The European Commission plays a key role in shaping the European Union. Leading this institution are the European Commission President and 26 Commissioners, each responsible for a specific policy area.
This highest ‘caste’ of EU officials is entitled to the most generous pension provisions among all EU officials. This applies even in cases when a Commissioner doesn’t complete the five-year term of one European Commission College.
Pension Amount
Understanding how a Commissioner’s pension is calculated can be complex. Here’s a simplified breakdown based on 2024 figures:
- A Commissioner serving a full 5-year term receives a monthly pension of 3.6% of their final salary. This percentage is double that of regular EU officials. Based on the current highest civil servant salary, this amounts to approximately €4’851.80 per month.
- Commissioners serving two terms see their monthly pension double to about €9’703.60.
There is a limit to how high the pension can be. It can not exceed 70% of the final basic salary, i.e, EUR 16’771.61 (70% of 23959.44) for regular Commissioners. The final maximum salary would be higher for the President and Vice-Presidents of the Commission.
Importantly, these pensions are not subject to national taxes.
Eligibility for an EU Pension
Commissioners are entitled to an EU pension even after a short term in office.
Unlike long-term EU staff who need 10 years of service to qualify, Commissioners become eligible to a pension proportional to time served in the College after just a few months. On the other hand, the more time a Commissioner spends in office, the larger the pension – see example of Ursula von der Leyen below.
Curious about pensions of regular EU officials? Read this article
Pension Provisions for the Commission President
The President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has a different calculation due to her higher salary. Her estimated monthly pension after one 5-year term would be €5,951.52. After her second term, this would increase to €11,903.05. It’s also worth noting that she would still be entitled to her separate German pension.
Related article
Adjustments for Inflation
EU officials’ salaries are adjusted annually to reflect inflation. This mechanism ensures their pensions keep pace with the cost of living, meaning these figures will likely be higher in the future.
Detailed Calculation
If a Commissioner has served the full five-year term in College of the European Commission, his/hers pension is calculated as follows:
- 3.6% (2 x 1.80%, the rate from Article 77 of Staff Regulations) of 26 954,37 (112.5% of highest EU civil servant basic salary) = 970.36 EUR for each year served, hence, 4851.80 EUR.
- If a Commissioner has served two 5-year terms, the amount would be 9703.60 EUR. National taxes are not applied to EU pensions.
- If a Commissioner has served only one year, the pension would be 970.36 EUR according to 2024 figures.
For reference, since 1 January 2024 the highest EU civil servant ‘basic salary’ is EUR 23,959.44.
Source: Article 66 of the EU Staff Regulations | See the full European Commission salary grid
The pensions are higher for the President and Vice-Presidents of the European Commission because their salaries are calculated as a higher percentage of the highest EU civil servant basic salary. Here’s an overview of the percentages:
Legal Framework
For those interested in the legal details, the following regulations govern Commissioners’ pensions:
- Council Regulation (EU) 2016/300
- 2024 intermediate update of remuneration and pensions
- Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC) – Staff Regulations
