EuropeAid and other EU institutions may offer lower pay than other international organizations, but they remain popular nonetheless: Competitions for civil servant vacancies attract 10,000 job seekers on average.
The remuneration of EuropeAid employees depends on their job type and seniority. Permanent staff are divided into 16 grades, all but the highest of them comprising five steps, or salary levels. Contract staff fall into 16 grades with seven steps each.
Pay “was practically frozen” in 2010 after increasing by a meager 0.1 percent, not much if you consider inflation in Brussels, where the majority of EU staff are based, was at 2.4 percent, according to the European Commission.
Performance determines promotion from one grade to another; advancement to the next step is automatic every two years. Officials tend to stay within one grade for three to six years, according to the European Personnel Selection Office.
About the author
Elena L. Pasquini@elenapasquini
Elena Pasquini covers the development work of the European Union as well as various U.N. food and agricultural agencies for Devex News. Based in Rome, she also reports on Italy's aid reforms and attends the European Development Days and other events across Europe. She has interviewed top international development officials, including European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs. Elena has contributed to Italian and international magazines, newspapers and news portals since 1995.
