Administrators at the European Commission and other EU institutions are placed in grades starting with AD 5 and ending with AD 16 reserved for Directors General.

AD 16 is the highest professional grade within the Administrator (AD) function group of the European Union’s civil service. Only political appointees such as the EU Commissioners or the President of the European Commission have a higher hierarchical position in the EU institutions.

AD 16 is typically reserved for Directors-General, who lead Directorate-Generals or major departments within the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, or other EU bodies.

AD 16 staff are at the top of the career ladder for administrators, reporting directly to the highest political officials, such as Commissioners in the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament, or the President of the European Council.