What do we offer?

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) offers competitive pay and a comprehensive welfare package with additional allowances depending on staff members' personal circumstances.

The conditions of employment of staff at EMA are based on the rules, principles and working conditions of the European civil service. EMA follows the Staff Regulations and the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European Communities.

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.

    Overview of salaries and benefits 

Function group and grade  Monthly basic net salary
 Temporary agent AST 3  €3,533,45
 Temporary agent AD 5  €4.416,51
 Temporary agent AD 6  €4.928,33
 Temporary agent AD 8  €6.098,01
 Contract agent FG III starting salary  €2.761,94
 Contract agent FG IV starting salary   €3.406,17
Type of allowanceWho may be eligible? Allowance
 Expatriation Expatriate staff (Non-NL nationals, who have not been resident in NL 5.5 years prior contract start; or NL nationals, who have not been resident in NL during 10 years prior contract start) 16% of the total of the basic salary, household  allowance and dependent child allowance
 Foreign residence Staff who are not NL nationals 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 have dependent children, or are married and the spouse’s income is below a specified limit € 210,20 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) € 459,32 per child monthly (subject to local weighting)
 Pre-school Staff with children of pre-school age (0-5 years), not yet in primary education € 112,21 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 education (up to ceiling) or flat-rate for higher education/university
Type of allowanceWho may be eligible?Benefit
Sickness and accident insuranceAll Temporary and Contract Agents (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 Agents A free comprehensive medical check-up with EMA medical provider
PensionTemporary and Contract Agents after 10 years of serviceFinal-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 grounds.A 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.

It might be difficult to understand all the conditions that we offer, hence we have prepared simple salary calculators for your convenience.

Note that the information provided in the calculator is not legally binding, and will depend on your personal situation and the relevant evidence you will be able to present to the EMA upon your appointment.

Temporary Agent Salary Calculator Contract Agent Salary Calculator