President of the European Commission is one of the most powerful jobs in the world. It is currently held by Ursula von der Leyen, a German politician and former Minister of Defense. She is also the first woman to have this position. Previously this position was held by Jean-Claude Juncker.
But how much does the European Commission President make? And what are other perks of the job? Below is an overview of what public sources reveal.
The salary of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is around 28’026 EUR per month, which is 336’308 EUR per year.
As a comparison, the President of the United States, has a nominal yearly salary of 368’000 EUR or 400’000 USD. The Chancellor of Germany is reported to have an annual salary of EUR 242’000 or 262’600 USD.
Monthly salary
However, the story with salaries in EU institutions is not so simple as there are several allowances as well as deductions that affect the net pay number.
Salaries of EU Commissioners in VDL’s 2nd Commission (2024-2029)
Like any other EU official, the European Commission President is also entitled to a number of “regular” EU allowances, but also incurs some deductions, as listed below.
Basic salary
When you try to understand how salaries of EU officials are calculated, you are often directed at the ‘basic salary. However, the actual take-home remuneration package consists of many more components and be higher, lower, or similar to the basic salary depending of an official’s individual situation (family status, dependent children, relocation to Brussels from another country, etc.).
Ursula von der Leyen is entitled to a ‘basic salary’ of 138% of the top civil service grade or 33’064 EUR.
For the President of the European Commission, the basic salary is set at 138% of the basic salary of an official of the Union on the third step of grade 16, in other words, the highest basic salary possible for non-political posts in EU institutions like General Directors in DGs of the European Commission.
For reference, since 1 January 2024 the highest EU civil servant ‘basic salary’ is EUR 23,959.44.
Source: Article 66 of the EU Staff Regulations | See the full European Commission salary grid
Allowances and other payments
As the European Commission Commissioner, Ursula von der Leyen is entitled to the following additional monthly allowances and other payments.
Residence allowance (similar to Expatriation allowance)
The Residence Allowance is equal to 15 % of their basic salary. This makes up EUR 4043.
Household allowance
The Household Allowance is equal to EUR 192,78 + 2% of their basic salary. This makes up EUR 732.
Entertainment allowance
Members of the European College are entitled to the weirdly named ‘entertainment allowance’, which most likely is an allowance for covering costs of work-related lunches and similar expenses.
This allowance ranges from EUR 607.71 for “regular” Commissioners to EUR 1418.07 for the European Commission President.
Dependent child allowance
The Dependent Child Allowance is equal to approximately EUR 440. This allowance amount is not included in the total remuneration calculation as we don’t know the family situation of these EU officials.
Education allowance
The Education Allowance is not included in the total remuneration calculation as we don’t know the family situation of this EU official.
Taxes and other deductions
Like other employees of the EU institutions, as Commissioner of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen does not pay national taxes from her EU salary or allowances.
However, there are two European Union taxes the Commissioner has to pay.
Community Tax
The Community Tax levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45 % of the taxable salary portion. We have not been able to find the exact rules about application of this tax to European Commissioners’ salaries, hence, we have assumed that the deduction is in the middle as 18.5% of the basic salary. This makes up EUR 4987.
Solidarity Levy
The Solidarity Levy is 6% of the basic salary. This makes up EUR 1617.
There are also four social security-related deductions.
Pension
Commissioners are entitled to an EU pension.
It is calculated at 4.275% of the basic salary for every full year in office. In practice, this means that Ursula von der Leyen will get a pension of 42.76% of her last basic salary or about 14’138 EUR every month if she stays as European Commission President for the full 10 years until 2029.
The European Commission College members have much more generous pension guarantees compared to regular EU staff. You can read more about the regular pension benefits for staff of EU institutions.
Health insurance
The Health Insurance Contribution is 1.70% of the basic salary. This adds up to EUR 458.
The health insurance contribution makes the official eligible for the EU institutions health insurance scheme JSIS.
Accident coverage
The Accident Coverage Contribution is 0.10% of the basic salary. This adds up to EUR 27.
Unemployment insurance (transition payments after leaving office)
The European Commission College members have much more generous unemployment guarantees compared to regular EU staff.
If they have served the full five year term, the President of the European Commission and the Commissioners are entitled to ‘transition payments’ for up to three years after leaving their posts. On average these amount to 40-65% of the previous salary. It is reduced if they take up new paid activities during the three year period.
You can read more about the regular unemployment benefits for staff of EU institutions.
Non-remarkable office
The European Commission’s main building is the Berlaymont on Rue de la Loi 200 in Brussels, Belgium. The President’s office is on floor 13, the top floor of the Berlaymont building. The President literally sits on top of the European Commission’s hierarchy.
However, social media pictures reveal that the interior of the office of the European Commission President are surprisingly ascetic compared to offices of most national top-level government officials. Each new EC President gets to choose the artwork and furniture, and that’s about it.
When Ursula von der Leyen took office and announced that she plans to sleep in her office, the world also found out that the office has a 25 sq.m. private room called “a personal retreat” by Commission staff. It also has a shower.
Background information
Basic salary coefficients for members of the College of European Commission
Information about tax amounts and other salary deductions
For information about amounts of EU taxes, pension contributions, unemployment and other deductions see this document prepared by ECDC for candidates and staff. The same information applies to all EU institutions.
Image source: European Commission websiteSources
Salary of the European Commission President is calculated according to the Council Regulation (EU) 2016/300 of 29 February 2016 determining the emoluments of EU high-level public office holders. This regulation also covers the salaries of the European Commissioners, Judges of the Court of the European Union and several other highest level officials in EU institutions.
Source for the figures on salary of the German Chancellor: attachment IV to the Federal Law on Salaries of Officers – Bundesbesoldungsgesetz, BGBl. 2002 I p. 3020.
Source for the figures on salary of the US President is the White House Website.
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6 responses to “How much does Ursula von der Leyen make?”
I think they deserve it. Top leadership is not easy
social justice
you people have a nice paycheck, and do nothing for the people, all you want is the money, remember there are people in Europe, who don’t have a condign life, who people must think of the poor people who don’t have anything, you people should have a minor paycheck, why you people need so much money and some people don’t have anything, for example, i live in portugal , because of my age 52 no one in portugal gives me work,portugal is no god, government always styling the for people who don’t have nothing,i have a bad life in portugal, this country is no god
I work and live with 300Euro per month with no help what so ever from my government and no jobs and these Mafiozi gets all this money for what??? What different they do then my government does??? This is atrocious.
DISGUSTING!!!! The EU Mafia bleeds EU citizens; there are 32 000 officils employed by the EU Commission alone and 4000 more in the Parliament. Top salaries are c. 30 000 eur/month & lowest c 2000 eur/month – all tax Free! I’m so glad to be able to keep the Mafia feeling fat thank to my tax euros!
I got my mother working in the EU commission. She gets paid around 3.500€, which is not a lot for the prices that we have here in Belgium