Article 82
1. Contract staff shall be selected on the broadest possible geographical basis from among nationals of Member States and without distinction as to racial or ethnic origin, political, philosophical or religious beliefs, age or disability, gender or sexual orientation and without reference to their marital status or family situation. 2. Recruitment as a member of the contract staff shall require at least: (a) in function group I, successful completion of compulsory education; (b) in function groups II and III: (i) a level of post-secondary education attested by a diploma, or (ii) a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education, and appropriate professional experience of at least three years, or (iii) where justified in the interest of the service, professional training or professional experience of an equivalent level; (c) in function group IV: (i) a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma, or (ii) where justified in the interest of the service, professional training of an equivalent level. 3. A member of the contract staff may be engaged only on condition that he: (a) is a national of one of the Member States, unless an exception is authorised by the authority referred to in the first paragraph of Article 6, and enjoys his full rights as a citizen; (b) has fulfilled any obligations imposed on him by the laws concerning military service; (c) produces the appropriate character references as to his suitability for the performance of his duties; (d) is physically fit to perform his duties; and (e) produces evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Community and of a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Community to the extent necessary for the performance of his duties. 4. In the initial contract, the authority referred to in the first paragraph of Article 6 may waive the requirement that the person concerned should produce documentary evidence that he fulfils the conditions in points (a), (b) and (c) of paragraphs 2 and 3 where his engagement is for not more than three months. 5. The European Communities Personnel Selection Office shall, at their request, provide assistance to the different institutions with a view to the selection of contract staff, in particular by defining the contents of the tests and organising the selection procedures. The Office shall ensure the transparency of selection procedures for contract staff. 6. Each institution shall adopt general provisions on the procedures for engagement of contract staff in accordance with Article 110 of the Staff Regulations, as necessary.