Article 85
1. The contracts of contract staff referred to in Article 3a may be concluded for a fixed period of at least three months and not more than five years. They may be renewed not more than once for a fixed period of not more than five years. The initial contract and the first renewal must be of a total duration of not less than six months for function group I and not less than nine months for the other function groups. Any further renewal shall be for an indefinite period. Periods covered by a contract as a member of the contract staff referred to in Article 3b shall not be counted for the purposes of the conclusion or renewal of contracts under this Article. 2. By way of derogation from the last sentence of the first subparagraph of paragraph 1, the Appointing Authority may decide that only the fourth renewal of a contract for a member of function group I shall be for an indefinite period, provided that the total duration of his engagement for a fixed period does not exceed ten years. 3. Contract staff in function group IV shall before renewal of a contract for an indefinite period be required to demonstrate the ability to work in a third language among those referred to in Article 314 of the EC Treaty. The common rules on access to training and the modalities of the assessment mentioned in Article 45(2) of the Staff Regulations shall apply by analogy. 4. Contract staff must have served a probationary period in accordance with Article 84 before renewal of a contract for an indefinite duration.