Spain has mounted a legal challenge to the European Union’s drive to broaden the range of nationalities among its civil servants, joining Italy and France in a case that could reshape how Brussels recruits.
The three member states have objected to the European Parliament’s decision to run hiring rounds reserved for nationals of under-represented countries, such as Austria. They argue the practice amounts to quotas that breach the merit-based rules set out in the EU Staff Regulations.
The dispute stems from long-running concern that the European Commission’s workforce has become skewed towards a small group of nationalities. Italians, Belgians and Greeks are heavily represented, while Dutch, Swedish and Danish officials remain comparatively scarce.
Piotr Serafin, the European Commissioner responsible for public administration, has introduced fresh measures meant to close the gap for under-represented states. These include Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Czechia, Austria and Luxembourg.
The Commission has also adopted a decision intended to spread nationalities more evenly while keeping recruitment based on merit. Serafin’s plan stops short of reserving posts for any single country.
Some diplomats from under-represented states have said the steps do not go far enough. They have pressed instead for tougher action, including quota-based hiring.
The European Parliament has defended its approach and voiced confidence in the courtroom. European Parliament personnel chief Ellen Robson said: “We think that we will win the court case.”
Critics of the imbalance point to the EU’s main entry exam, the concours, which has not worked properly since 2019. Repeated technical faults have derailed it, and in 2025 almost 10,000 candidates for translator posts had to resit after the online system accepted several answers as correct.
That breakdown has pushed the institutions to lean on temporary and internal recruitment. Several diplomats say this favours nationalities already established inside the institutions, as serving officials can steer compatriots into short-term roles that open the door to internal competitions.
A ruling from the EU courts could carry wide consequences for how the bloc staffs its institutions in the years ahead.
