An important decision on the recruitment of EU civil servants for visually impaired candidates.

A case was brought before the European Ombudsman by visually impaired candidates who participated in selection procedures for recruiting EU civil servants, which were organised by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).

The complainants faced issues with the online application forms, which were not fully accessible for people using ‘screen readers’. The complainants also considered that EPSO had failed to accommodate their special needs during the computer-based tests, as they were not able to sit the tests independently.

The Ombudsman found that EPSO’s actions constituted maladministration. She recommended that EPSO make its online application forms fully accessible for visually impaired candidates as soon as possible. She also recommended that EPSO set out a detailed timeline for ensuring that assistive technologies are provided to candidates during the computer-based tests that take place in testing centres around the world. Lastly, she recommended that EPSO explicitly inform candidates that certain measures for accommodating special needs, such as assistive technologies, are currently available only at specific stages of selection procedures.

The Ombudsman welcomed that EPSO, in response to her recommendations, updated the information provided to candidates on measures for accommodating their special needs. She also welcomed EPSO’s proposal to enable visually impaired candidates to sit computer-based tests off-site, using remote access technologies. However, the Ombudsman was not fully satisfied with the timeline proposed by EPSO for making its online application form fully accessible. She therefore closes her inquiry by restating this recommendation to EPSO and considering the other matters as settled.

Full details of the procedure are available on the European Ombudsman site.