EPSO Lawyer-Linguists / Legal Revisers Open Competition (AD)

How many institutions are formally listed as 'institutions of the Union' in Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU)?

• AFive
• BSix
• CSeven
• DNine

Under the ordinary legislative procedure, which two bodies act as co-legislators with equal weight?

• AThe European Parliament and the Council
• BThe Commission and the Council
• CThe European Parliament and the Commission
• DThe European Council and the Council

Which institution holds the near-exclusive right of legislative initiative in the European Union?

• AThe European Parliament
• BThe Council of the European Union
• CThe European Commission
• DThe European Council

What is the principal function of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)?

• ATo propose new EU legislation
• BTo ensure that EU law is interpreted and applied uniformly
• CTo set the EU's annual budget
• DTo represent the EU in foreign affairs

Which procedure allows a national court to ask the CJEU about the interpretation or validity of EU law?

• AAction for annulment
• BInfringement proceedings
• CPreliminary ruling reference
• DAction for failure to act

Which type of EU legal act is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States without national transposition?

• ADirective
• BRegulation
• CRecommendation
• DOpinion

A directive under Article 288 TFEU is best described as:

• ABinding in its entirety and directly applicable
• BBinding as to the result to be achieved, leaving form and methods to Member States
• CA non-binding policy statement
• DBinding only on the institution that issued it

In the landmark case Van Gend en Loos (1963), the Court of Justice established which fundamental principle of EU law?

• AThe principle of subsidiarity
• BThe direct effect of EU law
• CThe free movement of workers
• DThe principle of conferral

The principle of primacy (supremacy) of EU law was established in which seminal CJEU judgment?

• ACassis de Dijon
• BCosta v ENEL
• CFrancovich
• DBosman

Which document, given the same legal value as the Treaties by the Lisbon Treaty, sets out the fundamental rights protected in the EU?

• AThe European Convention on Human Rights
• BThe Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
• CThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• DThe European Social Charter

Under the principle of subsidiarity, in areas of shared competence the EU should act only when:

• AA Member State requests EU intervention
• BThe objectives can be better achieved at EU level than by Member States alone
• CThe European Parliament votes unanimously
• DThe action concerns the internal market

The principle of conferral means that the European Union:

• ACan act in any field it considers necessary
• BActs only within the limits of the competences conferred upon it by the Member States in…
• CMust always act through directives
• DShares all competences equally with Member States

Which treaty, signed in 1992, created the European Union and introduced the concept of EU citizenship?

• AThe Treaty of Rome
• BThe Single European Act
• CThe Maastricht Treaty
• DThe Treaty of Nice

When did the Treaty of Lisbon enter into force?

• A1 December 2009
• B1 May 2004
• C1 January 2007
• D1 November 1993

How many Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are there in the 2024-2029 parliamentary term?

• A705
• B720
• C751
• D628

Which body brings together the Heads of State or Government of the Member States to define the EU's general political directions and priorities?

• AThe Council of the European Union
• BThe European Council
• CThe Council of Europe
• DThe Commission College

What is the standard voting rule in the Council of the European Union for most legislative decisions?

• ASimple majority
• BUnanimity
• CQualified majority voting
• DTwo-thirds majority

Under the double-majority rule, a qualified majority in the Council requires the support of Member States representing what share of the EU population?

• AAt least 50%
• BAt least 60%
• CAt least 65%
• DAt least 75%

Which of the four fundamental freedoms of the EU internal market does the Cassis de Dijon judgment most directly concern?

• AFree movement of workers
• BFree movement of goods
• CFreedom to provide services
• DFree movement of capital

The principle of Member State liability for breaches of EU law causing harm to individuals was established in which case?

• AFrancovich and Bonifaci
• BMarshall
• CKeck and Mithouard
• DDefrenne

Which institution is responsible for monitoring the application of EU law and may bring infringement proceedings against a Member State?

• AThe Court of Auditors
• BThe European Commission
• CThe European Parliament
• DThe European Ombudsman

In which official languages must EU regulations of general application be published in the Official Journal?

• AOnly English and French
• BThe three procedural languages
• CAll official EU languages
• DThe languages chosen by the issuing institution

When the different language versions of an EU legal text diverge, the CJEU has held that interpretation should be guided by:

• AThe version in the language of the case
• BThe English version as the working language
• CThe purpose and general scheme of the rules, read in light of all language versions
• DThe version published first in time

What is the single currency of the euro area, and how many EU Member States used it as of 2025?

• AThe euro, used by 20 Member States
• BThe euro, used by all 27 Member States
• CThe euro, used by 19 Member States
• DThe euro, used by 17 Member States

Which EU institution adopts the EU's annual budget jointly with the Council?

• AThe European Commission
• BThe European Parliament
• CThe Court of Auditors
• DThe European Central Bank

Which procedure under Article 7 TEU may be triggered where there is a clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State of the Union's values?

• AThe infringement procedure
• BThe rule-of-law conditionality procedure
• CThe Article 7 procedure on protection of EU values
• DThe excessive deficit procedure

Article 50 TEU governs which process?

• AAccession of a new Member State
• BVoluntary withdrawal of a Member State from the EU
• CEnhanced cooperation between Member States
• DRevision of the Treaties

Which of the following is an area of EXCLUSIVE EU competence under Article 3 TFEU?

• APublic health
• BThe customs union
• CEnvironment
• DConsumer protection

The General Court of the European Union mainly deals with which type of cases at first instance?

• APreliminary references from national courts
• BDirect actions brought by individuals and companies against EU acts
• CDisputes between Member States only
• DAdvisory opinions on international agreements

Which institution is led by a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy?

• AThe European External Action Service
• BThe Court of Justice
• CThe European Central Bank
• DThe Court of Auditors

An action for annulment under Article 263 TFEU allows the EU courts to review the legality of which measures?

• ANational laws of the Member States
• BLegally binding acts of EU institutions and bodies
• CJudgments of national supreme courts
• DRecommendations and opinions only

Which principle requires that EU action does not exceed what is necessary to achieve the objectives of the Treaties?

• AProportionality
• BSubsidiarity
• CSincere cooperation
• DDirect effect

The Schengen Area is best described as a zone in which:

• AA single currency is used
• BInternal border controls between participating states have been abolished
• CAll members must be EU Member States
• DTrade tariffs are eliminated

Which body audits the EU's revenue and expenditure to ensure sound financial management?

• AThe European Central Bank
• BThe European Court of Auditors
• CThe European Investment Bank
• DThe European Ombudsman

How many Member States does the European Union have following the United Kingdom's withdrawal?

• A25
• B26
• C27
• D28

Which procedure must be followed for a directive to take effect in a Member State's legal system?

• ADirect publication in the national gazette only
• BTransposition into national law within the deadline set
• CAutomatic application without any national measure
• DRatification by the national parliament of the Treaty

Read the passage, then answer. 'The lawyer-linguist's task is not merely to translate but to ensure that each language version produces the same legal effect. A literal rendering that distorts the legal meaning is a failure, even if every word is technically correct.' Which statement best reflects the author's main point?

• ATranslation accuracy is measured purely word by word
• BProducing equivalent legal effect matters more than literal word-for-word translation
• CLawyer-linguists should avoid technical legal terms
• DOnly the original language version has legal force

Read the passage, then answer. 'All measures adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure require the agreement of both co-legislators. Some measures, however, are adopted by the Council alone after merely consulting Parliament. The latter cannot be said to enjoy full democratic co-decision.' Which conclusion follows logically?

• AEvery EU measure is adopted by both co-legislators
• BMeasures adopted by the Council after only consulting Parliament are not full co-decision…
• CParliament never participates in EU law-making
• DThe Council cannot adopt any measure alone

Statement: 'No directive enters into force before its publication in the Official Journal. The contested measure has not yet been published.' If both statements are true, which conclusion is necessarily valid?

• AThe contested measure has entered into force
• BThe contested measure has not entered into force
• CThe contested measure will never be published
• DPublication is not required for entry into force

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to 'to repeal' as used in a legislative context.

• ATo amend
• BTo abrogate
• CTo enforce
• DTo interpret

Read the passage, then answer. 'The Commission proposes; the Parliament and Council dispose. Without a proposal, the co-legislators have, as a rule, nothing to act upon.' What does the phrase 'the co-legislators have nothing to act upon' imply?

• AParliament and Council can legislate freely without the Commission
• BLegislation generally cannot proceed without a Commission proposal
• CThe Commission adopts the final law
• DThe Council outranks Parliament in legislating

Identify the word that does NOT belong with the others in a legal-drafting context.

• AWhereas
• BHereby
• CNotwithstanding
• DApproximately

Statement: 'Every act adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure is published in the Official Journal. Some acts published in the Official Journal are delegated acts.' Which conclusion is supported?

• AAll delegated acts are adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure
• BSome acts in the Official Journal are not ordinary-procedure acts
• CNo delegated act is ever published
• DEvery published act is a delegated act

Select the option that best completes the sentence: 'The provisions of this Regulation shall apply ___ from the date of its entry into force.'

• Aretroactively
• Bdirectly
• Cindirectly
• Dprovisionally

Read the passage, then answer. 'Although the recital explains the legislator's intent, it does not create binding obligations. Operative force lies only in the enacting terms.' According to the passage, where does binding legal force reside?

• AIn the recitals
• BIn the enacting terms
• CEqually in recitals and enacting terms
• DIn the explanatory memorandum

Choose the word most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'to ratify'.

• Ato confirm
• Bto endorse
• Cto reject
• Dto approve

Statement: 'If the deadline is missed, the application is inadmissible. The application was filed on time.' What can be validly concluded?

• AThe application is inadmissible
• BNothing can be concluded about admissibility from these premises alone
• CThe application is definitely admissible
• DThe deadline was missed