How much does EC President Ursula von der Leyen earn?

(Patria) - Around 66,000 employees in the institutions of the European Union will receive higher salaries again from April. This is the seventh salary increase since the beginning of 2022.

Last year, the salaries of employees of all EU institutions were supposed to increase by 8.5 percent, but the European Commission used the so-called moderation clause and increased salaries "only" by 7.3 percent, while the remaining increase of 1.2 percent will follow in April, reports Bild.

The lowest basic salary (excluding tax-free lump sums) will increase from 3,361 euros at the beginning of 2024 to 3,645 euros net from April this year. The highest salary will increase from 23,262 to 25,229 euros.

Members of the European Commission will also benefit.

The basic salary of President Ursula von der Leyen has increased by more than 2,700 euros since the beginning of 2024 to around 34,800 euros per month.

European Commissioners will now earn around 28,400 euros, an increase of 2,200 euros.

The EU generally uses a rather complicated formula for calculating the salaries of its employees. Inflation in Brussels and Luxembourg, as well as salary trends in the public services of member states, are taken into account.

Usually, salaries are increased once a year retroactively from July 1st. However, due to high inflation in recent years, a special provision was used, and part of the increase was paid from January 1st. Therefore, EU employees have received higher salaries on both January 1st and July 1st since 2022.

According to Bild, as many as three salary increases are possible this year.

If the inflation rate does not fall, the allowance for 2024 will be paid from April, and in the middle of the year, there could be a predetermined retroactive increase from January, followed later by the remainder of the increase from July 1st.