Contracts and Salary

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 113.9%. 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.