Types of contract

The Agency has no permanent officials, but is staffed mainly by temporary and contract agents recruited through open selection procedures.

Temporary agent contracts last for five years with the possibility of renewal for another five years, and further renewal for an indefinite period. Temporary agents serve a probationary period of nine months.

Temporary agent contracts are classified into two function groups, depending on the type of position: administrator function group (AD) and assistant function group (AST).


Contract agent contracts vary in duration according to the needs of the Agency, up to a maximum of five years, which can be renewed for up to a further five years. EMA may also grant a second renewal for an indefinite period. Contract agents with a contract lasting one year or more serve a probationary period of six or nine months, depending on the grade.

Contract agent contracts are classified into four function groups (FGI, FGII, FGIII and FGIV), depending on the type of position.

Pay

EMA offers competitive salaries, based on a basic salary scale for each contract type, function group and grade.

Staff pay a European tax, which is deducted from their salaries at source. Deductions are also made for sickness and accident insurance, pensions and unemployment insurance. Salaries are exempt from national tax.

As an EU agency, EMA also offers a comprehensive welfare package, including a final salary pension scheme and medical insurance. Staff members may also benefit from additional allowances depending on their personal circumstances, for example if they are an expatriate or a parent.

Staff members' basic salary and certain allowances are subject to a local weighting (correction coefficient) to adjust them to the cost of living compared to Brussels. The current weighting for the Agency's location in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is 111.5%. Please consult the Eurostat website for more information on weightings.

The final salary is calculated by adding the relevant allowances and by deducting social security contributions, solidarity levy. An overview of basic salary examples and various allowances is available below. 

Social benefits

As part of EMA's staff, you will be insured against sickness, risk of occupational disease and accident, as well as entitled, under certain conditions, to a monthly unemployment allowance, and the right to receive payment of invalidity allowance. The insurance may be extended as well to your spouse and children. In addition, after completing a minimum of 10 years' service and after reaching the pensionable age of 66 years, you benefit from the EU pension scheme, to which both the Agency and you make monthly contributions.

    Overview of salaries and benefits 

Function group and grade  Monthly basic net salary
 Temporary agent AST 3  €3,460,94
 Temporary agent AD 5  €4.325,31
 Temporary agent AD 6  €4.826,25
 Temporary agent AD 8  €5.970,28
 Contract agent FG II starting salary  €2.115,88
 Contract agent FG III starting salary  €2.706,33
 Contract agent FG IV starting salary   €3.322,40
Type of allowanceWho may be eligible? Allowance
 Expatriation Expatriate staff 16% of the total of the basic salary, household  allowance and dependent child allowance
 Foreign residence Staff who are not nationals of the host Member State but  do not qualify for expatriation allowance 4% of the total of the basic salary, household  allowance and dependent child allowance
 Allowances when  taking up duties New staff who have to move country to take up  employment at EMA
  • installation allowance to help staff settle at the place of employment
  • daily allowance intended to offset costs of temporary residence
  • reimbursement of removal expenses and initial travel to the place of employment
Type of allowanceWho may be eligible?Allowance
 Household Staff who are married and/or have dependent children € 191,44 plus 2% of the basic salary monthly (subject to local weighting)
 Dependent  child Staff who have dependent children until 18 years of age (or 26  years of age if the child pursues further education) € 418,31 per child monthly (subject to local weighting)
 Pre-school Staff with children of pre-school age € 102,18 per child monthly (subject to local weighting)
 Nursery  contribution Staff with dependent children attending nursery Contribution towards nursery costs.
 Education Staff with dependent children attending primary, secondary or higher education Contribution towards education costs for children in  primary, secondary or university education
Type of allowanceWho may be eligible?Benefit
Sickness and accident insuranceAll staff (family members and children may also be covered)Reimbursement towards medical costs worldwide. The scheme also covers accident, invalidity or death.
Annual medical check-upTemporary and Contract Agent A free comprehensive medical check-up with EMA medical provider
PensionAll staffFinal-salary pension scheme. Staff accrue 1.8% of their final salary for each year of service with 70% being the maximum final basic salary achievable.
Unemployment insuranceStaff leaving EMA who completed 6 months of uninterrupted service, did not resign and were not dismissed on disciplinary groundsA monthly allowance supplementary to national allowances

The Agency has a seat agreement with the Kingdom of the Netherlands which accords protections and courtesy privileges to staff and members of their family. Specific details and instructions will be provided at the contract offer stage.

Examples of salary packages

Click on a grade to read more.

Important note: The below examples are not legally binding, and will depend on your personal situation and the relevant evidence you will be able present to the EMA upon your appointment.

Celia was offered a post as a Head of Service (AD08 step 1) within Human Medicines Division. She is an expatriate candidate, with two children, moving from Ireland to take this job.

Package componentExplanation Amount
Basic gross salaryIncluding duty station weighting for the Netherlands, and subject to deductions of European tax, health insurance and pension contribution€ 8055.93
Household allowanceCelia is married, and has dependent children€ 332.89
Dependent child allowanceCelia has 2 children of school age€ 836.62 (2x€418.31)
Expatriation allowanceCelia is Irish, and is moving to the Netherlands to take this job. Therefore, she would be eligible to expatriation allowance of 16% of basic salary and family allowances€ 1318.75
Gross salary€ 10 544.19
 Community taxSalaries and allowances paid by EMA are exempt from any national taxation in all EU Member States, but subject to a European tax (deducted at source). Tax is levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45% of the taxable portion of the salary.- € 402.10
 Solidarity levyThe solidarity levy is a temporary measure (from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2023) and is deducted from staff salaries. The rate of the solidarity levy shall be 6%. The rate shall however be 7% for officials in grade AD15, step 2, and above.- € 151.58
 Pension, sickness, accident and unemployment insuranceMore information above- € 859.59
Net salary€ 9130.92

Frank is being recruited as a Scientific Administrator (AD06 step 1). He is single, and moving to Amsterdam from Austria.

Package componentExplanation Amount
Basic gross salaryIncluding duty station weighting for the Netherlands, and subject to deductions of European tax, health insurance and pension contribution€ 6175.09
Household allowanceFrank is single, so will not receive this allowance € 0.00
Dependent child allowanceFrank has no children€ 0.00
Expatriation allowanceFrank is Austrian, and is moving to the Netherlands to take this job. Therefore, he would be eligible to expatriation allowance of 16% of basic salary € 883.99
Gross salary€ 7059.08
 Community taxSalaries and allowances paid by EMA are exempt from any national taxation in all EU Member States, but subject to a European tax (deducted at source). Tax is levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45% of the taxable portion of the salary.- € 492.04
 Solidarity levyThe solidarity levy is a temporary measure (from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2023) and is deducted from staff salaries. The rate of the solidarity levy shall be 6%. The rate shall however be 7% for officials in grade AD15, step 2, and above.- € 86.08
 Pension, sickness, accident and unemployment insuranceMore information above- € 669.06
Net salary€ 5811.90

Marieke was offered a post of an Executive Assistant (AST3 step 1) for Information Management Division. She is Dutch, and her daughter already studies at the univesity.

Package componentExplanation Amount
Basic gross salaryIncluding duty station weighting for the Netherlands, and subject to deductions of European tax, health insurance and pension contribution€ 4311.03
Household allowanceMarieke is married, so will receive this allowance € 267.73
Dependent child allowanceMarieke has one child, studying at the university, and living outside of her house€ 702.13
Expatriation allowanceMarieke is Dutch, so not eligible for an expatriation allowance. € 0.00
Gross salary€ 5280.89
 Community taxSalaries and allowances paid by EMA are exempt from any national taxation in all EU Member States, but subject to a European tax (deducted at source). Tax is levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45% of the taxable portion of the salary.- € 179.69
 Solidarity levyThe solidarity levy is a temporary measure (from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2023) and is deducted from staff salaries. The rate of the solidarity levy shall be 6%. The rate shall however be 7% for officials in grade AD15, step 2, and above.- € 7.93
 Pension, sickness, accident and unemployment insuranceMore information above- € 458.50
Net salary€ 4634.77

Joss applied for a post of Junior Business Analyst (FGIII grade 8 step 1), and was successful. He is moving to the Netherlands from Belgium to take this job. He is single, and has no children.

Package componentExplanation Amount
Basic gross salaryIncluding duty station weighting for the Netherlands, and subject to deductions of European tax, health insurance and pension contribution€ 3102.85
Household allowanceJoss is single, so no household allowance € 0.00
Dependent child allowanceJoss has no children yet.€ 0.00
Expatriation allowanceJoss is Belgian, so he is eligible for an expatriation allowance. € 567.38
Gross salary€ 3670.23
 Community taxSalaries and allowances paid by EMA are exempt from any national taxation in all EU Member States, but subject to a European tax (deducted at source). Tax is levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45% of the taxable portion of the salary.- € 16.56
 Solidarity levyThe solidarity levy is a temporary measure (from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2023) and is deducted from staff salaries. The rate of the solidarity levy shall be 6%. The rate shall however be 7% for officials in grade AD15, step 2, and above.- € 0.00
 Pension, sickness, accident and unemployment insuranceMore information above- € 331.27
Net salary€ 3322.40

Edit got a position of a Junior Scientific Administrator (FGIV grade 13 step 1). She is Hungarian and her wife is Dutch. She has lived in the Netherlands since her studies.

Package componentExplanation Amount
Basic gross salaryIncluding duty station weighting for the Netherlands, and subject to deductions of European tax, health insurance and pension contribution€ 3935.91
Household allowanceEdit got married in the Netherlands, where same sex marriage is possible.€ 262.07
Dependent child allowanceEdit has no children yet.€ 0.00
Expatriation allowanceEdit is Hungarian, but has lived in the Netherlands for the last 10 years. She is not eligible for an expatriation allowance, but will receive foreign residence allowance. € 151.73
Gross salary€ 4349.71
 Community taxSalaries and allowances paid by EMA are exempt from any national taxation in all EU Member States, but subject to a European tax (deducted at source). Tax is levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45% of the taxable portion of the salary.- € 247.27
 Solidarity levyThe solidarity levy is a temporary measure (from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2023) and is deducted from staff salaries. The rate of the solidarity levy shall be 6%. The rate shall however be 7% for officials in grade AD15, step 2, and above.- € 0.00
 Pension, sickness, accident and unemployment insuranceMore information above- € 426.40
Net salary€ 3676.04