The article examines the changes in the European Commission's recruitment practices from its creation in the 1950s until today. Based on the insight that recruitment shapes the role of professional experts in public bureaucracies, the article traces the emphasis on specialist skills and qualifications in the Commission's recruitment competitions (the concours) over time. It finds that the selection of policy staff to the Commission has become more generalist since the 1960s, a surprising finding given that the organisation is often regarded as a 'technocracy' dominated by experts. The article attributes this development to the multinational character of the administration, as the need to integrate citizens from new member states has prompted the Commission to rely on one-size-fits-all recruitment tests. It also discusses whether the declining emphasis on specialist knowledge in staff selection can be seen as part of a broader trend towards a more generalist Commission, where officials are required to change jobs frequently and where expert functions are outsourced to other bodies.On 1 July 2013 Croatia became the 28th member of the European Union. Faced with the need to integrate Croatians into the European civil service, the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) organised a general competition to recruit 124 entry-level administrators with Croatian citizenship. The competition covered all fields, and anyone with at least a three-year university degree was eligible to participate. The applicants were first put through a computerised admissions test consisting of multiple-choice questions meant to assess verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, as well as situational judgement. The top 300 candidates were invited back for a second round of tests, made up of a case study, a group exercise, an oral presentation and a structured interview.Here the candidates were assessed on eight 'general competencies': analysis and problem-solving, communicating, delivering quality and results, learning and development, prioritising and organising, resilience, working with others, and leadership. Those with the highest scores in the tests were placed on the 'reserve list', making them eligible to be hired by any of the European institutions.
