15.1 The EUFTE: Official Format, Where It Sits & the Five Assessment Anchors
Key Takeaways
- The EUFTE lasts 40 minutes in Language 2, is scored 0–10 with a 5/10 pass mark, and counts for 15% of the final ranking only.
- EPSO publishes the EUFTE documentation on its website before the test date and provides it again, with the assignment(s), during the test.
- EPSO assesses the EUFTE against five anchors: logical flow, concision, clarity, adapting to audience and purpose, and effective use of the information provided.
- Scripts are marked only for top preliminary-ranked candidates, in principle up to 1.5 times the 1,490 places sought, with more if candidates tie.
- The notice states that the EUFTE is neither a language test nor a test of factual knowledge; EPSO publishes no per-anchor weights or score bands.
15.1 The EUFTE: Official Format, Where It Sits in the Competition & the Five Assessment Anchors
Official basis: Notice EPSO/AD/427/26, Section 4.3.2(e) and Table 6, plus the written-test anchors published on the EPSO website (the page the notice links to, and EPSO's AD5 Graduates testing page). Only these sources define the test. Everything else in this chapter is preparation method, not EPSO rules.
The Free-Text Essay on EU Matters (EUFTE) is the only written test in the AD5 competition. It is the one place where the Selection Board sees how you write, so it is worth planning for from day one. It only counts, however, if you first clear every multiple-choice hurdle and rank high enough in the preliminary ranking.
What the Notice Says
| Feature | Rule in Notice EPSO/AD/427/26 |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Assesses the candidate's written communication skills |
| Language | Language 2 |
| Duration | 40 minutes |
| Scoring | 0 to 10, pass mark 5/10 |
| Task | Respond to the test assignment(s) based on documentation related to EU matters |
| Documentation | Published on the EPSO website ahead of the test date; the same documentation is provided again during the test, with the assignment(s) |
| What it is not | "Neither a language test nor a test of factual knowledge" |
| Assessment | Based on the specific anchors published on the EPSO website |
Two practical consequences follow. First, you can read and analyse the documentation before test day. That is the single biggest advantage the format gives you, because in the test the 40 minutes should go on planning and writing, not first reading. Second, you will not be marked on facts you bring from outside. The Board wants to see how well you use the information provided.
Where the EUFTE Sits in the Amended Competition
- When: the EUFTE belongs to Part 2 of the testing phase (2027), together with the EU knowledge and digital skills tests. Only candidates who passed the Part 1 reasoning tests are invited.
- Who writes it: every Part 2 candidate sits it, in the same remote TAO environment. The documentation opens as a PDF in TAO's attached-documents viewer, and you type into a free-text answer box.
- Who gets marked: after EU knowledge and digital skills are scored, candidates who passed all thresholds are ranked on the preliminary combined score (verbal 40%, EU knowledge 30%, digital skills 30%). Scripts are marked, and eligibility is checked in parallel, only for the top of that ranking. In principle this is no more than 1.5 times the number of places sought (about 2,235 for 1,490 places), though the Board may raise the number where candidates tie.
- What it is worth: candidates who reach 5/10 and are eligible enter the final ranking, where the EUFTE counts for 15%, alongside verbal 35%, EU knowledge 25% and digital skills 25%. Below 5/10 your participation ends, however high your multiple-choice scores.
The Five Official Assessment Anchors
EPSO defines anchors as "the elements considered when evaluating a given competency". For the EUFTE, it lists five:
| # | Official anchor (EPSO wording) | What it looks like on the page |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Structures written communication with a logical flow of ideas. | A clear opening that answers the assignment, headings or paragraphs that follow the tasks in order, and explicit links between points |
| 2 | Writes concisely, avoiding unnecessary words and sentences. | No throat-clearing introductions or repetition; short, direct sentences; every paragraph earns its place |
| 3 | Presents subject matter in a clear and understandable way. | Plain language, defined terms, concrete wording, and numbers stated precisely |
| 4 | Adapts and tailors writing to suit the intended audience and purpose. | The register, format and level of detail fit the reader and the purpose the assignment names (for example a decision-maker, colleagues, or the public) |
| 5 | Uses the information provided effectively to address the assignment. | Selects the relevant facts from the documentation, reframes rather than copies them, and covers every part of the assignment |
What EPSO does not publish: it gives no weighting for each anchor, no score bands, and no model answer or marking procedure beyond the anchors. Treat any "points per anchor" grid you see elsewhere, including self-assessment grids in this guide, as an unofficial training aid.
Common Misconceptions
- "It's a language test." The notice says it is not. Correct, fluent Language 2 obviously helps clarity (anchor 3), but you are not marked on literary style. Plain, precise prose beats ornate prose.
- "I should show off my EU knowledge." The notice says it is not a knowledge test. Outside facts that do not serve the assignment add length (anchor 2) and can pull you away from the documentation (anchor 5).
- "There is one required format." The notice sets no format. The assignment tells you what to produce and for whom (anchor 4). A structured note with headings suits most briefing-type tasks, but follow the assignment if it asks for something else, such as an e-mail, a short article or speaking points.
- "Longer is better." Nothing in the anchors rewards length. Conciseness is an anchor in its own right.
Preparation Resources from Official Sources
- Sample written test on the TAO platform (EN and FR), linked from EPSO's testing pages. The test starts only after an on-screen countdown finishes.
- EPSO's competency framework and the written-test anchors page.
- The Publications Office's EU careers: study materials page, which points candidates preparing for the written test to its Plain Language guide. EPSO stresses that these materials are guidance only.
Turning the Anchors into a Self-Check
Because EPSO publishes the anchors but not a marking grid, practise by marking your own drafts against each anchor with a simple yes / partly / no. The grid below is an unofficial training aid written for this guide:
| Anchor | Self-check question after each practice essay |
|---|---|
| 1. Logical flow | Could a reader predict the structure from the first paragraph? Does each section follow from the assignment's tasks in order? |
| 2. Concise | Can any sentence be deleted without losing meaning? Is anything said twice? |
| 3. Clear and understandable | Would an intelligent non-specialist understand every sentence on first reading? Are numbers and terms precise? |
| 4. Audience and purpose | Is the register, format and level of detail right for the named reader and purpose? |
| 5. Uses the information provided | Did you use the key facts from the documentation, in your own words, to answer every part of the assignment, without bringing in unnecessary outside material? |
Scoring your practice honestly: if any anchor is a clear "no", treat the script as at risk of falling below the 5/10 pass mark. Consistent "yes" answers across all five anchors are what you are aiming for.
Which of the following is one of the five assessment anchors EPSO publishes for the EUFTE?
According to Notice EPSO/AD/427/26, when is the documentation for the EUFTE made available?
Which candidates have their EUFTE scripts marked in the AD5 competition?