The European Commission's recruitment exam, known as EPSO, kicks off between November 9 and 13, but this year's applicant pool has exposed a deep geographic divide. Of roughly 175,000 candidates who registered for the 2026 generalist competition, nearly 80,000—about 45%—are Italian. That surge from Southern Europe stands in stark contrast to the modest numbers from Northern and Western member states, raising questions about the EU's ability to maintain a balanced civil service.
An uneven playing field
The EU's permanent bureaucracy has long struggled with geographical representation. Germany and France, the bloc's two largest economies, currently sit at just 64% and 73% of their staffing targets, respectively. Meanwhile, a looming retirement wave threatens to empty 16% of all active German posts, compounding the challenge.
To address this, the Commission introduced a 2025 internal HR framework that prioritises candidates from 15 "underrepresented" member states. The mandate obliges hiring managers to invite at least one candidate from these countries to final job interviews. This applies to those who pass this year's EPSO exam and make it onto the EU's reserve list.
Yet the sheer volume of Italian applicants—a record-breaking statistical outlier—means that, despite the new rules, Italian candidates are mathematically positioned to dominate the final hiring lists. The exam is a blind, merit-based test of raw scores, so the sheer number of high-performing candidates from Italy (and a broader Southern European surge) could overwhelm the system's corrective measures.
Why the imbalance matters
The geographic skew is not just a matter of optics. A civil service that draws disproportionately from one region risks losing the diverse perspectives needed to craft policies that work across the EU's 27 member states. It also fuels perceptions of bias, particularly in countries like Germany and France, where youth seem increasingly disengaged from EU careers.
Observers point to several factors behind the disparity: differences in national education systems, awareness of EU job opportunities, and even the appeal of Brussels as a career destination. Italy's high youth unemployment rate may also be pushing more graduates toward the stability of EU institutions.
The Commission's new framework is a step toward correcting the imbalance, but it is not without critics. Some argue that prioritising candidates from underrepresented countries undermines the principle of meritocracy. Others contend that the rules are too weak to make a real difference, especially when the applicant pool is so lopsided.
As the exam gets underway, the EU faces a delicate balancing act: ensuring that the best candidates are hired while also fostering a civil service that reflects the continent's diversity. The outcome of this year's EPSO cycle will be a litmus test for whether the new measures can deliver.
For now, the Commission is pressing ahead with its broader institutional reforms, even as it grapples with budget constraints that could affect its ability to attract top talent. The challenge is not just about numbers—it's about building a European civil service that truly represents the union it serves.
