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Salaries for staff, Parliament members and Commissioners

(Photo: European Commission)

Salaries for staff, Parliament members and Commissioners

STAFF 

The EU institutions employ over 47 000 civil servants on salaries far above those that they would receive in their home countries in public service. The level is similar to that of civil servants in many member states’ embassies in Brussels and in other international organisations. 

From July 2010 EU salaries varied from € 2 654 for the lowest paid to € 18 370 for the highest paid civil servant per month (source: see Article 2 in the regulation mentioned below). 

There are 16 salary classes with up to five categories for seniority. In addition to the salary, civil servants receive a family allowance, education allowances for kids and young students until 26 years and pension. 

There is also a permanent ex-pat allowance at 16 % for foreigners moving to Brussels. The minimum ex-pat allowance is € 505. 

The basic amount for a household allowance is € 171. 

The children allowance is € 373. 

The education allowance € 253 (source: see Article 5).

The unemployment allowance vary between € 1 337 and € 2 674 (source: see Article 9). 

Civil servants working for EU institutions in other member states do not pay the local tax. The salaries are multiplied by an index for the living costs in the hosting country. Full time staff may also once buy a car without taxes. 

The salary scheme is decided every year by qualified majority among the ministers. The leaders of e.g. the EU information offices in the national capitals will therefore have monthly salaries much higher than those of the prime ministers. For civil servants with kids the net salary is higher than the official brut salaries. In the highest positions the salaries may be a little less because of EU tax. 

During the financial crisis staff pay a 7% solidarity contribution and salaries was only increased after some years. In the lower grades the contribution is 6% only.

EU staff are divided into 3 categories: 

•           AD-persons are usually University graduates 

•           AD-Linguists are translators and interpreters 

•           AST-persons are secretaries and assistants 

The Prodi Commission introduced staff reforms with more incentive-based pay, this resulted in some resistance from the staff unions. Full-time civil servants in Brussels can also once buy cars without paying local taxes on them.   

 

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

In the European Parliament, staff of the political groups can be employed as “temporary agents”, jobs from which they can be dismissed with three months` notice. In reality, many "temporary agents" remain in their posts for years and even decades.   

MEPs 

Members of the European Parliament have been paid the same amount in salary as their colleagues in the national parliaments. The different national payments disappeared July 2009. Now all members of the European Parliament are paid the same amount every month from the EU budget. 

Salary. The salary is € 8.020,53  per month with a mild EU tax bringing it down to around € 6.250,37  (2014 figures). Member states are allowed to add a national taxation if the national taxation is higher than the EU tax. The salary is linked to the general salary scheme for the EU. 

MEPs will always receive 38.5 % of the salary for an EU judge who always receive 12.5 % more than the highest civil servant in the EU scheme of salaries. MEPs leaving the Parliament after 3 years membership may have an "end of term" allowance where the salary continue in up to 2 years. 

 

Daily allowance. In addition, MEPs will receive daily allowances for each day they sign in in the Parliaments` buildings in Brussels or Strasbourg. The daily allowance is € 304 per day. It is meant to cover rent and extra household but is also paid to members e.g. living in and elected in Brussels. 

A MEP can sign in 10 pm in the evening and 7 am in the morning and receive 2 days' daily allowance without having taken part in any meeting or other relevant parliamentary activity. 

However, on days when plenary votes are held, if MEPs miss more than half the roll-call votes this allowance is reduced by half. For meetings outside the EU, the allowance is € 152 with hotel and breakfast bills refunded separately. 

Assistants. MEPs can hire staff to assist them in their job for an amount of € 19,709 per month (2011 figures). 

General allowance. To cover secretarial costs at home MEPs receive € 4,299 per month in a general allowance (2014 figures). They do not need to deliver any proof and MEPs can just use them as an extra salary. All MEPs receive the same pay whether they are taking part in meetings and are efficient or not. Some MEPs never or very seldom appear in the meetings. They can still have their full salary but their secretarial allowance can be halved. 

Distance and duration allowances. Previously many members could have an extra salary through surpluses on travel allowances. From July 2009, MEPs have been paid the real costs in travel allowance, which means that everyone can travel business class also on very short distances. In addition they receive a distance allowance and a duration allowance for one travel a week. 

The distance allowance starts with minimum € 22 if the MEP has his/her home up to 50 km from the meeting place. From 51 – 250 km, a MEP can add € 0.12 per km. From 251 – 1000 km he/she can add € 0.06 per km. From 1000 and upwards € 0.03 per km. 

The duration allowance is paid for 2-4 hours with € 37.25. For 4-6 hours € 74.5. More than 6 hours € 149 and with one night included a full extra daily allowance. If members travel by car they will be reimbursed € 0.50 per km and the cost of any ferry crossing required. 

Travels at home allowances. MEPs are also paid for travels in the member state.

MEPs from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands and Slovenia can be reimbursed for up to 8,000 km per year. 

MEPs from Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Ireland, Greece, Hungary, Austria, Portugal and Slovakia can be reimbursed up to 16,000 km. 

MEPs from Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom can receive up to 24,000 km. 

MEPs from e.g. oversea territories in France can also receive 24 flight travels to and from these territories each year. 

 

Travel abroad allowance. In addition, MEPs can use € 4,243 per year for travels to other countries in the world, but there need to be an invitation for a meeting or seminar (2010 figures). 

 

Insurances. MEPs will have insurances against sickness and invalidity and theft, paid by Parliament. The EP pay 2/3 of the contributions to the insurances.

If invalid, a MEP will receive the annual salary multiplied by 8. 

All MEPs receive the same pay whether they are taking part in meetings and are efficient or not. Some MEPs never or very seldom appear in the meetings. They can still have their full salary but their secretarial allowance can be halved. 

 

No parental leave. There is no parental leave in the EP for MEPs. 

 

Pension. MEPs receive a pension paid directly from the EU. It is also calculated as a percentage of the pension for an EU judge. It can be paid when a MEP reaches the age of 63. The amount is 3.5 % of the salary for each year of membership in the EP. The pension cannot be above 70 % of the salary. This means that seniority above 20 years does not count for pension rights. 

Member states are allowed to tax the EU pension until the EU Court could judge otherwise. When the new “Members Statute” was adopted, leading MEPs were sure that the Court would outlaw national taxation of MEPs` new EU salaries. The Danish government is taxing both salaries and pensions. 

 

Extra pension today. Previous MEPs receive their pension from the nation states taxed in the nation states. In addition, they can draw on a voluntary pension scheme set up by the European Parliament itself. MEPs paid 1/3 of the contribution while the EU budget paid 2/3 of the costs. 

 

Secret list. The European Parliament has refused to publish the list of members of the scheme. The German magazine Stern has published the list of those who have registered as members of the scheme in Luxembourg. There is in addition a completely secret list of members also receiving the voluntary pension but not yet brought to the public. 

In December 2008, there were 1,114 MEPs, former MEPs and surviving spouses and dependents on the scheme. Of those only 421 MEPs and 266 former MEPs were publicly registered in the pension fund in Luxembourg. The secret list of members is almost just as big as the list published by Stern. 

There was also an invalidity scheme where no MEP could receive less than 35 % of the salary of an EU judge if the MEP has to leave on grounds of invalidity. The pension fund is running a huge deficit. The Parliament have therefore raised the pension age from 60 in the old scheme to 63. This is also the pension age in the new fully EU financed pension system.  

 

Secret contracts. Before July 2009, MEPs could employ personal assistants on so-called “private contracts”. Every MEP could use around €17,000 per month for this purpose. The list of employed assistants were never made public. In 2008, the Parliament established an internal audit report showing fraud with the money foreseen for assistants. 

A majority in the European Parliaments Conference of Presidents refused to publish the report even if all names were deleted in a special edition only delivered to members of the budget control committee for reading in a special confidential reading room. 

This scandal led to another reform. Today the assistants hired in Brussels are employed on new transparent rules in real EU employment contracts and no new family members can be salaried.

MEPs can continue to cheat with assistants allowances paid at home and 25 % of the budget for assistants, which can be used for the buy of different services. 

MEP´s have to show boarding cards to have travels reimbursed.

 

COMMISSIONERS 

The basic salary of a Commissioner is € 20 666 per month. This is 12,5 % more than the highest civil servant in the EU. The five Vice-Presidents each earn 25 % more, this is € 22 963 in monthly basic salary. The President receives 38 % more, this is € 25,351 per month. Figures are from 1 July 2010. 

The salaries are NOT taxed in their member states. Instead, a low tax is paid to the EU. 

The salaries are multiplied by 1.15 to include a residence allowance at 15 % of the salaries. Commissioners also receive a family allowance, € 171 plus 2% of the basic salary and an entertainment allowance of € 607 per month. The Vice Presidents receive € 911 per month and the President € 1 418. 

For each child they receive € 373 and an additional education allowance, € 253.

When a Commissioner starts in office, he/she receives two month extra pay. When leaving they receive one extra month salary plus a transitional allowance for 3 years. This amount is between 40 and 65 % of their last basic salary, depending on how many years they have served as Commissioners. After 5 year a Commissioner, receive 55 % of their salary for the first 3 years. 

Commissioners receive a daily allowance when they are travelling. They have 5 % more than the highest civil servants do.

Former Commissioners receive a pension from the age of 65, also with the low EU tax. The pension is calculated as 4.275 % of the basic salary for each year up to a maximum of 70 % of the final basic salary. The pension can be paid from the age of 60 with a reduction to 70 %. 

Commissioners can have their EU pensions paid in addition to all national pensions. A pensioned Commissioner with a national pension as a MP or/and a MEP, a pension as minister and a private pension from a private job can accumulate all pensions with no reductions. 

Former Commissioners will therefore have net pensions much higher than the national prime ministers will. On the other hand, both salaries and pensions for Commissioners are lower than what is paid for the leaders of many banks and private companies. Here we don’t judge on what is reasonable – we only bring the facts to the public so that voters can judge on salaries for their public servants.  

 

NATIONAL SALARIES FOR MPs 

Italy had the highest salaries for national MPs and MEPs until July 2009. An Italian representative received more than €12,000 per month. A Bulgarian MP was paid €1,040 per month. The Prime Minister €1611 and the President of the country €2076. 

A Romanian MEP received €830 per month before the European elections in 2009. The salary of the Romanian Prime Minister was €2,090 per month. The Romanian President received €2,264 per month.

From July 2009, a Romanian MEP has received 3-4 times the salary of their prime minister and the president. Moreover, this is in addition to daily allowances and secretariat allowances where MEPs shall deliver no proof of spending. 

The new rules for MEPs have been adopted unanimously by all governments in the Council of Ministers. 

The rules can be found in Regulation No 422/67/EEC for Commissioners. The salaries for staff can be found in Regulation No 1239/2010. The rules for MEPs can be found in the Members Statute from 2004. The figures from the European Parliament have been published in the Official Journal and at the homepage of the EP.

Some figures here are based on the decision by the bureau of the European Parliament and will maybe need to be adjusted. 

 

Links 

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/......nt/en/002fe4ba57/The-President. ENGLISH

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUr......SLEG:1967R0422:20040501:da:PDF

http://ec.europa.eu/Commission......0-2014/pdf/entitlements_en.pdf

European Parliament adopts a single statute for MEPS: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5254742 

Rules of Procedures of the European Parliament: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+RULES-EP+20060703+INDEX+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN 

MEPs adopt pay and perks reform: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4123550.stm  (BBC) 

 

Here is a part from the regulation:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32010R1239:EN:HTML

Article 5

With effect from 1 July 2010, the basic amount of the household allowance referred to in Article 1(1) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations shall be EUR 170,52.

With effect from 1 July 2010, the amount of the dependent child allowance referred to in Article 2(1) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations shall be EUR 372,61.

With effect from 1 July 2010, the amount of the education allowance referred to in Article 3(1) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations shall be EUR 252,81.

With effect from 1 July 2010, the amount of the education allowance referred to in Article 3(2) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations shall be EUR 91,02.

With effect from 1 July 2010, the minimum amount of the expatriation allowance referred to in Article 69 of the Staff Regulations and in the second subparagraph of Article 4(1) of Annex VII thereto shall be EUR 505,39.

With effect from 1 July 2010, the expatriation allowance referred to in Article 134 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants shall be EUR 363,31.

Article 6

With effect from 1 January 2011, the kilometric allowance referred to in Article 8(2) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations shall be adjusted as follows:

EUR 0 for every km from	0 to 200 km
EUR 0,3790 for every km from	201 to 1 000 km
EUR 0,6316 for every km from	1 001 to 2 000 km
EUR 0,3790 for every km from	2 001 to 3 000 km
EUR 0,1262 for every km from	3 001 to 4 000 km
EUR 0,0609 for every km from	4 001 to 10 000 km
EUR 0 for every km over	10 000 km.

To the above kilometric allowance a flat-rate supplement shall be added, amounting to:

—	EUR 189,48 if the distance by train between the place of employment and the place of origin is between 725 km and 1 450 km,

 

—	EUR 378,93 if the distance by train between the place of employment and the place of origin is greater than 1 450 km.

Article 7

With effect from 1 July 2010, the daily subsistence allowance referred to in Article 10(1) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations shall be:

—	EUR 39,17 for an official who is entitled to the household allowance,

 

—	EUR 31,58 for an official who is not entitled to the household allowance.

Article 8

With effect from 1 July 2010, the lower limit for the installation allowance referred to in Article 24(3) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants shall be:

—	EUR 1 114,99 for a servant who is entitled to the household allowance,

 

—	EUR 662,97 for a servant who is not entitled to the household allowance.

Article 9

With effect from 1 July 2010, for the unemployment allowance referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 28a(3) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, the lower limit shall be EUR 1 337,19, the upper limit shall be EUR 2 674,39.

With effect from 1 July 2010, the standard allowance referred to in Article 28a(7) shall be EUR 1 215,63.

 

 

 

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