# From Brussels with Benefits: EU Commissioners’ Pensions

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/eu-commissioner-pension/
- Published: 2025-12-28T16:45:24+01:00
- Author: Ben

The [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
plays a key role in shaping the European Union. Leading this institution are the
[European Commission President](https://euemployment.eu/von-der-leyen-salary/) and
[26 Commissioners](https://euemployment.eu/category/salaries-of-eu-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](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/)
doesn’t complete the five-year term of one [European Commission College](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/college-of-commissioners/).

## Pension Amount

Understanding how a Commissioner’s pension is calculated can be complex. Here’s 
a simplified breakdown based on 2025 figures:

 * **A [Commissioner](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/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 **€5’108.93 per month**.
 * [Commissioners](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/) serving two terms
   see their monthly pension double to about **€10’217.86** per month.

There is a limit to how high the pension can be. It can not exceed 70% of the final
[basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/), i.e, ~ EUR 16’771.61(
70% of 23959.44) for regular [Commissioners](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/).
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](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/) 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](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/)
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](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/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_

![European Commission pension](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/
European-Commission-pension.jpg)

[**Pensions in the European Commission and other EU institutions**](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-pensions/)

## 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_

![Salary Ursula von der Leyen](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/
salary-ursula-von-der-leyen-1-1024x576.jpg)

[**Salary of Ursula von der Leyen**](https://euemployment.eu/von-der-leyen-salary/)

## 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](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/) has served the
full five-year term in College of the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/),
his/her pension is calculated as follows:

 * 3.6% (2 x 1.80%, the rate from Article 77 of [Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/))
   of 28383,00 (112.5% of highest [EU civil servant](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/eu-civil-servant/)
   [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/)) = 1021.79 EUR
   for each year served, hence, 5108.93 EUR.
 * If a [Commissioner](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/) has served
   two 5-year terms, the amount would be 10217.86 EUR. National taxes are not applied
   to EU pensions.
 * If a [Commissioner](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/) has served
   only one year, the pension would be 1021.79 EUR according to 2025 figures.

The pensions are higher for the President and Vice-Presidents of the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
because their salaries are calculated as a higher percentage of the highest [EU civil servant](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/eu-civil-servant/)
[basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/). Here’s an overview
of the percentages:

![](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/image-23.png)

Source: Article 2 of the [Council Regulation (EU) 2016/300 of 29 February 2016 determining the emoluments of EU high-level public office holders](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32016R0300)

## Legal Framework

For those interested in the legal details, the following regulations govern Commissioners’
pensions:

 * Council Regulation (EU) 2016/300
 * 2025 intermediate update of remuneration and pensions
 * Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC) – [Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/)