Name: Explainer on ‘Working knowledge of a third EU language’
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Explainer on ‘Working knowledge of a third EU language’

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Share to:One of the conditions to get a job at the European Commission or another institution of the European Union is to have the working knowledge of two EU languages. For most people these are their native language and English, French or German. However, in order to get promoted within the same institution or to keep working for a longer time and to get an indefinite contract, you will have to prove the working knowledge of a third EU language (in French – Évaluation de la capacité à travailler dans une troisième langue).The working knowledge of a third EU language must be proven before promotion, for example, from one grade to another. It is also necessary before your second contract extension that entitles you to an ‘indefinite contract’.Regarding indefinite contracts:Contract agents in the function groups I-III (FG I, FG II, and FG III) do not have to prove the working knowledge of a third EU language.You will have to prove working knowledge of a third EU language at the B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, also known as CEFRL (Wikipedia link).According to CEFRL methodology, mastery of a language at B2 level means that you can:You will find the complete CEFRL common reference levels table at the end of this article.If you do not have the proof of having a third EU language at the B2 level at the required time before your second contract extension, you will be dismissed. You will not be able to stay in the current position. Plain and simple.In case you think you will not be able to pass a language exam, you can try to get a new contract within the same or a different EU institution as that “resets the clock” on the language requirement.Fortunately, in case you are dismissed because of missing EU language skills, you will be entitled to the European Commission unemployment allowance.There are multiple ways of showing that you possess ‘working knowledge of a third EU language’.The following are the official EU languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. This list comes from article 55 of the Treaty on European Union. &nbsp;According to the European Commission, English continues to be counted as an official EU language despite Brexit. This is because English has been enshrined in EU legal documents as one of the official and working languages of the EU institutions, and because it is also one of the official languages of Ireland and Malta.Unfortunately, no, non-EU languages do not count as the required 3rd working language. This is despite the fact that such languages as Russian, Arabic, and Chinese might be directly required or useful for your work. As the EU wants to promote multilingualism in the EU institutions, only the official languages of EU member states are officially recognized.Unless your promotion or the 2nd contract prolongation is shortly due, there are no consequences of failing a language exam.In fact, as soon as you feel that your third EU language skill is more or less at the necessary level for a B2 exam, sign up for a language test. Even if you fail it, you will not only find out where your weaknesses are, but you will also become acquainted with how the tests are run and what to pay attention to better prepare for the next test.In EU institutions learning a 3rd EU language and the associated testing costs are covered as part of the employees’ benefits package. Also – if you opt to take a test in person and need to go to a different country, that will count as an administrative work mission. This means that your institution will pay not only for the flight/train/car,&nbsp;but also for accommodation and pay you the daily subsistence allowance.There are no limits on how frequently you may take the language test, and get the associated costs reimbursed.EPSO recognizes test results from a number of institutions for each EU language. However, there is also the option to undergo the test at a certified EPSO testing center in Brussels or Luxembourg.There should be no substantive differences between the way tests are done at a language center and an EPSO testing center. However, there is a benefit of doing the language test at an EPSO-accredited facility. It can take around 3-4 months for language tests done outside EPSO to be recognized by the EU testing institution. If you do your language test at an EPSO-accredited facility, your test results will be ready and recognized in around one month.The remaining article will be about the B2 EU working language tests at EPSO-accredited facilities/language schools as that is what I have had experience with.The EU language tests at various languages schools and EPSO facilities usually have five parts: reading, listening, grammar, writing, oral. At EPSO test facilities the parts are weighed as follows.The maximum score for the test at an EPSO facility is 100 points:You need to score at least 60 points in total to pass. There appear to be no minimum points for each part.Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic EPSO has introduced remote testing. However, carefully evaluate the following paragraphs before you opt for the remote test option over the in-person test.While the remote test sounds good on paper, from my personal and various colleagues’ experience there are a number of drawbacks:In short, if you have the time, I suggest to go for the in-person test in Brussels or Luxembourg.Here is a collection of tips from myself and other people that you might find useful in various stages of preparing and going for the test:If you are interested in finding out what your test might look like, here are some sample online tests:The next section will cover my experience of taking the B2 language test in the EPSO test center in Luxembourg in 2021.EPSO recommends arriving at the test center 30 minutes before the test starts. While half an hour is clearly too much, do not arrive precisely on time as you have to undress, your ID documents need to be checked, and you might want to visit the loo and get a glass of water.Finding the test center is easy. It’s a building right next to the pavement with a side entrance. You can follow Google Maps without any difficulties.There are numerous public bus stops that are 1-5 minutes away depending on where your hotel is located. I chose to arrive on foot from my hotel; if you do the same and take a route in the valley, have some extra time in case you can’t find a bridge to cross the river right away.&nbsp;As I hadn’t taken a language test in many years, I was quite worried about how difficult the test would be, particularly the grammar and writing parts. Afterall, the B2 level in my perception should already be one where the person demonstrates very good proficiency in a language and comfort with all aspects of using it.In order to decrease my worries, I spoke to several colleagues and acquaintances who had taken a B2 language test in 2021 and earlier. Their overall message – the EPSO B2 language test was in fact easier than expected irrespective of the language it’s taken in.In this, the initial part of the language test, you are given a text to read, and then complete two tasks.The first task is an MCT or multiple choice test with four fact-like answers, out of which you have to choose one. Two of the answers can be eliminated easily, but for the other two it can at times be tricky. If unsure, go back and consult the text.For the second task, based on the initial text, you are given four statements and you have to chose the one that best applies to the text. Here, again, two options can be eliminated easily, but the other two can be very tricky. For example, the two possible options might not match the text completely but to a varying degree, say, one is 70% appropriate, and the other is around 85%. Due to the stress in the test environment it’s not that easy to choose the best option.Tips.In the listening par tone is also given two tasks. At first you get a longer audio sample that is replayed twice. My first task was about a general popular science topic. Already at the start of the first replay, you are free to mark your answers sheet or make notes. After the second reply you have around 5-10 minutes to choose the right answer from a multiple choice test that quizzes you about statements and facts in the story.After this you will listen to a second recording that will be replayed only once. This recording was about a social everyday situation. After this recording you have to choose the correct statement from a number of options.While listening was not the hardest part to of the test for me (grammar and writing was), this was probably the most tricky one due to the fact that you cannot re-listen to the story beyond the one or two initial playbacks. If you fail to note something down, you’ll have to rely on your memory or a lucky guess.TipsThe grammar section was the shortest of all parts of the test. In my exam I was just given around eight sentences and had to properly conjugate verbs to fit the sentence.I don’t even have any particular tips about this section. It’s mostly about checking whether you know the basics or not.For the writing part you are usually given two options to choose from. Read through both and choose with which described situation you feel most comfortable with.Usually, you are presented with a problem situation, described in 3-4 paragraphs. You are then required to write a letter or an email to your supervisor or someone higher up the hierarchy, and inform them about the particular problem and propose a solution for their approval.Tips.For the oral test you are given a choice of 6 “tickets”. You are not informed which topics are on the tickets, and have to take one at random.After you take your ticket, you are given 5 minutes to collect your thoughts. Following that:Tips. During the 5 preparatory minutes do not only think about the topic, but use the note paper and make a plan for your 5 minutes of monologue. Note down the starting sentence, create a structure for the rest of the intervention, etc. I would also recommend to make a list of words that you want to use to show off your vocabulary, or words with which you have difficulty with, so that you don’t forget them. I also realized that there are some words which I know in English, but which I could not recall right away in my chosen third language, so I used the time to remember their translations.For the conversation part I would recommend the following:Buses. Since several years ago Luxembourg has introduced free public transport, also for foreign visitors. This makes moving around the capital city and the country even more comfortable. I can highly recommend the bus transit system in Luxembourg as the busses are very clean, run on time and quite frequently.Taxi. If you arrive in Luxembourg airport late in the evening, you might be required to take a taxi to the city centre or location of your hotel. While your EU institution will most likely reimburse these costs due to late plane arrival, bear in mind that taxis in Luxembourg are quite expensive. I took a 10-minute ride to my hotel and it cost me 58 Euros. While the taxi service at the airport appeared to be well regulated, be sure to ask if the particular taxi can provide you with a receipt for the ride. While most taxis advertise that they accept payment cards, be sure to check before the ride if the particular vehicle’s card reader is functional.Hotels and other accomodation. To avoid unnecessary stress and save time on the day of your test, I would recommend to stay close to the testing centre on 29 Avenue Guillaume.Requirement to be able to work in at least two EU languages is mentioned in Article 28(f) of the Staff Regulations.An official may be appointed only on condition that:[…](f) he produces evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Union and of a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Union to the extent necessary for the performance of his duties.Assessment of the capacity to work in a third EU language is mentioned in article 45(2) of the Staff Regulations.Officials shall be required to demonstrate before their first promotion after recruitment the ability to work in a third language among those referred to in Article 55(1) of the Treaty on European Union. The appointing authorities of the institutions shall adopt common rules by agreement between them for implementing this paragraph. These rules shall require access to training for officials in a third language and lay down the detailed arrangements for the assessment of officials’ ability to work in a third language, in accordance with Article 7(2)(d) of Annex III.What questions or suggestions do you have for this article? Please share in a comment below and let’s make this resource better for you and other readers!Share to:In the following sentence: “The grammar section was the shorted of all parts of the test.” you probably meant “the shortest”?BTW, thanks for a very informative and helpful article.ReplyGreat website Ben !1st q: I passed the Cambridge CAE test, which is equivalent to the C1 CEFRL grade, but it was back in 2003.Do the European Institutions have some time limitations about when the certificate was awarded?2nd q: If I want to apply to a position where is advertised “The main working languages of the unit are English and French: C2, B1”, does this mean I have to provide proof of language tests for both? In the JD it does not say anything else about French as mandatory. The job is in Bruxelles.All the best!ReplyThis site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share to:One of the conditions to get a job at the European Commission or another institution of the European Union is to have the working knowledge of two EU languages. For most people these are their native language and English, French or German. However, in order to get promoted within the same institution or to keep working for a longer time and to get an indefinite contract, you will have to prove the working knowledge of a third EU language (in French – Évaluation de la capacité à travailler dans une troisième langue).The working knowledge of a third EU language must be proven before...

Explainer on ‘Working knowledge of a third EU language’

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