This article shows how much Administrators in grade AD16 step 1 can expect to earn in the European Commission. AD16 is the highest grade in EU salary scales and along with AD 15 applies to Directors-General and Deputy Directors-General of DGs, so maybe a group of around 100 or so people.

The information directly applies also to the European Parliament, European Council, EU agencies and all other EU institutions. The article presents the full remuneration package: not only the basic salary, but also allowances and other benefits. It also shows the impact of location and the Correction Coefficient on your take-home pay.

Basic salary vs. full remuneration package

The monthly ‘basic salary’ for Administrators AD16 in the European Commission and other EU institutions ranges from EUR 19491 to EUR 21163. The starting basic salary will always be the lower number, but you can get ‘reclassified’ or get promoted.

‘Reclassification‘ is the automatic advancement through the European Commission salary scales by one step every two years (see table below to assess the financial impact on your basic salary). ‘Promotion‘ based on good professional performance in the EU context means that you not only get a good evaluation in the annual ‘appraisal’ process, but are also made to skip several salary scale steps or even a grade at once. Promotion has the most significant impact on your income, if you remain in the same job.

At the same time, knowing your ‘basic 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 is supplemented by a number allowances. This is especially so if you have children, a spouse 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‘. Brussels is used as reference and there the Correction Coefficient is 100% of basic salary as quoted below. If you work for an EU agency in Scandinavia, your salary and 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 55% of what your Brussels colleague doing the same job gets.

Administrators’ remuneration by family and residence status

Below is a sample salary and take-home pay approximation of an Administrator in grade AD16 step 1 who is living in Brussels, Belgium, with four typical personal/family situations.

Administrators AD16 salary EUR
Basic Pay	17227	17227	17227	17227
Household allowance	0	603	0	603
Dependent child allowance	0	858	0	858
Expatriation allowance	0	0	3483	3483
Pension contribution	-2051	-2051	-2051	-2051
Health insurance contribution (JSIS coverage)	-345	-345	-345	-345
Accident insurance contribution	-16	-16	-16	-16
Tax	-4260	-4260	-4260	-4260
Special levy	-685	-685	-685	-685
Correction coefficient	100%	100%	100%	100%
TOTAL REMUNERATION if employed in Brussels	12134	13595	15617	17078

N.B. These calculations are only indicative as they are based on public sources. Only your institution’s HR department will be able to calculate a 100% accurate figure once you provide all necessary documents.

On top of the above, any children would either be guaranteed a place in the local European School, or an Education Allowance for each child. The expat family would also get around 1000 EUR annually per family member as a Travel Grant considering the distance to Rome.

Officials in grades AD9 to AD16 are often Heads of Units, Directors of Divisions or higher level managers like Directors-General and their deputies. Officials with managerial duties are entitled to the Managerial Allowance which is around EUR 750 for Administrators AD16.

European Commission 2022 salary scale for Administrators AD16

Impact of Correction Coefficient on Administrators AD16 basic pay

The below table shows you the actual Administrators AD16 basic pay according to the correction coefficient by location of your institution. You should also read a dedicated article about the Correction Coefficient to understand the details.

Take into account that your allowances will also be adjusted by the Correction Coefficient. If you will work not in Brussels, but in another EU location, you should multiply the grand total values in the “scenarios table” to get the actual approximate figure.

RELATED ARTICLES:
* Salary of Administrators AD5
* Salary of Administrators AD6
* Salary of Administrators AD7
* Salary of Administrators AD8
* Salary of Administrators AD9
* Salary of Administrators AD10
* Salary of Administrators AD11
* Salary of Administrators AD12
* Salary of Administrators AD13
* Salary of Administrators AD14
* Salary of Administrators AD15

Allowances and other benefits for EU institutions staff

Several allowances and other benefits can quite significantly boost an EU official’s income. This largely depends on whether the person is an expat and has a spouse and/or children. When considering a job at an EU institution, people too often do not take these benefits into account. Important – these benefits are available to Administrators in grades AD 5-16, Assistants in grades AST 1-11, Secretaries and Clerks in grades AST/SC 1-6, and Contract Agents in grades FG I-IV.

• Travel costs on taking up duties
• Daily subsistence allowance (during probation period)
• Installation allowance and coverage of removal costs (one-time payments)
• Expatriation allowance or Foreign Residence allowance
• Household allowance
• Dependent child allowance
• European School enrollment for children or Education allowance if there is no local EU school
• Healthcare costs reimbursement to a level of 80-85% through the EU’s Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) for the employee and any direct family members and dependents. 100% reimbursement of costs in case of a serious illness
• Accident insurance
• Annual travel compensation
• Birth grant
• Parental leave
• Unemployment allowance
• Removal expenses when leaving your home country and again when leaving your EU institution
• EU pension, survivors and orphan’s pensions, invalidity allowance
• Lump sum payments in case of permanent invalidity or death
• Lump sum funeral expenses, up to EUR 2350

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