# European Commission Medical Examination

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-medical-examination/
- Published: 2026-06-08T12:51:14+02:00
- Author: Ben

All successful applicants for an EU job have to undergo a [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
before taking up duties. The [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
is necessary for two reasons: 1) to establish that a candidate is “physically fit
to perform his duties”, and 2) to establish a health baseline so that an employee
would hold the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
or another EU institution accountable for issues that existed before starting the
job.

The [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
usually takes place 2-4 weeks before starting your employment. Attending and passing
the medication examination is a prerequisite to signing your employment contract.

This article will help you to understand what to expect and how to prepare for the
health check-up, as well as answer some of the most common questions.

## Location and travel

The [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
usually takes place in Brussels, but can also take place in the location of your
institution if it has procured the necessary services locally. Irrespective of where
the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
takes place, you most likely have to take a holiday and plan an extra trip there
before the start of employment.

![Entrance to European Commission Medical Centre in Brussels](https://euemployment.
eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Entrance-to-European-Commission-Medical-Centre-in-
Brussels.jpg)

Entrance to European Commission Medical Centre in Brussels

The **[medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
in Brussels **takes place at the European Commission’s Medical Service, building
BREYDEL 2 – office 6/508, 19 avenue d’Auderghem, 1040 Brussels. It is a 10-minute
walk or one metro stop away from the Schuman roundabout. The entrance is quite inconspicous
so don’t walk past it. Check out the full [Google Street View](https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8409124,4.3846766,3a,75y,235.48h,94.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snKFbNHa-dpe6LZUU5AnJWw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)
in advance.

## What to expect?

### Arrival time at the medical centre

Usually you’ll have to be at the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
centre at 8:00 AM as the first procedure is a blood test and the lab supposedly 
closes at 9AM. Because of a blood test, you are required to stop eating at 22:00
the evening before.

I arrived a 8AM sharp and there were already quite a lot of people in the queue,
so if you don’t want to wait try to arrive before that. While some sources indicated
that the facility opens at 8:00, it apparently is open well before that. I’d recommend
to arrive at 7:30 at the latest.

Having arrived at 8:00, I was anyway finished with everything except the ophthalmologist
in two hours by 10:00, including the wait in queue.

The ophtalmologist took longer than expected. I arrived at the eye doctor’s office
that’s in a different building than the medical centre shortly after 10:00. I was
informed that the doctor will be there only at 12:00 and there were a few people
before my. I was done by about 14:00, including the wait in a queue again.

### What tests are administered?

The medical examination consists of the following procedures:

 1. Blood test
 2. Urine test (sampled locally at the centre)
 3. Heart examination (electrocardiogram)
 4. X-ray of the lungs for smokers (I as a non-smoker was exempted)
 5. General examination (conversation with a general practitioner, stethoscope, relfex
    tests, etc., like at your family doctor at an annual check-up)
 6. Ophthalmologist (eye examination)

### Eye examination

![Entrance to European Commission Eye Examination Centre in Brussels](https://euemployment.
eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Entrance-to-European-Commission-Eye-Examination-Centre-
in-Brussels.jpg)

Entrance to European Commission Eye Examination Centre in Brussels

As the eye examination takes place in a different address some 500 meters from the
medical centre, you have to walk there for the final check-up. The address is Avenue
de Cortenbergh 66, Brussels. Plan at least another 1,5 to 2 hours for the eye examination
as in my case there was only one doctor present and it took her around 15 minutes
to deal with each patient.

**Useful tip**. Preserve the eye examination results. Once you start working and
are enrolled in [JSIS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/joint-sickness-insurance-scheme-jsis/),
the EU health insurance scheme, you can buy glasses and get reimbursed based on 
this document.

## Medical examination form

Before the general examination (general check-up by a doctor) all attendants have
to fill a fairly detailed health assessment form.  

![European Commission medical examination form](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/
uploads/2021/04/European-Commission-medical-examination-form.jpg)

European Commission medical examination form

An older version of the form presented at the medical centre can be found [here](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Questionnaire-EU-institutions-medical-examination.pdf).
The layout of the most current form differs slightly, but it has the same contents
as the form available for download above. If you have had lots of medical procedures
or have a serious health condition, it’s best to take key documentation with you.

### Expanded list of questions that might require advance preparation

The examination questionnaire is fairly detailed. There are plenty of questions,
where, if you happen to have a particular condition, it wouldn’t be possible to 
recall the necessary information from the top of your head.

This is a list of questions you probably should go through a week before the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/).
I suggest that you write down the answers so as to have them available on the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
day.

 * Has any of your family members (father, mother, siblings) suffered from **cardiovascular
   disease, respiratory disorders, mental illness, neurological disorders**?
 * Give details of **any medical condition **for which you are currently being treated.
 * Have you ever been **treated in a hospital **or at a clinic? Where, when and 
   for what reason?
 * Have you ever undergone **surgery**? Specify nature of operation(s) and date(
   s).
 * Have you ever been **absent from work for more than a month **because of ilness?
   When? What was the ilness?
 * Do you have a **partial permanent incapacity **for work following an accident
   or illness? When? Nature of the [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/)?
 * Have you ever consulted a **neurologist, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst or psychotherapist**?
   When? Nature of the [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/)?
 * Have you ever undergone treatment for **alcohol or drug addiction**?
 * Do you regularly take any **medication**, including oral contraceptives?
 * Have you ever undergone **radiological or nuclear medicine **examinations? Which
   examinations?
 * Have you undergone courses of **radiotherapy or chemotherapy**? Specify treatments.
 * Have you ever had an **industrial accident **or suffered from an **occupational
   disease**?
 * List any **occupational or other hazards **to which you have been exposed?

As you see, lots of information is requested as part of the examination, part of
it can be quite detailed. If you answer with a “YES” to any of the questions, you
are requested to indicate when the disorder/disease/incident/procedure took place
and other details. Be sure to download and check the [form](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Questionnaire-EU-institutions-medical-examination.pdf)
at least a week before your visit at the medical centre as you might need to hunt
down health documentation to be able to fill out the form completely. Most institutions’
HR units don’t mention that the information requested will be this detailed.

## Women-specific concerns

For female candidates, the medical questionnaire and the examination itself often
raise concerns regarding pregnancy and menstruation.

A common source of confusion is the vaguely worded requirement on the medical form
stating that a urine sample must “allow for menstruation,” which leaves many wondering
if a detected pregnancy could lead to a revoked job offer.

Here’s some practical advice on how to navigate communication with your future managers
regarding an upcoming [maternity leave](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/maternity-leave/)
so you can start your new role on the right foot.

### Can a pregnancy lead to a failed medical check-up?

The short answer is no. Using a pregnancy to deny employment or fail a candidate
during the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
is strictly illegal. The EU institutions are bound by strict equal opportunity rules
and the [Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/).

The medical service only assesses if you are physically fit to perform your duties.
Pregnancy is not an illness and will not impact your medical clearance (at least
in theory, hence, read below how to actually proceed in case you are pregnant or
suspect a pregnancy).

### What does “allow for menstruation” mean in practice?

Many female candidates are understandably confused by the medical form’s instruction
that a urine sample should “allow for menstruation.” To a native English speaker,
this reads as though the candidate must prove they are not pregnant. However, this
is a classic example of a clumsy translation from the original French documentation.

The original French text states: _“Pour les femmes l’examen des urines est modifié
pendant les règles, le cas échéant prière d’indiquer la date des dernières règles.”_
In practice, this simply means that if you have your period on the day of the medical
exam, you must inform the nurses.

Menstruation can alter specific values in both your urine and blood tests. Knowing
this allows the EU medical staff to correctly interpret your results without flagging
false abnormalities that could delay your clearance.

### Should you tell your future Head of Unit?

Legally, you are not obliged to declare your pregnancy to the medical service or
your future employer before signing the contract. However, from an insider’s perspective,
failing to inform your future [Head of Unit](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/head-of-unit/)
can create significant operational problems. If you start a new role and immediately
announce a prolonged absence, it leaves the unit short-staffed and can severely 
damage professional trust.

It is highly recommended to be transparent and inform your future [Head of Unit](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/head-of-unit/)
once you receive the [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) job 
offer. EU institutions are highly accommodating to pregnant staff, and being upfront
establishes you as a reliable professional.

## Consequences of the European Commission medical examination

Article 28 (e) of the [Staff Regulations](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1962R0031:20140101:EN:PDF)
states that a candidate must be “physically fit to perform his duties”. So, theoretically,
one can fail the physical evaluation. However, in practice, the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
and other EU institutions and agencies are equal opportunities employers and have
a fairly high threshold when it comes to health issues.

![European Commission medical examination and disabilities](https://euemployment.
eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/European-Commission-medical-examination-and-disabilities.
jpg)

### What if I have a disability?

A serious medical condition or a [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/)
is not a reason to avoid applying for a job at the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
or another EU institution.

If a person “**can perform the essential functions of the job when [reasonable accommodation](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reasonable-accommodation/)
is made**” he/she has passed the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
standard of qualification for a general office job post. ‘Reasonable accommodation’
in this regard means appropriate measures in relation to the essential functions
of the job so that the person with a [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/)
can have access to, participate in, or advance in employment, or to undergo training,
unless such measures would impose a disproportionate burden on the employer. (Source:
Article 1d(4) of [Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/)).

In practice this might mean that you cannot work as a security guard if you have
a particular physical [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/)
that does not allow you to perform typical duties of the job. However, with the 
same [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/) you would qualify
as an office worker where your main work instruments are your brain and a laptop.
I’ve had at least one colleague with a serious physical [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/),
but it was no issue for the person to fulfill the tasks of an [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/)
[temporary agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/temporary-agent/).

#### Access to some benefits restricted for 5 years

While persons with a serious ilness and [disability](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/disability/)
are entitled to coverage by [JSIS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/joint-sickness-insurance-scheme-jsis/),
the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
health insurance scheme, there is a limitation if the condition existed before taking
up an EU job.

> Where the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
> made before an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) takes up
> his duties shows that he is suffering from sickness or invalidity, the appointing
> authority may, in so far as risks arising from such sickness or invalidity are
> concerned, decide to admit that [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/)
> to guaranteed benefits in respect of invalidity or death only after a period of
> five years from the date of his entering the service of the Union.
>  Article 1 of Annex VIII to the [Staff Regulations](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20140501&from=EN)

In practice this means that a new EU institutions employee would be able to benefit
from a number of social security measures after he/she has been in a job for five
years. These suspended benefits would include at least the following:

 * Insurance against the risk of death and of invalidity occurring during employment
 * Entitlement to an early pension due to an occupational safety hazard
 * Survivor’s pension for one’s spouse and orphan’s pension for a child

### Failure to show up or not taking the job despite passing the medical examination

If you do not undergo the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
at the set date without a strongly justified reason, the particular EU institution
will most likely withdraw its job offer. If for some justified reason you are not
able to attend the medical examination, inform the respective institution’s HR unit
immediately, try to agree on a different examination date and document and present
the reasons why you were not able to attend the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
at the initial date.

If you undergo the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
and cover the associated travel and other costs, but end up not taking the job, 
the particular EU institution will most likely not reimburse you for the costs associated
with attending the medical check-up.

## Costs

You do not have to pay for any of the costs directly associated with the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/).
It is indeed free of charge and you get the benefit of a thorough health check.

Travel and subsistence costs related to the [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/)
will be reimbursed by your prospective employer. However, you have to initially 
pay for you travel, accommodation and subsistence costs out of your own pocket, 
and then to submit proof of payment to your institution’s HR unit along with any
requested forms (usually, Application for Reimbursement of Travel and Subsistence
Expenses, Legal Entity form, Financial Identification form). The forms will be provided
by the institution’s HR unit.

### Main reimbursement conditions

 * Reimbursement of travel expenses
   generally has a limit of 750 EUR regardless 
   of where the applicant flies from;
 * You will be reimbursed only if the
   distance between the place of residence (as
   stated in the application form) andthe examination centre is over 150 km;
 * You can travel by air only if the
   distance by rail exceeds 500 km (where a sea
   crossing is necessary, the 500 kmlimit does not apply);
 * Economy flights and other means of transport
   are preferred by the institutions.
   If you buy an expensive ticket, be certainthat you can justify your choice (i.
   e., had to fly out after work, no otheralternatives);
 * Taxi, parking fees and urban
   transport expenses are usually not reimbursed; these
   have to covered from thedaily allowance amount;
 * You can travel with private car, but
   check the particular rules of reimbursement,
   including the necessary proof ofpayment for gas;
 * If you are unsure of the rules or
   have any doubts about travel expenses, get 
   in touch with the institution’srepresentative that arranged your [medical examination](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/medical-examination/).

EU institutions usually offer a subsistence allowance / per diem of EUR 50 per day
if the medical centre is at least 150 km from you place of residence. You are expected
to cover accommodation (hotel) costs from this amount so either be prepared to sleep
in shoddy hotels or get in touch with friends in Brussels.

> I wrote this article to make it easier to understand the sometimes complex EU 
> HR and administrative rules. However, your individual case might have unique angles
> due to prior work experience, family situation, or other factors.
> **Where to ask
> questions?**Rather than leaving a comment below, please bring your questions to
> our [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Group**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/jobs.in.eu.institutions).
> We have nearly 10,000 members there, including EU ‘insiders’, so you will receive
> a much faster and more thorough reply from me and the community.**Looking for 
> weekly ‘Zero EPSO’ vacancies across EU institutions** **and daily tips?**Follow
> the [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Page**](https://www.facebook.com/people/Jobs-in-EU-Institutions/61556372262919/)
> and join alongside over 6,000 other followers.Best regards,**Ben**