Dear Lude:
I'm still studying my Masters in Crosscultural Communications but coincidentally; last semester I researched crosscultural differences in rhetoric for the genre of Job Applications and Cover letters! You would be amazed at how important it is to know EXACTLY how to write the application. What to put in, what to leave out, what tone to use and even how much space in between lines! In a nutshell: 1.- DO NOT ASSUME you know what you are doing. The only way to learn is by looking at successful applications from the institutions you are interested in! 2.- Although English is the universal language, different European countries express themselves differently while speaking English. Again, RESEARCH. 3.- Do not bother with general guides on how to write a CV and cover letter. You need to look into: 'Academic CVs and Cover letters in (Country)’.
Oh, and don't bother to just send an application when you know it is not going to be accepted (as you said you were doing) It will only help to put you down more.
Good Luck : )