Commissioners' pensions
1.4.2009
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2672/09
by Dan Jørgensen (PSE)
to the Commission
I learned from several media sources this week that the British think-tank, Open Europe, has made an overall calculation of ‘the average EU Commissioner's’ pension, which, according to Open Europe, amounts to approximately DKK 9 million before tax.
Open Europe's pension calculation assumes that a Commissioner, who has held office for a total of five years, attains the age of 80. The annual pension of DKK 380 000 is thus paid out 15 times since payment commences once the Commissioner reaches the age of 65. Open Europe's calculations also include the ‘transitional’ allowances of DKK 2.6 million and an additional month's basic pay of DKK 148 000.
Further to the above information, I should like to put a number of questions to the Commission in order to clarify for the public's benefit what is right and wrong in relation to the amount of a Commissioner's pension. The questions may also be seen in the light of the general democratic debate on the transparency of the EU system and the oft-cited Eurosceptic criticism that the EU is a project exclusively for the political elite. I would, therefore, ask the Commission to answer the following questions.
1. How and by whom are the pension rules established? Where can the citizens of Europe apprise themselves of the EU's pension schemes and the amount of various pensions?
2. Are Open Europe and several other media sources correct in reporting that a Commissioner who has spent a period of five years in office can look forward to a total pension payment of DKK 9 million?
3. If the above question is not answered in the affirmative, what is the total amount of pension for a Commissioner who spends a total period in office of five years?
4. How long must one occupy the post of Commissioner to be entitled to a full pension?
5. If the above question is answered in the affirmative, does the Commission consider the amount of a Commissioner's pension to be reasonable when compared with pensions for other, comparable posts?
OJ C 189, 13/07/2010