EPSO EU Knowledge Practice

This week’s five questions, with the answers

Real questions from the bank, free and with no account. The set is the same for everyone all week and rotates every Monday.

1. Question 1 of 5Difficulty 4/5

   A proposal is discussed during a weekly meeting of the Commission. Although the members usually seek consensus, a request is made to settle the matter by voting instead. According to the official information on weekly meetings, what threshold is required for the decision to be adopted?

   • AA qualified majority of Members of the College must vote in favour of the decision.
   • BA unanimous vote of all Members of the College must be cast in favour of the decision.
   • CA simple majority of Members of the College must vote in favour of the decision.
   • DA majority of the votes cast by the Members present must be in favour of the decision.
   Show the answer and the reasoning

   Correct answer: C — A simple majority of Members of the College must vote in favour of the decision.

   Why

   A simple majority of Members of the College is required for a decision to be adopted when a vote is requested, as specified in the official information on weekly meetings (commission.europa.eu). This rule governs the decision-making process of the College when the usual practice of consensus is bypassed.

   Option by option

   • AQualified majority is a voting mechanism used in the Council of the European Union, but it does not apply to the internal decision-making of the Commission. The official information on weekly meetings explicitly mandates a simple majority for these proceedings.
   • BUnanimity is often confused with consensus, but the official information on weekly meetings clarifies that while consensus is the usual method, it is not a mandatory requirement for adoption. Once a vote is requested, the threshold drops from consensus to a simple majority.
   • CThe official information on weekly meetings (commission.europa.eu) states that while the College usually takes decisions by consensus, if requested, a simple majority of Members of the College must vote in favour. This specific threshold applies to the adoption of the decision regardless of how many members are present, distinguishing it from quorum requirements.
   • DA majority of votes cast by members present describes a quorum or a relative majority, which is a common trap when confusing the validity of a meeting with the threshold for adopting a decision. The official information on weekly meetings requires a simple majority of the total Members of the College, not just those present.
2. Question 2 of 5Difficulty 4/5

   Who authored the special report underpinning the strategy that, in the 2025 Commission work programme, an EU Stockpiling Strategy will complement?

   • AEnrico Letta
   • BMario Draghi
   • CSauli Niinistö
   • DMichel Barnier
   Show the answer and the reasoning

   Correct answer: C — Sauli Niinistö

   Why

   The 2025 Commission work programme states that 'the Preparedness Union Strategy will serve as the foundation for a stronger, better prepared and more resilient Union, building on the special report of Sauli Niinistö', and adds: 'It will be complemented by efforts to support medical countermeasures against public health threats and an EU Stockpiling Strategy'. The strategy that the EU Stockpiling Strategy complements is therefore the Preparedness Union Strategy, which builds on Sauli Niinistö's special report.

   Option by option

   • AWrong: Enrico Letta's report concerns the future of the Single Market, not crisis preparedness.
   • BWrong: Mario Draghi's report underpins the EU's competitiveness agenda, not the strategy that the EU Stockpiling Strategy complements.
   • CCorrect: the Preparedness Union Strategy, which the EU Stockpiling Strategy will complement, builds on the special report of Sauli Niinistö.
   • DWrong: Michel Barnier wrote an earlier report on EU civil protection; the strategy in the work programme builds on the special report of Sauli Niinistö.
3. Question 3 of 5Difficulty 4/5

   Under Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, within what period from the date of referral must the appeal committee deliver its opinion?

   • A14 days
   • BTwo months
   • COne month
   • DSix weeks
   Show the answer and the reasoning

   Correct answer: B — Two months

   Why

   The appeal committee must deliver its opinion within two months from the date of referral. This requirement is established under Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, which defines the strict procedural timelines for comitology appeal processes.

   Option by option

   • AYou might select this if you confuse the final deadline with the earliest possible meeting date. Under Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, 14 days is the minimum window before the committee may meet, whereas the question asks for the deadline to deliver the final opinion.
   • BAccording to Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, the appeal committee is required to deliver its opinion within two months of the date of referral. This specific timeframe governs the final output of the appeal process, distinguishing it from the shorter windows allowed for convening meetings.
   • CThis is a trap based on mixing different procedural timelines within the regulation. One month refers to the period for submitting a draft to the appeal committee after a negative vote, not the overall deadline for the appeal committee to deliver its own opinion.
   • DYou may be tempted by this option if you mistake the meeting deadline for the opinion deadline. Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 stipulates that the committee must meet by six weeks after referral, but it allows more time for the actual delivery of the opinion.
4. Question 4 of 5Difficulty 4/5

   In which field of EU law will a 2025 simplification package end demands that information be supplied in hard copy?

   • ACybersecurity legislation
   • BProduct legislation
   • CSustainable finance reporting
   • DEU taxonomy rules
   Show the answer and the reasoning

   Correct answer: B — Product legislation

   Why

   The Communication 'A simpler and faster Europe' (COM(2025) 47) lists the Omnibus packages and other simplification proposals of the 2025 Commission work programme. For the package on small mid-caps and paper requirements it states: 'This Omnibus package will ensure that small mid-caps companies will also have adapted requirements and it will remove inefficient requests for paper format in product legislation.' The removal of paper-format requests therefore concerns product legislation.

   Option by option

   • AThe digital package reviews the Cybersecurity Act and simplifies cybersecurity legislation to allow multiple-purpose reporting and avoid duplications, not to remove paper formats.
   • BCorrect: the Omnibus package on small mid-caps will remove inefficient requests for paper format in product legislation.
   • CSustainable finance reporting is simplified by the Omnibus package on sustainability, which aligns requirements with investors' needs and sets proportionate timelines; it does not target paper formats.
   • DTaxonomy is covered by the sustainability Omnibus together with sustainable finance reporting and due diligence; the removal of paper-format requests concerns product legislation.
5. Question 5 of 5Difficulty 4/5

   Under Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, an official may be designated as a substitute who can fulfil any function of a certain EPPO post, except personally conducting an investigation. Which post is the official authorised to substitute?

   • AThe official is authorised to substitute the Deputy European Chief Prosecutor.
   • BThe official is authorised to substitute the European Prosecutor.
   • CThe official is authorised to substitute the European Chief Prosecutor.
   • DThe official is authorised to substitute the European Delegated Prosecutor.
   Show the answer and the reasoning

   Correct answer: B — The official is authorised to substitute the European Prosecutor.

   Why

   Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 establishes the operational framework of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, including the substitution rules for its officials. Article 12(1) specifies that a substitute European Prosecutor may perform any function of a European Prosecutor, excluding the personal conduct of investigations.

   Option by option

   • AThe Deputy European Chief Prosecutor is a distinct leadership position within the office. This role does not fall under the substitution rules outlined in Article 12(1) for European Prosecutors.
   • BArticle 12(1) states that the substitute European Prosecutor may fulfil any function of a European Prosecutor, except the possibility to conduct an investigation provided for in Article 28(4). This specific limitation distinguishes the substitute's powers from those of the primary European Prosecutor.
   • CThe European Chief Prosecutor holds a unique executive mandate. The substitution mechanism provided in Article 12(1) applies only to European Prosecutors, not to the head of the office.
   • DThe European Delegated Prosecutor operates at a different level of the EPPO structure than the role described. While you might confuse these roles due to their similar names, Article 12(1) specifically links the substitute role to the European Prosecutor.