91998E1891

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1891/98

by Jean-Claude Pasty (UPE) to the Commission

(9 June 1998)

Subject: Remunerations and allowances of Members of the European Institutions

In the interest of transparency over the remunerations and allowances of the Members of the various EU Institutions, about which concern has been expressed on many occasions in the European media, can the Commission provide complete figures for the remuneration (both gross and net of tax) and service-related allowances of the Members of the Commission, the Judges of the Court of Justice, the Members of the Court of Auditors and the Judges of the Court of First Instance?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(22 July 1998)

The Honourable Member asks about the remuneration and allowances of members of the institutions of the European Union. The Commission can provide an answer for its own part, but declines to respond on behalf of other autonomous institutions.

The remuneration and allowances of the members of the Commission are tied to the remuneration and allowances of the officials of the Commission, laid down in the Staff Regulations, as amended by Council Regulation No 2591/97 of 18 December 1997(1) adjusting with retroactive effect from 1st July 1997 the remuneration and pensions of officials and other servants of the European Communities and the weightings applied thereto.

The remuneration of the members of the Commission comprises the following elements:

- a basic salary.

The basic salary of a member of the Commission equals 112.5 % of the basic salary of an official of grade of A1/6, thus amounting to 617,756 BEF. For the vice-presidents of the Commission and for the President of the Commission, the basic monthly salary equals 125 % and 138 % of the salary of a grade A1/6 official.

The basic salary of the members of the Commission is subject to a progressive tax, the maximum marginal tax rate being 45 % and to a temporary contribution of 5.83 % on part of the salary. These taxes are the same as provided by the Staff Regulations for the officials of the Commission, and are paid to the budget of the Union. In addition, a contribution of 1.8 % of the salary is deducted for sickness and injury insurance.

- residence allowance of 15 % of the basic salary.

The members of the Commission are not entitled to the expatriation allowance (16 % of the basic salary) to which the expatriate officials of the Commission are entitled

- a monthly representation allowance of 24 515 BEF.

Other allowances of the members of the Commission are the same as for the officials of the Commission, as stipulated in the Staff Regulations, a copy of which is forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament.

Based on these elements, the monthly net salary of a member of the Commission is calculated at 513 410 BEF. This amount varies and can be increased by the household and child allowances.

(1) OJ L 351, 23.12.1997.