time is passing

Sorry for the late and slow updates of this blog. The comments I received show that people are interested in new material, more hints and topics but I really don't have time.

Beginning of Octrober I have changed jobs (working for a division Europe of the government) and that really takes up all my time. Next to that I have to prepare for the final stage of the concours. Yes, indeed I passed the second round (the essay) and I am admitted to the oral exam. When? No idea. They will let us know soon and the exam can take place from mid-November on. So, the time I can spent, I spent on reading all the recent developments in EU affairs. No time to update the blog, let alone work on the lay-out of my course material, let alone set up the website I had in mind. As soon asI have time, I'll continue with this pet project of mine. meanwhile, wishe me luck for the oral exam.

Price setting

Finally, I received the cost price for 1 copy of the course material. I expected it to be quite high (400 pages is not just a few copies). Moreover, also the mailing of a course like this costs between 6 and 11 euro. Nevertheless, as the course material is copied and not published in a glossy edition the cost (excluding mailing because this depends on the country of destination) can still be reasonably low: 65 euro. I hope I can keep this price because some institutes I am talking to would like to turn all this in a specialised publication and higher the price. Something I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand it is flattering that they see it as a valuable something, on the other hand I always wanted to keep control over this course.

To be continued...

Table of Content

Below, a table of content (and the number of pages devoted to the various topics) of the course I developed.

Almost every topic starts with analyzing the relevant Treaty articles and gives an overview of questions you should be able to answer on the basis of these Treaty articles. Often study hints are given as well.

• How to prepare for the concours and how to use this course (3)
• Timeline (18)
• Key Facts and Figures (3)
• Treaties, the Convention and the Consitution (39)
• Institutions (27)
• Financial Bodies (7)
• Advisory Bodies (4)
• Interinstitutional Bodies (1)
• Decentralised Bodies (Community Agencies, CFP, PJCC, Executive Agencies) (9)
• Structural Funds, Cohesion Fund, ISPA, PHARE, SAPARD and EUSF) (7)
• Activities (31 Policy Domains) (136)
• Procedures (Legislative, Budget, Appointment, Quasi-constitutional and Intergovernmental) (6)
• various (Agenda 2000, Enhanced Cooperation, Symbols, languages, Sources of Community Law, Legal Instruments, Publication Requirements, The EU Close to You, Databases, Staff Regulations, Code of Good Administrative Behaviour) (16)
• Case-law (18)
• Multiple-choice Questions (and Verbal and Nummerical) (39, 250 questions)

Any questions on this? euconcours@hotmail.com

Finally

Time flies when you are having fun (or in this case: when you want to finish a course on "how to pepare for the EU concours).

Content of the course is finished. Almost 300 pages both sides, but like this it is complete. Nothing else you'll need (except for a copy of the EC and EU treaties and some Rules of Procedure). It is all there.

Lay-out wise I still have some work to do, but that doesn't take long. Meanwhile I am looking around to sell the course. I checked some websites to make a comparison. Check them out yourself (list of links on right hand side).

To start this EUconcours blog.

The EU as employer appeals to many. The international environment, challenging work, the European dream and good salaries make sure that every time a competition is published numerous people take their best shot and participate.

Most of them fail unfortunately. However, this does not have to be the case. You can prepare! You just have to know how.

This blog is here to help you preparing. If you have questions like

• what to study?
• how to study?
• what is the best study material?
• how to test myself?

feel free and shoot (or better: feel free and blog, put your questions here and get answers that will help you).