2.4.2 Case law on pre-examination questions and marking not applicable to the European qualifying examination

The DBA has made it clear that the case law on the questions and marking of the pre-examination is not applicable to the EQE because the former leaves no room for discretionary marking. Thus, according to D 20/16, the decisive difference between the pre-examination (R. 10 IPREE 2010) and the EQE, in particular Paper A (R. 23 IPREE 2010), is as follows. In the former, candidates are expected to respond to clearly defined questions or statements in a multiple-choice mode, to which they can only answer "true" or "false" by ticking a box; they have no possibility to add any reasons or explanatory notes. In the latter, candidates can offer solutions which they find meet the requirements of R. 23 IPREE 2010, and even, if need be, give reasons for their proposals in supplementary notes (R. 23(6) IPREE 2010). For Paper A, the members of the Examination Board have a broad discretion when awarding marks. See also e.g. D 16/17.