The EPSO EU Policies Test, Explained
EU policies are one of the hardest parts of the EPSO EU-knowledge component: broad, detailed, and full of plausible-but-wrong answers. Here is what it covers, how it is tested, and where to practise.
▶ Practise EU Policies questions The People & Planet cluster is free.What "EU policies" means in the exam
Beyond the institutions and treaties, EPSO tests whether you understand what the Union actually does — the substantive policy areas, which body acts in each, under which legal basis, and how far the EU's competence goes. Questions are multiple-choice, and the wrong options are usually correct-sounding but off on one specific detail (the acting institution, the legal instrument, or the limit of EU competence).
The 7 policy areas we cover (145 questions)
Constitutional & Economic Core
Institutions, budget, internal market, competition, customs, EMU · 30 questionsTrade, Tax & Industry
Taxation, external trade, enterprise · 15 questionsPeople & Planet Free
Employment & social policy, environment & climate, energy · 15 questionsDigital, Knowledge & Mobility
Digital single market, research & innovation, transport · 15 questionsCitizens & Society
Consumers, public health, education, culture, audiovisual · 25 questionsJustice & External Relations
Justice & security, human rights, fraud, humanitarian aid · 20 questionsLand, Sea & Cohesion
Food safety, agriculture, oceans, regional & development policy · 25 questions
How to prepare
Don't try to memorise everything. Focus on the logic of who acts and under what competence, then drill with realistic questions so the recurring distractors become obvious. Practising by cluster — rather than reading policy documents end to end — is far more time-efficient for a multiple-choice test.
▶ Start practising Instant feedback on every answer.
Frequently asked questions
What are EU policies in the EPSO exam?
EU policies are the substantive areas the Union acts in — the internal market, competition, trade, the environment and climate, the digital agenda, justice and home affairs, agriculture and cohesion, and more. In EPSO competitions they are tested as part of the EU knowledge component, alongside institutions, treaties and decision-making procedures.
How is the EU policies knowledge tested?
As multiple-choice questions in the EU knowledge part of the EPSO test. Questions check whether you can recognise which body acts, under which legal basis, and what a given policy actually does — the distractors are usually plausible but wrong on one specific detail.
Can I practise EU policies questions for free?
Yes. The People & Planet cluster (employment, environment and climate, energy) is free to practise on EU Testing; the remaining clusters are available with a premium subscription.