‘Reserve lists’ in EU institutions are lists of candidates who have passed recruitment competitions in EPSO and other EU institutions but have not been offered a job. It is typical for EU institutions to form a reserve list of good candidates after a vacancy has been announced.

The top candidate gets the advertised job, but the particular institution can use candidates on the reserve list to fill similar positions without starting another selection process. This practice of establishing reserve lists saves substantial resources for EU institutions’ HR departments.

Candidates on reserve lists are not guaranteed a job but remain eligible should a suitable vacancy appear fitting their profile. Reserve lists are typically valid for 2-3 years, and validity can be extended for up to 4 years.

In-depth article about ‘reserve lists‘ in EU institutions.