Brussels, 10/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - In a proposal that is likely to make a few waves, on Wednesday 10 November, the Commission recommended a 0.4% pay rise for officials in the Community institutions. This rise is for the period from July 2010 to July 2011. The proposal has to be discussed and approved by the EU Council of Ministers.
The 0.4% rise, which would cost the EU budget €9.7 million, was calculated according to the rules of the current staff regulations. It takes into account: - salary changes for national civil servants from a sample of eight European countries (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) which reveals a 2% loss of civil servants' purchasing power (reflected in the salaries for European officials); - the specific inflation index for ex-patriots in Brussels, which shows a price rise of 2.4%. In addition, the pension contribution EU officials will have to pay will fall from 11.3% to 11.0% of their monthly salaries, and the special levy, established in 2004, will increase from 5.07% to 5.50%.
Even this limited rise may be difficult for member states to accept, with the Commission already in conflict with them over the previous salary increase (2008-09). In December 2009, European governments rejected the 3.7% increase proposed by the Commission, offering only 1.85% in view if the difficult budgetary situation. The Commission took the matter to the EU Court of Justice which is expected to deliver its ruling in the first half of 2011. (L.C./transl.rt)