Privacy Notice - External Recruitment and Selection process of Temporary Agents (TA), Contract Agents (CA) and Interns

Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC, applies to the processing of personal data carried out in the process of selection and recruitment of staff at Europol, following the application of this Regulation to all administrative personal data held by Europol in accordance with Article 27a of the Europol Regulation.

Data controller

The controller of the processing operation related to the processing of personal data in relation to the selection and recruitment process is the Head of the Human Resources HeadofHR@europol.europa.eu 

Purpose of the collection of data

The data submitted is processed in order to assess the suitability of candidates for a post at Europol as Temporary Agent, Contract Agent or Intern and to administrate the documentation related to the selection. The data collected in order to comply with this purpose are the ones required in the application form plus all data provided by the data subject in paper or electronic format.

Where needed, the purpose of the verification made by the Europol National Units for candidates shortlisted for restricted posts, who had indicated membership of a competent authority in one of the Member States, is to ensure the conformity of the application process with the Europol Implementing Rules in force (Decision of the Management Board of Europol of 28 February 2019).

Recipients of the data

Recipients of the data related to the Recruitment and Selection process for the posts of Temporary Agents and Contract Agents are Europol staff employed in the Administration Department dealing with HR and financial matters, the members of the Selection Committee (or Pre-Selection Committee/Interview Committee for middle management posts), the Deputy Executive Director of the Capabilities Directorate, the Office of the Executive Director, the Executive Director and Europol Liaison Bureaux/National Units (for candidates shortlisted for restricted posts). Access to the personal data of the successful non-recruited candidates on the Reserve List may be provided to other Europol hiring managers, in connection with a possibility of employment at Europol.

Europol licenses an electronic applicant tracking system from an external provider (Software One BE, Buro & Desomg Centre – Esplanade 1 – 1020, Brussels, Belgium). The provider’s subcontractor (Cornerstone OnDemand Europe Netherlands B.V.  Rotterdam, Stationsplein 45-4e Verdiepin, 3013 AK) administers the platform on behalf of Europol and may access candidate data in case of technical queries.

Personal data (first and last name, email address and phone number) of candidates for TA and CA posts invited to participate in an online written or practical test with remote invigilation, where applicable, are shared with an external provider of online assessments (Test Reach, 9 - 10 Nexus UCD, Belfiend Office Park, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4, Ireland, D04 V2N9, info@testreach.com). Detailed information about the processing of personal data in the context of remotely invigilated tests can be found on the relevant privacy notice available at Europol’s website at https://www.europol.europa.eu/careers-procurement/open-vacancies

For middle management posts, access to the personal data of the successful candidates in the first stage of the selection procedure are provided to an external assessment centre (PwC EU Services EESV, Culliganlaan 5,1831, Machelen Belgium) to conduct a Management Skills assessment centre. The scope and purpose of the processing of personal data are defined in a framework contract with the assessment centre provider.

The personal data (name, nationality, date of birth, e-mail, phone number, current employment) of the candidates shortlisted for restricted posts, who had indicated membership of a competent authority in one of the Member States, will be provided to the concerned Europol National Unit with the purpose of issuing the Europol National Unit Confirmation.

For specific categories of middle management posts, personal data of the candidate envisaged for appointment by the AACC may be shared with the Members of the Europol Management Board with a view to the confirmation of their engagement, as described in the relevant vacancy notice.

Data may be disclosed on a need-to-know basis to the Head of Administration Department and the Europol Legal Team.

Recipients of the data for the recruitment and selection of interns are Europol staff employed in the administration department dealing with HR and financial matters, the supervisor of the intern and its superior line management, as well as respective colleagues involved in the selection process and the Deputy Executive Director Capabilities. Access to the personal data of the successful non-recruited candidates on the reserve list may be provided to other Europol hiring managers, in connection with a possibility of being offered an internship at Europol.

Data storage and retention

For Temporary Agents and Contract Agents

Data of recruited candidates will be transferred to their personal file. The retention period of personal files will be applicable¹;

Data of non-shortlisted candidates are kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years as from the year the candidates are informed about the outcome of the shortlisting. Data of unsuccessful shortlisted candidates are kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years as from the year as from the year the final proposal is signed by the Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (‘AACC’). Data of candidates included on the reserve list are kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years (validity of the reserve list plus maximum of 3 years), as from the year as from the year the final proposal is signed by the Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (‘AACC’).

Other data ( i.e. the recruitment schedule, shortlisting matrix, final proposal, reserve list, explanatory note, appointment letter, etc.) documenting the recruitment and selection process, will be kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years as from the year the final proposal is signed by the AACC.

The list of personal data (name, nationality, date of birth, e-mail, phone number, current employment) of shortlisted candidates who indicated on their application form membership of a competent authority and are applying for a restricted post are provided to the concerned Europol National Units with the purpose to issue the Europol National Unit confirmation. Such confirmation from the Europol National Unit may be sought via the Europol Liaison Bureaux. The Europol National Units, and the Europol Liaison Bureaux, are instructed to retain the list for a maximum period of one week; they have the responsibility to delete the data after this period.

Data of successful candidates in the first stage of the selection procedure for middle management posts shared with the external provider of assessment centres (PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS EU SERVICES EESV) for the purpose of conducting a Management Skills assessment is deleted by the provider after the feedback request deadline expires. The assessment report is kept for its validity duration, which is one year.

Data collected in the invigilated testing procedure for TA and CA posts are kept in line with the dedicated Record of the processing activity, available on Europol’s website.

For specific categories of middle management posts, data of the envisaged by the AACC candidate may be shared with the Member States Representatives to the Europol Management Board, with the purpose to confirm the engagement of the selected candidate, as described in the relevant vacancy notice. The member State Representatives retain the data only for the time necessary for consultation; they have the responsibility to delete the data after this period.

Data stored in the online applicant tracking system might be further stored in HR electronic and paper files related to the selection procedure.

Personal data received as a result of unsolicited applications are destroyed immediately.

Financial data related to the selection procedure (e.g. invoices, reimbursement requests) will be kept for a period of five years from the beginning of the year following that in which the European Parliament grants discharge in respect of implementation of the budget of Europol, in line with Article 47 of the Financial Regulation applicable to Europol.

For Interns

Data of non-shortlisted candidates are kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years as from the year the candidates are informed about the outcome of the shortlisting. Data of unsuccessful shortlisted candidates are kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years as from the year the outcome of the internship selection procedure is signed by DED-C. Data of reserve list candidates are kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years (validity of the reserve list plus maximum of 4 years), as from the year the outcome is signed by the Deputy Executive Director Capabilities Directorate (hereafter ‘DED-C’).

Other data (e.g. eligibility check, schedule) related to the recruitment and selection process will be kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 years as from the year the outcome is signed by the DED-C.

Data of selected candidates will be transferred to a Human Resources Management System (SYSPER) for the purpose of time and leave management and retained in accordance with the SYSPER retention period.

Personal data received as a result of unsolicited applications are destroyed immediately.

Financial data related to the selection procedure (e.g. invoices, reimbursement requests) will be kept for a period of five years from the beginning of the year following that in which the European Parliament grants discharge in respect of implementation of the budget of Europol, in line with Article 47 of the Financial Regulation applicable to Europol.

Rights as data subject

Candidates have the right to access, rectify, block and erase their personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection rules via the e-recruitment tool –where possible- or via e-mail sent to C2-12@europol.europa.eu

Contact in case of queries concerning the processing of personal data

In case of queries regarding the processing of personal data, please contact the data controller atC2-12@europol.europa.eu or the Europol Data Protection Function (DPF):

DPF, PO Box 90850, 2509LW, The Hague e-mail: DPF@europol.europa.eu 

You also have the right of recourse at any time to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS):  edps@edps.europa.eu

¹EDOC#655324 - Record of processing activity - Personal Files  - Staff members