will recommend a shortlist of candidates for a final decision by the Authority Empowered to Conclude Contracts of Employment (AACC). The AACC may decide to interview the candidates on the final shortlist before taking this decision.

It is recalled, that the selection procedures may be terminated at any stage in the interest of the service.

In the interest of the service, after identifying the candidate that best fulfils the requirement of the post as set out in the vacancy notice and that has successfully passed the CAST exam, the AACC may also establish a reserve list of candidates. These candidates shall be informed that the reserve list shall remain valid for a period of one year from when it is established and that it may be used to fill the same post or an equivalent post in the EEAS having the same job profile.

1. Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (SR) and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS)

2. An invitation to sit the CAST exam does not commit the EEAS to invite the candidate to a selection panel nor to offer a Contract Agent position, should they succeed the CAST exam.

3. Decision of the Director General for Budget and Administration of the EEAS on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS ADMIN (2019)7

4. Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as implemented by ADMIN(2019) 8 Decision of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The privacy statement is available on the Europa website: (https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eeas-privacy-statement-data-protection-notice-purpose-processing-personal-data-related-public_en) and on the EEAS Intranet: (https://intranet.eeas.europa.eu/page/eeas-work/data-protection/privacy-statements-dp-notices)