More dates, more changes, more EPSO drama
There was so much EPSO news over the past month that it was genuinely hard to keep up, so we have put it all here in one place. And my, has EPSO been busy: publishing dates, removing dates, adding them back, posting announcements, and giving some fairly clear signs that specialist competitions are picking up again.
From the AD5 application numbers and the Data Management test date to the update on EU knowledge test sources, new CAST dates, and the upcoming Auditors competition, there is quite a lot to cover in this EPSO news rundown. We also have two free EU Training webcasts coming up in April. So, here is a quick summary of the latest EPSO news.
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Upcoming EPSO competitions
Auditors competition
- EPSO Auditors competition is scheduled to open for applications on 14 April 2026. The EPSO rumour mill has the test date happening in mid-Autumn.
- For candidates with backgrounds in audit, assurance, control, compliance, public finance, or related fields, this is one to watch closely.
- Once the Notice of Competition is published, it will be the official source for information and will detail any sub profiles, eligibility requirements, test formats, and all procedural details.
- Register for the free webcast the day after applications open.
- Join the Facebook group here.
This new competition is timely. EPSO opened the previous Auditors competition almost exactly four years ago, and its reserve list is due to expire at the end of June. So this is not coming out of nowhere, but it is still one of the more interesting developments of the month, not least because it adds to the sense that specialist competitions are starting to move again.
EPSO ICT COMPETITIONS
- Not official, but rumour has it that there will be new ICT competitions opening for applications in May and June.
- If this is true, then EPSO is steadily rolling out the plan for 2026.
- Keep an eye on the upcoming competitions page for updates, and on EU Training's LinkedIn page, where we post all these EPSO breaking news items.
- Join the 'ICT Assistants & Experts - EPSO Exams' Facebook group here.
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Ongoing EPSO competitions
Data Management competition (LUX)
- EPSO published the number of candidates who applied for the Data Management competition in Luxembourg: 5,597. A sizeable field and a useful reminder that even specialist competitions can draw very strong interest.
- Less than two weeks later (as predicted), EPSO also published the testing date as “Testing period – 29 April 2026”.
The wording is a bit strange, because a “testing period” would normally suggest more than one day. For now, candidates should treat 29 April 2026 as the key date and keep an eye on their EPSO account in case the wording is clarified later.
AD5 Graduates competition
The biggest talking point of the month was the official announcement, published on 11 March 2026:
- 174,000 candidates applied to the AD5 Graduates competition.
That is a huge number, even for EPSO, and it quickly became the main story in the candidate community. It also puts into perspective just how competitive entry-level permanent EU careers remain.
Less than a week after the AD5 application numbers were published,
- EPSO officially posted that references to the sources used to develop the EU knowledge test will be made public two months before the exam.
- Candidates have been asking for more clarity on what the EU knowledge test is based on, so this is a step in the right direction.
The next bit of AD5 news hit just yesterday:
- EPSO posted an announcement that the AD5 competition may not be able to continue in it's originally planned format.
- Following the unprecedented number of applications, EPSO is reviewing different scenarios and timelines for organising the tests, which suggests this is no small procedural hiccup but a real logistical issue.
- At this point, the question is no longer whether the competition will be affected, but how EPSO decides to manage it.
András Baneth's article and infographic sums up this whole dilemma, offering solutions and analysing possible outcomes: "EPSO's dilemma: A victim of their own success?"
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CAST
The hardest to keep track of was EPSO's CAST test date changes. Now you see them, now you don't, now you see them again - was the name of the game.
In the end EPSO settled on three new test dates, with no April date in site:
- 7 May 2026
- 17 June 2026
- 22 July 2026
The July date is the one that stands out. It is quite late in the summer and may end up being one of the last things EPSO schedules before the usual August break. That may not mean much on its own, but it is another sign that activity is continuing well into the summer period.
For CAST candidates, the approach is: keep checking for invites from recruiters and do not assume that things will go quiet just because the calendar moves towards summer. And remember that new EPSO Reasoning Skills workshops are being added consistently, keep an eye on the schedule here.
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COM internal competitions shifting
There is also movement on the European Commission internal competitions side, with what looks to be a fairly significant change in the approach to internal exams for 2026.
- According to an official internal Commission communication published on 24 March, the first-ever AD7 generalist internal competition open to AST staff is due to be published on 31 March.
That would be a real change in approach, opening the door to AST colleagues with a university degree and relevant professional experience.
The same communication points to
- a cognitive reasoning test at the eligibility stage,
- a new cloud-based testing platform (https://online.shl.com), and
- a broader push to make internal competitions more accessible across staff categories.
More to come: the 2026 internal planning mentioned there also includes AST3, AD5, AD12, AST2, AD6 and another AD5, as well as specialist competitions.
Timing: testing is apparently expected to start in May 2026.
Disclaimer:
- because these are internal procedures, candidates should rely on the official internal competition documents and Commission channels for the final word.
Looks like 2026 is not just about EPSO open competitions. Things have started picking up speed internally too.