# Contract Agents FG IV salary - Link: https://euemployment.eu/fg-iv-salary/ - Published: 2026-10-12T18:07:08+02:00 - Author: Ben _Last updated on 12 October 2026._ ## Key Takeaways * **Basic Monthly Salary Range**: Monthly [basic pay](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-pay/) for Contract Agents in [Function Group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) IV (FG IV) ranges from €4,449.31 ([Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 13, [Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1) to €9,334.57 ([Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 18, [Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 7). * **Work Experience Length Determines Entry [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/)**: Recruits with under 5 years of professional experience enter at [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 13, those with 5 to 17 years enter at [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14, and those with over 17 years enter at [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 16. * **[Allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) Significantly Boost Take-home Pay**: Family and expatriation [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) can increase net pay by 15% to more than 40% above the nominal [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/). * **Location Matters**: Actual take-home pay is adjusted by the local [Correction Coefficient](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/correction-coefficient/), ranging from 66.1% in Bulgaria to 130.7% in Ireland relative to Brussels. ## Basic salary vs. full remuneration package This article details the salary structure for **Contract Agents in [Function Group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) IV** (FG IV, or [agent contractuel](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/agent-contractuel/) in French) across the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/), the [European Parliament](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-parliament/), the Council of the EU, and all decentralized EU agencies. The statutory rules and salary tables established under Article 93 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS) apply equally across all EU bodies. **RELATED ARTICLESON [CONTRACT AGENT](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) SALARIES**: * [Salary of Contract Agents FGI](https://euemployment.eu/salary-european-commission-contract-agents-fgi/)* [Salary of Contract Agents FGII](https://euemployment.eu/salary-european-commission-contract-agents-fgii/)* [Salary of Contract Agents FGIII](https://euemployment.eu/fg-iii-salary/) **ARTICLES ON [ADMINISTRATORS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/) AND [ASSISTANTS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/assistants/) SALARIES:** * [Salary of Assistants AST4](https://euemployment.eu/assistants-ast4-salary/)* [Salary of Administrators AD5](https://euemployment.eu/ad-5-salary/)* [Salary of Administrators AD7](https://euemployment.eu/ad7-temporary-agents-salary/) A common misunderstanding among newcomers is equating the “basic monthly salary” with final bank deposits. [Basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) serves solely as the calculation baseline before statutory additions and statutory deductions are applied. Depending on your eligibility for expatriation and family benefits, your net salary can range from approximately 80% to over 130% of your nominal [basic pay](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-pay/). Furthermore, if you work outside Brussels or Luxembourg, your pay is adjusted by an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) purchasing power index called the [Correction Coefficient](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/correction-coefficient/). ### How Previous Professional Experience Determines Your Starting Grade When you receive a job offer from an EU institution or agency, HR will formally calculate your eligible post-graduate professional experience. Only professional experience gained after obtaining the minimum degree required for FG IV (a relevant university degree of at least three years) counts toward your grading. Experience is assessed strictly against established year brackets. The statutory experience thresholds for entry grades in [Function Group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) IV are set out below: | **Qualifications and professional experience** | **[Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/)** | **Starting [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/)** | | less than 5 years | 13 | EUR 4449,31 | | between 5 years and 17 years | 14 | EUR 5034,18 | | Reached by [reclassification](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) or [promotion](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) | 15 | EUR 5695,87 | | 17 years or more | 16 | EUR 6444,59 | | Reached by [reclassification](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) or [promotion](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) | 17 | EUR 7291,72 | | Reached by [reclassification](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) or [promotion](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) | 18 | EUR 8250,16 | Contract agent function group IV (FGIV): basic salary according to grade and step in the European Commission salary scale ### The “Threshold Trap”: Why 4.9 Years Matters If you enter an EU institution with 4.9 or 16.9 years of experience, HR will place you in [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 13 or [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14 respectively. You will **not** be automatically bumped to a higher [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) when you cross the 5-year or 17-year mark on the job. Once recruited, you can only advance in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) through the annual statutory **[reclassification](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) exercise** (the EU [promotion](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) process). Missing an entry threshold by even a single month locks you into that lower [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) until you successfully secure a [reclassification](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/). Grades 15, 17, and 18 are not recruitment grades and can only be attained through [reclassification](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/) based on annual appraisal performance. Within any [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/), you advance automatically by one [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) every two years of continuous service. ## Official Salary Scale for Contract Agents FG IV The table below presents the [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) monthly basic gross salary scale for [Function Group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) IV across all grades (13 through 18) and steps (1 through 7): | **FG** | **[Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/)** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 2** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 3** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 4** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 5** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 6** | **[Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 7** | | **IV** | **18** | €8,250.16 | €8,421.72 | €8,596.83 | €8,775.63 | €8,958.15 | €9,144.43 | €9,334.57 | | **IV** | **17** | €7,291.72 | €7,443.33 | €7,598.11 | €7,756.14 | €7,917.43 | €8,082.07 | €8,250.16 | | **IV** | **16** | €6,444.59 | €6,578.60 | €6,715.41 | €6,855.06 | €6,997.63 | €7,143.17 | €7,291.72 | | **IV** | **15** | €5,695.87 | €5,814.33 | €5,935.25 | €6,058.69 | €6,184.69 | €6,313.28 | €6,444.59 | | **IV** | **14** | €5,034.18 | €5,138.87 | €5,245.74 | €5,354.82 | €5,466.21 | €5,579.84 | €5,695.87 | | **IV** | **13** | €4,449.31 | €4,541.86 | €4,636.31 | €4,732.75 | €4,831.14 | €4,931.62 | €5,034.18 | ## Allowances and Statutory Benefits EU remuneration includes statutory [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) designed to support local, but particularly expatriate staff and their families when moving to another country: * **[Expatriation Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/expatriation-allowance/)( 16%)**: Granted under Article 4 of Annex VII to staff who are not nationals of the host country and have not resided or carried out their main occupation there for the previous five years. It equals **16%** of the total of [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) plus [household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/) and dependent child allowance. * **[Foreign Residence Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/foreign-residence-allowance/)( 4%)**: Granted if you do not qualify for the full [expatriation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/expatriation-allowance/) but lived outside your home country. * **[Household Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/)**: Consists of a flat-rate payment of **€241.21** plus **2% of your [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/)** for married staff, registered civil partners, or staff with dependent children. * **Dependent Child Allowance**: A flat rate of **€527.06 per month per child**, payable up to age 18 (or up to age 26 if in full-time education or vocational training). * **[Education Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/education-allowance/)& Schooling**: Children of EU staff are guaranteed free enrollment in a [European School](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-school/), or receive an [education allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/education-allowance/) where no [European School](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-school/) is located near the [duty station](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/place-of-employment/). * **Annual Travel Grant**: A flat-rate annual allowance based on the geographical distance between your [place of employment](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/place-of-employment/) and your [place of origin](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/place-of-origin/). ## Complete remuneration package Knowing the ‘basic monthly salary’ in most cases does not tell you much about your final take-home pay. There are **two reasons **for this. Firstly, the [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) can make up anything between ~85% and 130%+ of your total remuneration package depending on whether you entitled to the various [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/fg-iv-salary/#allowances-benefits). This is especially so if you have children or/and are an expat. Secondly, the country you are employed in has a significant impact on your total salary due to the ‘[Correction Coefficient](https://euemployment.eu/correction-coefficient/)‘. Brussels is used as reference and you get the nominal amount quoted in the [Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/) and above. If you work for an EU agency in Scandinavia, your salary and [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) will upped by 18-31% to compensate for higher living costs. Conversely, if you will work for the EU in Bulgaria, you will get only a bit more than half of what your colleague in Brussels gets. ### Contract agents’ remuneration by family and residence status Below is a **sample calculation of an ** **FG IV [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14, [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1 take-home pay ** **(a typical situation for most people)** **with [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) for four common scenarios for a [Contract Agent](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/contract-agent/) employed in Brussels, Belgium**. If you are in a higher [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/), you can do a rough estimate of your salary by adding the difference between [basic pay](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-pay/) in [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14 [step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1 and your actual [grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/). | Remuneration Line Item | Situation 1: Single Local (No Children) | Situation 2: Married Local (2 Children) | Situation 3: Single Expat (No Children) | Situation 4: Married Expat (2 Children) | | **[Basic Salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/)** | €5,034.18 | €5,034.18 | €5,034.18 | €5,034.18 | | **[Household Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/household-allowance/)** | €0.00 | €341.89 | €0.00 | €341.89 | | **Dependent Child Allowance (2 kids)** | €0.00 | €1,054.12 | €0.00 | €1,054.12 | | **[Expatriation Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/expatriation-allowance/) (16%)** | €0.00 | €0.00 | €805.47 | €1,028.83 | | **Pension Contribution (13.1%)** | -€659.48 | -€659.48 | -€659.48 | -€659.48 | | **Sickness Insurance ([JSIS](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/joint-sickness-insurance-scheme-jsis/), 1.7%)** | -€85.58 | -€85.58 | -€85.58 | -€85.58 | | **Accident Insurance (0.1%)** | -€5.03 | -€5.03 | -€5.03 | -€5.03 | | **Unemployment Insurance (~0.4%)** | -€20.14 | -€20.14 | -€20.14 | -€20.14 | | **EU [Community Tax](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/community-tax/) (Indicative)** | -€288.00 | -€102.00 | -€385.00 | -€165.00 | | **Special [Solidarity Levy](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/solidarity-levy/) (6%)** | -€14.00 | -€14.00 | -€28.00 | -€28.00 | | **ESTIMATED NET TAKE-HOME PAY** | **~€3,962** | **~€5,548** | **~€4,667** | **~€6,521** | **N.B.1.** Please treat the above values only as indicative, because only your EU institution can do a precise calculation based on your individual circumstances and the full set of EU rules. On top of the above, children would either be guaranteed a place in the [European School](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/#European-School), or a single [Education Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-education-allowance/) per child. The expat/expat family would also get an annual Travel Grant that depends on the distance between home country and [place of employment](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/place-of-employment/). _Hi and thanks for reading the article! _ _If you found it useful, please consider to_ [[ — Ben ## Impact of the Correction Coefficient Across EU Duty Stations To guarantee equal purchasing power regardless of whether an [official](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/official/) works in Copenhagen, Brussels, or Sofia, the EU applies a [**Correction Coefficient** (weighting factor)](https://euemployment.eu/correction-coefficient/) under Article 64 of the [Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/). Brussels and Luxembourg serve as the reference base at **100.0%**. The table below illustrates how the nominal [basic pay](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-pay/) of **FG IV [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14 [Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1 (€5,034.18)** is adjusted across EU Member States: | **Country / [Duty Station](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/place-of-employment/)** | **[Correction Coefficient](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/correction-coefficient/)** | **Adjusted FG IV [Grade](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 14 [Step](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/) 1 [Basic Pay](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-pay/)** | | **Ireland** (Dublin) | 130.7% | €6,579.67 | | **Denmark** (Copenhagen) | 130.5% | €6,569.60 | | **Sweden** (Stockholm) | 119.5% | €6,015.85 | | **France** (Paris) | 113.6% | €5,718.83 | | **Netherlands** (The Hague / Amsterdam) | 113.2% | €5,698.69 | | **Germany — Munich** | 112.0% | €5,638.28 | | **Finland** (Helsinki) | 110.8% | €5,577.87 | | **Austria** (Vienna) | 106.7% | €5,371.47 | | **Germany** (Berlin / Bonn) | 102.7% | €5,170.10 | | **Belgium** (Brussels) | 100.0% | €5,034.18 | | **Luxembourg** | 100.0% | €5,034.18 | | **Estonia** (Tallinn) | 95.0% | €4,782.47 | | **Spain** (Madrid / Alicante) | 92.4% | €4,651.58 | | **Portugal** (Lisbon) | 92.4% | €4,651.58 | | **Malta** (Valletta) | 92.4% | €4,651.58 | | **Czechia** (Prague) | 91.2% | €4,591.17 | | **Lithuania** (Vilnius) | 87.4% | €4,399.87 | | **Italy** (Rome) | 87.5% | €4,404.91 | | **Greece** (Athens) | 87.0% | €4,379.74 | | **Slovenia** (Ljubljana) | 86.6% | €4,359.60 | | **Slovakia** (Bratislava) | 85.1% | €4,284.09 | | **Latvia** (Riga) | 84.3% | €4,243.81 | | **Croatia** (Zagreb) | 84.3% | €4,243.81 | | **Poland** (Warsaw) | 82.3% | €4,143.13 | | **Cyprus** (Nicosia) | 79.0% | €3,977.00 | | **Hungary** (Budapest) | 76.6% | €3,856.18 | | **Romania** (Bucharest) | 72.9% | €3,669.92 | | **Bulgaria** (Sofia) | 66.1% | €3,327.59 | ## Contract Types: 3(a) vs 3(b) in Function Group IV When accepting an FG IV offer, you should always check whether your contract is under Article **3(a)** or Article **3(b)** of the CEOS. * **Article 3(a) Contracts**: Offered by EU agencies, executive agencies, and EU representations and delegations. The particular EU institution can choose to renew these contracts indefinitely at the time of the second contract extension. Article 3(a) contracts offer greater financial and career stability for particular EU institutions’ staff. * **Article 3(b) Contracts**: Typical for the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/), Parliament, and Council. These contracts are subject to a strict maximum cumulative duration of **6 years**. If you are on an Article 3(b) contract, plan your next move early by targeting internal competitions or securing a spot on an agency [reserve list](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reserve-list/) before your 6-year limit expires. ## Function Groups and corresponding types of duties The below table presents an overview of what kind of tasks each [function group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) of contract agents is expected to carry out. Note the wording “under the supervision of officials or temporary staff”. In practice, the situation most often is different. Very often there is little difference between the tasks FG III and FG IV carry out, it’s a little bit of a lottery in which [function group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/) your position happens to fall. Also, once you start working in these two grades, you might soon notice that the tasks you carry out differ little from what temporary agents [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/) and [AD6](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-6/) perform. The main reason for this situation is the aftermath of the 2008-9 economic crisis when EU Member States exerted pressure on the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/) to decrease costs. Someone came up with the “clever” solution to administratively“ devolve” many positions and tasks from AD to CA positions, without much change to the substance of the tasks performed. | **[Function group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/)** | **Grades** | **Duties** | | IV | 13 to 18 | Administrative, advisory, linguistic and equivalent technical tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff. | | III | 8 to 12 | Executive tasks, drafting, accountancy and other equivalent technical tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff. | | II | 4 to 7 | Clerical and secretarial tasks, office management and other equivalent tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff. | | I | 1 to 3 | Manual and administrative support service tasks, performed under the supervision of officials or temporary staff. | Contract Agent Function Groups and corresponding types of duties | Source: Staff Regulations ```has-small-font-size This article is based on the European Commission Staff Regulations and other publicly available information such as EU institutions’ vacancy announcements. ``` > I wrote this article to make it easier to understand the sometimes complex EU > HR and administrative rules. However, your individual case might have unique angles > due to prior work experience, family situation, or other factors. > **Where to ask > questions?**Rather than leaving a comment below, please bring your questions to > our [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Group**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/jobs.in.eu.institutions). > We have nearly 10,000 members there, including EU ‘insiders’, so you will receive > a much faster and more thorough reply from me and the community.**Looking for > weekly ‘Zero EPSO’ vacancies across EU institutions** **and daily tips?**Follow > the [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Page**](https://www.facebook.com/people/Jobs-in-EU-Institutions/61556372262919/) > and join alongside over 6,000 other followers.⌊Ben Vandervelde - profile image⌉ > Best regards, **Ben**