The Commission offers a comprehensive package of pay and benefits, which varies depending on your type of contract.
This includes a competitive salary, leave entitlements, pension rights and health insurance, as well as flexible and hybrid working arrangements and support for family life, such as access to the European Schools.
We care about your wellbeing with extensive physical and mental wellbeing initiatives as well as flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
Salaries
The Commission uses a structured system based on grades and steps to determine how salaries are set and how they increase over time.
Depending on your personal situation and contract type, you may also be entitled to allowances such as:
- Household and dependent child allowances
- Education allowance
- Expatriation or foreign residence allowance
- Relocation allowance and moving expenses
For the most up to date information on the salary levels, visit the EU Careers website.
Health insurance
As a member of European Commission staff, you are covered by the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) - a common health insurance scheme shared across EU institutions.
The scheme covers a significant proportion of medical expenses, including consultations, hospitalisation, medication, and dental care, for both staff members and their eligible family members.
Coverage and contribution rates vary depending on your contract type. Seconded National Experts and trainees are generally not covered by the JSIS and should refer to their home administration for applicable arrangements.
Pension
As a member of European Commission staff, you build up pension rights throughout your career. Here is what you need to know.
When can you retire?
You are entitled to a pension once you have completed at least 10 years of active service or reached pensionable age. This applies to officials and to temporary and contract staff.
If you wish to retire early, you may do so from the age of 58, provided you have completed at least 10 years of active service. A reduction factor will apply in this case. If you choose to continue working beyond pensionable age, a bonus will be applied to your pension instead.
How much will you receive?
For each year of service, you acquire between 1.8% and 2% of pension rights, depending on your date of entry into service or the date of your last contract with an EU institution. Your total pension is calculated on the basis of your final basic salary in the last grade you held for at least one year.
The maximum pension is capped at 70% of your last basic salary. There is also a minimum: your retirement pension cannot be less than 4% of the minimum subsistence figure - the basic salary of an AST 1 grade - per year of service.
Please note that transferred pension rights from previous employment are not counted towards the minimum 10 years of service required to qualify for a pension.
European Schools
Children of staff can attend a European School in their native language, free of charge. These schools provide multilingual and multicultural education at nursery, primary and secondary level.
Graduates receive the European Baccalaureate, a diploma recognised in all EU Member States.
For more information, visit the website of the European Schools.
Flexible working hours
As a Commission employee, you can organise your day in a flexible way. The default working-time arrangement for Commission staff is flexitime, which allows staff to
- vary the time at which they start and end their working day
- offset or recuperate any additional hours worked
Staff work 40 hours a week and have at least 24 days of annual leave every year.
For further details, visit the EU Careers website.
Support for newcomers
The Commission helps newcomers and their families settle in Brussels and Luxembourg and other Commission sites.
There are mentoring programmes to help newcomers manage the multiple transitions they may be going through (new country, new work culture, first time working abroad or in another language, etc.).
Training courses are organised for new staff to help them learn about the EU's history, institutions, and decision-making process, and discover the Commission's tools and procedures.
For detailed information on what to expect when moving to your new place of employment, read our welcome guides.