Ursula von der Leyen will replace Jean-Claude Juncker when he steps down on November 1, leaving her as the next president of the EU Commission. The former German defence minister will enjoy a considerable pay rise in her new role. So how much will the new European Union boss earn as President of the European Union Commission?
Ms Von der Leyen, a 60-year-old mum of seven, is the first female European Commissioner and will receive a handsome salary as EU chief.
While she was German defence minister Ms Von Der Leyen earned €16,254 gross a month but that will increase substantially now she is EU president.
While the German government (Bundestag) decide their salaries together in Parliament, the same rules do not apply within the European Commission.
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Since 1967 the European Council has determined the salaries of the EU Commission and Von Der Leyen will earn € 27,903 a month as chief.
The basic salary of a Commissioner is €20,666 per month – 12.5 percent more than the highest civil servant in the EU.
The five Vice-Presidents each earn 25 percent more, which according to 2010 figures is around €23,000 in monthly basic salary.
The President receives 38 percent more than the Vice Presidents.
The salaries of the EU Commission are paid from the EU budget.
The commissioners have to pay taxes on their income according to the laws of their respective home countries. These taxes then flow back into the EU budget.
Pension contributions and contributions to social security such as accident and health insurance are retained.
As well as receiving a handsome salary as a serving commissioner, ex EU chiefs also enjoy a huge remuneration after they leave the post.
Ex EU bosses receive “transition payments” for up to three years after leaving the Commission.
Depending on how long they served, former commissioners can still receive payments of up to 65% of their former salaries.
Theoretically, von der Leyen would get a transitional allowance of just under €219,500 a year.
If she retires one day, she will, however, receive a pension of more than €4,500 a month from her job as Federal Minister alone.
The European Commission has previously defended the practice of remuneration payments.
European Commission spokesman Michael Mann told a news briefing: “The aim of this system is to ease their return to the labour market, to maintain their independence after their time as commissioner.”
