The lures are 30,000 euros in prizes and fast-track recruitment at Google

Google has launched a competition to find the best computer programmers in Europe. Registration for Code Jam begins today and will run to May 23, and all programmers are eligible to take part.

Entrants will have to pass two online rounds, narrowing the field down to 200, then there will be a head-to-head battle for the last 50 positions. The 50 finalists will then compete in Dublin on 29 June for cash and prizes totaling 30,000 euros.

"This is one of several [initiatives] to reach out to the industry and to provide a focus of interaction with the best engineers out there," said Google's UK engineering site director, Shannon Maher. "[It is intended] to show we are part of the European community and are going to have an increasing presence over time."

Google is also hoping to use the event as a recruitment tool and will grant the top 50 contestants the chance to pass directly into its recruitment process at a higher level than usual, Maher added.