# Grade and Step

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/glossary/grade/
- Published: 2024-02-24T20:23:35+01:00
- Author: Ben

Within the administrative framework of the European Union (EU) institutions, “grade”
and “step” are terms used to define the classification and remuneration levels of
EU staff members, including officials, temporary agents, and contract staff.

## Grade

A grade indicates the rank of an EU staff member and corresponds to a specific [function group](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/function-group/)
and level of responsibility within the EU’s hierarchical structure. Grades are categorized
into different function groups, such as [Administrators](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/administrators/)(
[AD 5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/) – [AD 16](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-16/)),
[Assistants](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/assistants/) (AST 1 – AST 11) and 
Contract Agents (CA FG I – FG IV), and are numbered to reflect varying levels of
seniority and job complexity. Lower numbers represent entry-level positions, while
higher numbers are associated with senior, managerial, or specialist roles.

## Step

A step represents an incremental level within each grade, reflecting the length 
of service and experience of the EU staff member. Each grade consists of several
steps, and staff members progress from one step to the next through a system of 
automatic advancement at predetermined time intervals, usually on an annual basis.
Advancement in steps results in a gradual increase in salary within the same grade,
providing a structured pathway for salary growth over time.

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The combination of grade and step determines the [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/)
and the career progression of an individual working for the EU institutions. The
[Staff Regulations](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/staff-regulations/) of Officials
of the European Union outline the rules and conditions for grades and steps, including
the criteria for [promotion](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/reclassification/)
to higher grades and advancement to higher steps.

For example, if a person is placed in grade [AD5](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-5/),
in normal circumstances he/she advances one step every two years, bringing along
a 150-200EUR salary increase

[Article about salaries of employees of EU institutions](https://euemployment.eu/how-much-do-eu-officials-earn/).