EU officials in the grades AST1 to AST11. Usual tasks for administrators entail mostly technical, but sometimes also executive functions in administration and human resources, finance, and IT. Less frequently assistants can also perform communication, research and policy-related tasks.

The roles of ‘Assistants’ should not be confused with secretarial and lower-level administrative tasks. While there are secretaries that are ‘administrators’, regular secretaries and clerks have a separate category of AST/SC.

AST1, AST2, AST3, AST4, AST5, AST6, AST7, AST8, AST9, AST10, AST11 are all grades in which Assistants at the European Commission and other EU institutions are placed.

AD1 is the initial grade for Assistants while AD11 is the highest grade for Assistants, that can put a person in a very senior role in EU institutions with significant managerial duties.

Salaries of Assistants are identical to salaries of Administrators in the grades AST 5 to AST 11 and AD 5 and AD 11.