OEPM 2026 Competition: requirements, deadlines and steps for civil servants who want to apply

Key data

Career civil servants of the General State Administration have a new mobility opportunity: the Under-Secretariat of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism has called a specific competition to fill vacant positions at the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM). The resolution, published on September 14, 2026 in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-19136), enters into force that same day and opens a 15 business day period to submit applications.

If you are a civil servant on provisional assignment and your current position is among those called, your participation is mandatory. For others, it is a mobility window that should be analyzed quickly given the tight deadline.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution calls a specific competition for job provision at the OEPM, an autonomous body attached to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. The essential points of the procedure are:

The competition incorporates gender equality criteria established in the IV Equality Plan of the General State Administration, which means that the merits and evaluation of candidates must comply with these principles.

Economic and operational impact

This competition does not generate direct costs for private companies, as it affects exclusively the internal mobility of career civil servants of the AGE. However, it has relevant operational implications for the civil servants themselves and for the administrative units involved:

• Team reorganization: Units that lose staff will need to manage the transition until vacancies are filled with new hires or reassignments.
• Obligation to participate: Civil servants on provisional assignment whose position is called have no option to abstain: they must submit an application. Failure to do so may have consequences for their administrative status.
• Very tight deadline: 15 business days is a narrow margin. Interested civil servants must immediately verify if they meet the 2-year requirement in permanent position and if their position is included in the call.
• 100% digital processing: The application is submitted exclusively through the Funciona Portal with electronic certificate. Paper or in-person applications are not accepted.

Who does it affect?

• Career civil servants of the AGE in any administrative situation (active, leave of absence, special services, etc.), except those permanently suspended.
• Civil servants on provisional assignment whose current position is included in the call: mandatory participation.
• Units and management of the OEPM that manage the positions called: will need to prepare for receiving new staff.
• HR departments of the organizations where applying civil servants work: must manage transfer requests and associated procedures.

It does not affect civil servants from other administrations (regional, local) or labor personnel.

Practical example

A career civil servant of the AGE who holds a permanent position in the Ministry of Economy for 3 years wants to apply for one of the vacant positions at the OEPM called in this competition.

• Meets the seniority requirement: has been in their current permanent position for more than 2 years, so can participate.
• Immediate action: must access the Funciona Portal with their electronic certificate and submit the application before the 15 business day deadline from September 14, 2026 expires.
• Documentation: must prove the specific merits that will be evaluated in the competition and ensure that their administrative status is not permanent suspension.

On the other hand, a civil servant who has been in their current permanent position for only 18 months does not meet the minimum 2-year requirement and cannot participate, unless they fall under one of the specific exceptions included in the resolution.

What should civil servants do now?

1. Verify if your position is called: Check the annex of the resolution published in the BOE-A-2026-19136 to confirm if any of the positions called interest you or if you are on provisional assignment in one of them (in which case participation is mandatory).
2. Check the seniority requirement: Make sure you have been in your current permanent position for at least 2 years as of the deadline closing date. If you don't meet it, check if you fit any of the specific exceptions.
3. Prepare your electronic certificate: The application is exclusively electronic through the Funciona Portal. Check that your electronic certificate is current and operational before attempting to process.
4. Gather merit documentation: Prepare the documents that prove the specific merits required in the competition as established in the resolution.
5. Submit the application within the deadline: The deadline is 15 business days from September 14, 2026. Don't wait until the last day: electronic systems can become overloaded.
6. If you are an HR manager: Inform the civil servants in your unit about the call, especially those on provisional assignment, to avoid unintentional non-compliance.

Official source

View complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-19136