*Update 07.11.2025, thanks to the almost 130 colleagues who attended o our event! We have updated the FAQs with your questions! Here’s the presentation. For the guest speaker presentation please click here to request it. Also, please check out EULearn pension training.*

*Update 06.11.2025 our intention is for this list to be searchable, hence the repetition of some information. We link also to a recent PMO presentation on pensions.*

Original article: To supplement our frequently asked questions (FAQs) on pension transfers, we add this FAQ for all of the other questions we receive on pensions in general.  If you don’t find your pension question answered in either of the two FAQs or in the Staff Matters FAQs or if you find something different from what we have here, then please contact us, together we can find the answer and add them here if it might be useful to others!

1. I worked in another EU institution, where are my pension contributions?

The pension scheme of the European Union institutions (PSEUI) is for all institutions and most agencies (and here). You should be able to check previous institution contracts in  sysper under career. Check in with PMO if you don’t see your previous contracts listed there: it’s possible there is another scheme or fund that you need to know about.

If your institutions or agency contributed to the PSEUI, then regardless of whether you worked in the Parliament, Council or Commission and whether you were an official, a Temporary Agent, a Contract Agent or a member of auxiliary staff (‘statutory staff‘) you were making contributions to the PSEUI. Even if the PSEUI contributions are fragmented, with a couple of years here and there with interruptions in between, they will be put together.

The exception would be Local Agents[*] (delegations), who have their own provident fund and those not directly employed by the institutions, such as seconded national experts.

1a I was a BlueBook trainee/interim/Seconded national expert (SNE)

You are not considered an employee of the EU institutions (‘statutory staff‘) and so you are not making contributions to the PSEUI.

1b Who makes contributions to the PSEUI? 

All statutory staff of all EU institutions (Parliament, Commission, council etc.) make contributions to the Pension Scheme of the European Union Institutions (PSEUI), so fonctionaires, Contract Agents and temporary agents etc.

1c. Can I still pay a national pension while working at the EU institutions?

Temporary Agents only, yes, but you have only 3 months to initiate this, it is not the default setting. staff regulations Article 42: the EU institutions can make payments to maintain pension rights in the country of origin. Check out Temporary agents’ national pension contribution.

2. What about pension contributions made at the EIB or ECB or other non-PSEUI places?

We’re unable to find a definitive list of all the contributors to the PSEUI scheme. The European Investment Bank and the European Central Bank appear to have their own pension funds, as do Local Agents in delgations (provident fund).

Please check sysper to see previous institution contracts. Ask about previous contributions in previous places of employment. You need to know what those contributions are worth if you leave them (not just monetary value: see question 32 in our Pension FAQs) where they are versus if you bring them to the PSEUI (transfer in).

3. How much do I pay towards my PSEUI pension?

Check code Pension scheme (CPP) on your pay slip, it is a percentage of your basic salary. It’s about 11% for most staff, and staff have the option to pay pro-rata or continue at 100% for any periods of part-time (e.g. pre-retirement) or time credit.

Contributions are made on your behalf during special leave (see question 24 below). Note that medical part-time is less-than-100% sick leave and not a work pattern:  for that there is no reduction in salary or pension contributions.

4. What’s the minimum time of paying into the PSEUI in order to be entitled to a pension?

10 years, unless you reach retirement age or die (see Q25, survivor’s pensions) before reaching this threshold. Time on invalidity allowance or special leave count. The first year of leave on personal grounds (‘CCP‘) can count, but only if you have chosen to make PSEUI contributions, which can be very expensive.

As per question 3 above, if you choose to pay pro-rata during a period of part-time work then that reduces your time in service. The more time you have in service, the higher your pension will be, even if you are in line to receive the minimum pension: it too is calculated on time in service. Contributions are made on your behalf during special leave (see question 24 below).

5. Do contributions transferred in from other schemes count towards the 10-year threshold for entitlement to the PSEUI pension?

The 10 years must be 10 years of service in the EU institutions: contributions transferred into the PSEUI from elsewhere cannot be used to reach the 10-year threshold.

6. What if I don’t reach 10 years of PSEUI contributions and I am not yet at retirement age?

Your options are as follows:

• transfer out of the PSEUI e.g. to a national system (check Member State rules) or a  PMO-approved private insurance fund or a pension fund
• a severance grant, depending on your circumstances (see question 6 in our pension transfer FAQs)

If you do nothing then the PSEUI will give you nothing. You must act!

7. Is there a deadline for a transfer into/out of the PSEUI?

Transfer in to the PSEUI: you must submit your request before you have completed 10 years and 6 months‘ worth of contributions to the PSEUI (staff matters) so each new contract does not reset the deadline but each space between contracts might pause it. We’ve written for clarification. Have any of you experienced this? Let us know!

Transfer out of the PSEUI: it depends on where the funds are being transferred to and is subject to the rules of the receiving scheme. i.e. get in touch with the destination scheme and ask them what limitations they have. e.g. we have heard that Germany insists on this happening within 6 months of the end date of your contract while Luxembourg state will not accept PSEUI contributions beyond the state pension age. Please also keep in mind that many Member States are unfamiliar with the PSEUI.

7a. What if I transfer out at the end of your contract and then come back to the institutions to work?

You can have a special transfer-in (Annex VIII, Article 4(1)b Staff Regulations): you/your scheme must pay the amount that you transferred out + interest. The difference to a ‘normal’ transfer-in: the previous time then counts again for the 10 years required for a pension.

8. What about contributions I made in the past to non-PSEUI pension schemes?

You can check out your options and how much they would be worth if you transferred them into the PSEUI and then decide whether it is worthwhile or whether they entitle you to a second pension (see Q26 and Q32 in our transfer FAQs for potential positives and negatives). Initiate the process for a transfer-in (one for each pension scheme) and then you have an answer that is personal to you. You have no obligation to take the matter further or finalise the transfer, but you will know what there is. Also, since there is one request per pension scheme you could choose to transfer in one (e.g. all of those from Portugal) and not others (all of your contributions from Spain).

If your previous contributions were made outside the EU then there is no obligation for those funds/schemes to participate, but you lose nothing by initiating the request: there you will have your answer of whether they participate or not. Initiating the process does not oblige you to complete the transfer: you can see the results and leave the matter there.

9. Where is the PSEUI fund invested?

The PSEUI is a nominal (virtual) fund: i.e. it does not exist, the current EU budget and contributions pay the current pensions.[**]

The contributions made by staff are only 33% of the costs of the PSEUI: the Member States guarantee the scheme.

XIV. The benefits paid under the pension scheme are charged to the EU budget. While the EU has not created a dedicated pension fund to cover the cost  of future pension obligations, member states jointly guarantee the payment of the benefits, and officials contribute one third of the cost of financing the scheme. (ECA, 2024 Annual reports, p16)

9a What happens when pensioners outnumber those contributing to the PSEUI?

This issue is not new: it has always been the case that there may be more people entitled to a pension than making contributions (and conversely that some staff make contributions without ever receiving any payment).

E.g. one married staff member with dependent children might generate entitlement to more than one pension (survivor’s pensions for spouse and each dependent child).

On the other hand, a staff member with no dependents and who dies before reaching pension age generates no pension for anyone and there is no sum repaid.

The contributions made by staff are only 33% of the costs of the PSEUI: the Member States guarantee the scheme.

Check p.16 point XVIII in the 2024 Annual reports: the UK must comply with its obligations in this domain.

See also European public administration Heading 7 of the 2021-2027 MFF, p7 where the section on Pensions sets out expectations until 2064.

10. What did the staff regulation reforms change with regards to PSEUI pensions?

For the same pension contribution (code CPP on your salary slip), staff collect pension rights (accrual) at different rates and can retire at different ages, depending on when they were recruited.

So as a percentage of the final salary, a 30 year career might give you 60% (30×2), 57% (30×1.9) or 54% (30×1.8): the small differences really add up over the course of a career.

Beware new contracts or changes which might affect the version of the staff regulations which apply to you. Examples are  screening (see Picard) or a rerecruitment via an external EPSO competition. Your retirement age and pension may change.

Staff regulations	Pension accrual rate (%)	Retirement age
pre-2004	2	60 years-64 years and 8 months
pre-2014	1.9	63 years-65 years
Post-2014	1.8	66 years

11. At what age can I retire/claim my PSEUI pension?

Your retirement age depends on when you were recruited (entry into service)/start date of last contract and what age you were at that point. This can sometimes be difficult to gauge: ask the PMO to confirm your retirement age.

In theory 58 is the earliest (so long as you have made 10 years of PSEUI contributions, not counting contributions transferred in from elsewhere), but this will reduce that pension if you want to receive that pension immediately.

If you choose to receive your pension immediately at 58 you might lose almost 2 years of PSEUI contributions for each year you go before your set retirement age (‘reduced rate pension’). If you choose to defer receipt of pension then this reduction is not made, but then you would have to have some other income available to you: we all have bills to pay!

Another option might be to work part-time. With all types of part-time you can choose whether to make 100% pension contributions or pay pro-rata. For all part-time you will continue to have promotions/reclassification and steps.

Pre-retirement part-time (work 50%, get paid 60% and choose whether to pay full or pro-rata PSEUI contributions) is available for 3 years before your official retirement age. So, if PMO confirms that your standard retirement age is 64 years and 7 months, you can do this special pre-retirement part-time from 61 years and 7 months onwards at the earliest.

Note that ‘Medical part-time is not a part-time work formula but a sick leave of less than 100%. For more information, please read the Commission’s decision on absences as a result of sickness or accident.’ (Staff Matters) for this reason salary and PSEUI contributions are 100%: there is not choice given to the individual.

12. Is an invalidity allowance the same as a pension?

An invalidity allowance, while similar to a pension is neither a pension nor retirement. Invalidity is (nominally, at least) a temporary situation which can be reviewed periodically. The New Procedural Handbook for Invalidity Committees, 2022 p .13 footnote 24 give details on non-permanent staff being judged as fit for work or not having their contract renewed.

Pre-01/05/2004 this payment was called ‘invalidity pension’ and the new name was not applied retrospectively, so the title is still in use but only for that particular edition of this payment

13. I worked first as a non-permanent staff member, what is my date of entry into service for the purposes of calculating the pension?

Check Sysper>personal data>personal file>My individual rights is not enough: this can sometimes be rather difficult to gauge: ask the PMO to confirm your retirement age.

We agree that the PSEUI was not designed with contract agents and temporary agents in mind: you have been retrofitted into the system.

14. Why is the date of entry into service important?

See point 13: entry into service sets the version of the staff regulations which apply to you. It sets your retirement age and the rate at which you accrue pension rights (2%, 1.9% or 1.8).

For non-permanent staff: the Picard case clarified that where a colleague has one non-permanent contract after another in an unbroken chain then the date that applies is the date of the first contract. i.e. Mr Picard could retire at the age stated in the first contract and not at 66 years old, the age corresponding to his last contract.

For those with contracts that were not continuous (i.e. there were spaces between them), the date of the last contract is used, even though contributions made to the PSEUI may be predate that last entry-into-service date. Ask the PMO to confirm your retirement age, so that you can plan accordingly.

For non-permanent who later became officials: the Picard case leaves unsaid whether it should apply here too: we are watching to see whether legal challenges clarify this issue in the future. This inevitable future courtcase is sometimes being referred to as ‘Picard 2.0’ but we have no knowledge of any court case ongoing, if you hear of something then please contact us!

15. What if I already took my PSEUI contributions out of the PSEUI?

If you already took your PSEUI contributions elsewhere (transfer-out or severance grant) then you do have the option to put them back into the PSEUI See ‘Return of a previously effected transfer OUT’ in WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANSFER IN REQUESTS?), but there is a time limit.

You might also be able to do a transfer in to the PSEUI of any pension contributions made elsewhere in the meantime. Check out your options and make informed decisions. (See Q7a above)

16. Can I retire early/before my standard retirement age?

If you have 10 years of PSEUI contributions (not including a transfer in) then you can (at least on paper) retire from 58 years. If you then choose to receive the PSEUI pension immediately then this is at a reduced rate. Reduced rate means that for every year before your normal retirement age you will lose almost 2 years of contributions. The reduced rate is applied also to the minimum pension (see point 19).

Check the pensions calculator. Alternatively, you can retire early and defer receipt of the pension (deferred pension).

17. What alternatives to early retirement exist?

Limited part-time (‘phased retirement’/pre-retirement part-time): you go part-time (50%) but receive 60% of your salary for the last 3 years (you can choose to make full or reduced pension contributions, the choice is yours). You do not receive any part of your pension during this time.

So, if PMO confirms that your set retirement age is 64 years and 7 months, you can do pre-retirement part-time from 61 years and 7 months onwards as a maximum.

Standard part-time: part-time staff have the same promotion and step as their full-time counterparts, meaning that you continue to increase your final salary. As with all part-time you can choose whether or not to make 100% pension contributions or pay pro-rata. Medical part-time is not part-time: there the salary and pension are 100% always.

For all part-time you will continue to have promotions/reclassification and steps.

Leave on personal grounds (‘CCP‘): PSEUI contributions can sometimes be made for the first year but may be prohibitively expensive.

This list is not definitive, please let us know of any ideas you may have!

18. What is the final salary used for the PSEUI final-salary-pension calculation?

Your last basic salary (i.e. without allowances). For a final promotion to count towards the final salary taken for the pension, it must have been received for a year, while 2-yearly steps are counted from the moment they are awarded.

Please check the pension calculator and consider that while some allowances continue to be paid, the expatriation allowance and annual travel payment are not.

19. What is the minimum PSEUI pension?

‘The minimum amount of the retirement pension could not be less than 4 % of the minimum subsistence figure (basic salary of AST 1) per year of service.’ (Staff Matters )

AST1/1 wage is considered a ‘subsistence’ figure, while AST/SC1 staff earn less than this.

If you are in line to receive the minimum PSEUI pension then a transfer-in of contributions made elsewhere may make no difference.

20. What is the maximum PSEUI pension?

70% of final basic salary: this would be 35 years of service for someone recruited pre-2004 and almost 39 years of service for colleagues recruited in 2014.

21. Can I make additional voluntary contributions/pay more to increase my PSEUI pension?

There is no provision for this in the staff regulations. It could be possible to have an additional job and to pay a pension elsewhere (not the PSEUI) but this would be a separate pension.

22. Could I not transfer in subsequent external pension contributions?

The time limit on a transfer in is 10 years and 6 months (but this term is not well defined: we’ve asked for clarification, see question 7 above).

23. Can I take a break from paying PSEUI contributions?

You can choose whether or not to make PSEUI contributions while on CCP (first year only), but the cost can be prohibitive.

Anyone working part-time can choose whether to make contributions at 100% or pro-rata.

You could also retire before retirement age and defer receiving the pension, but how will you pay your bills?

We are not aware of any other circumstances where pension contributions are not made. If you know of any contact us, we’ll add them.

24. Do I make PSEUI contributions while not working?

	What happens with PSEUI pension contributions?	Notes
maternity leave	They continue: you have no choice
medical part-time (this is less-than-100% sick leave and not a work pattern)	They continue: you have no choice	There is no reduction in salary or pension contributions and similarly no gains in terms of annual leave. Medical part time is a phased return to work where you neither gain nor lose.
invalidity	They continue: you have no choice
time credit	They continue: you choose whether 100% or pro-rata	This could impact your capacity to reach the 10-year threshold for a PSEUI pension
part-time	They continue: you choose whether 100% or pro-rata	This could impact your capacity to reach the 10-year threshold for a PSEUI pension
parental leave	They continue: you have no choice
special leave (e.g. Birth of a child of an official: 10 working days per child’)	They should continue: you have no choice
leave on personal grounds (‘CCP‘)	They can continue for the first year only (under specific circumstances) but this is not the default setting	You have to choose to do so and the cost may be prohibitive

While your are unemployed contributions are made on your behalf to the national pension system by that Member State (but for the purposes of a transfer-in to the PSEUI these gifted contributions are not counted since they were not generated by work.) See questions 29 and 32 in our pension transfer FAQs.

25. What is a PSEUI survivor’s pension?

This is a pension paid to the recognised dependents of the deceased (normally spouse or dependent children). It is calculated either on the pension contributions made by the deceased or the minimum survivor’s pension (whichever is higher).

The only limitations we can find are the pension stops if the widow/er remarries and that all of the pensions and allowances paid post-mortem cannot be more than the amount the deceased earned in life: you cannot be worth more dead than alive.

‘The cumulative amount of the survivor’s pensions (widow/widower, orphan(s) and any divorced spouse(s)), plus family allowances and less any other compulsory deductions, may never be more than the net salary or net pension of the deceased (whichever is applicable).’ (staff matters)

We find no obligation for the surviving spouse to have caring obligations/children/unemployed.

25a. I’ve got an official partner, they will get a survivor’s pension, right?

A non-marital partner is only equivalent to a spouse if marriage is not available to you and remember that that situation can change at any time e.g. say same-sex marriage is not legal where you live, then your partner is equivalent to a spouse. Nevertheless, from the moment you live somewhere else where same-sex marriage is available or if same-sex marriage becomes available where you are then you MUST marry to continue to be entitled to the benefits available to spouses: there is no automatic carry-over or grandfather clause. If any couple is PACsed or similar while the option of marriage exists then there is no survivor’s pension for the partner.

Also, you must have been married for at least a year if you are still working or at least 5 years if you are retired (but we are aware of an exception granted).

Note that the contribution towards funeral expenses is not limited to dependents: for anyone to claim all they have to do is show receipts.

A survivor’s pension for a dependent child is called an orphan’s pension.

26. Can I name who receives the PSEUI survivor’s pension?

No, the PSEUI survivor’s pension is paid to those meeting the criteria who are already declared in sysper. This might mean an ex-spouse being entitled to the survivor’s pension while a current partner is not.

27. If I remove my spouse from a PSEUI survivor’s pension does that mean my child gets more?

While the PSEUI survivor’s pensions appear to be independent of each other, there is a link between them.

‘The cumulative amount of the survivor’s pensions (widow/widower, orphan(s) and any divorced spouse(s)), plus family allowances and less any other compulsory deductions, may never be more than the net salary or net pension of the deceased (whichever is applicable).’ (staff matters)

Nevertheless it is not the individual who decides who receives the survivor’s pension.

28. Who gets the PSEUI survivor’s pension if I have no dependents?

Your pension stops with you. There is no payment made to anyone from your pension.

Also, last-minute marriages might have repercussions: you must have been married for at least a year if you are still working or at least 5 years if you are retired in order for your spouse/partner to be entitled to a survivor’s pension (but we are aware of an exception granted).

Note that the contribution towards funeral expenses is not limited to dependents: for anyone to claim all they have to do is show receipts.

29. What happens to my PSEUI pension in the case of invalidity?

Check out ‘other entitlements’ in Staff Matters: you can pass from the invalidity allowance to a PSEUI pension automatically on reaching retirement age or choose to switch, with a reduced pension where applicable. Staff Matters does still mention an invalidity pension, but this appears to be an outdated term for the invalidity allowance. (Check the calculations for invalidity allowance and pension  for comparison before making any decisions.)

30. Can I retire from CCP i.e. without returning to a role first?

We cannot find this written anywhere, but having checked with HR, it appears that you can. You do not need to come back to active service.

31. Can I work beyond retirement?

For those able to retire before 65, they may work up to 65 years old at their own choice. For anyone wanting to work beyond 65/66 the decision belongs to the institutions. Pension contributions continue to be made and the accrual rate increases.

• ‘133 extensions of service above the age of 65 in 2020’ (p.36 Human Resources in 2020)
• ‘81 extensions of service above the age of 65 in 2019’ (p.39 Human Resources in 2019)
• ‘nearly 70 extensions to carry on working beyond the normal retirement age’ (p.29 HR in 2015)

31a. Can I work somewhere else after retiring?

You can work outside the institutions after retirement, but you need permission to do so and it appears that your income may be limited to €10,000 (net) per calendar year (see Article 7 here).

32. Can I retire to another country to increase my PSEUI pension?

This is called weighting and is similar to the correction coefficient for pensions: it is applied only to contributions made pre-2004. i.e. for all other contributions it makes no difference where you retire, the payment does not change.

33. What happens to my JSIS membership when I retire?

JSIS membership can continue, but the accident insurance part normally stops.

34. What happens to allowances when I retire?

Check out Retirement: your rights.

What continues	What is removed
family allowances	expatriation allowance
Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) (CAs need to have completed more than 3 years of service)	annual travel payment
	Commission accident insurance

35. What does Generation 2004 want pension-wise? *Added 07.05.2025*

A Fairer Pension SystemThe current pension system discriminates based on the date of service entry: we all pay the same percentage of our salary but have different retirement ages and pension accrual rates.

Generation 2004 calls for:

o A Fair and Equitable Pension System: Ensuring equal accrual rates for all staff, regardless of their service-entry date by adopting the same accrual rate for all staff.

o Addressing Pension Transfer Issues: Providing solutions for those with less than 10 years in the EU pension scheme, ensuring professional mobility outside the EU institutions.

o Leading by Example: The Commission must uphold the principles of equality and fairness it advocates for in Member States. (Manifesto, 2024, section 1.6.)

Further,

• that the shortfall on the local agents’ pension (‘provident’) fund be investigated in order to avoid its being repeated and all who have retired and lost out meantime be appropriately compensated.
• that the Pension Scheme of the European Institutions (PSEUI) contributions for non-permanent staff be paid during the period where they receive the EU unemployment allowance and that the implications of the Picard case be clarified (e.g. the pensions repercussions for non-permanent staff who become officials are as-yet unknown).
• that the inevitability of AST/SC colleagues receiving only the minimum pension (by design?) be reviewed and that they be made aware of the potential losses of choosing to make a transfer-in of contributions made elsewhere.
• that Member-State-gifted pensions contributions (e.g. during national service, unemployment or caring duties) be recognised in some way for any transfer-in of pension rights.
• that the implications of missed promotions (e.g. through certification or during leave on personal grounds (‘CCP‘) on a final-salary pension (such as the PSEUI) be made explicit.

36. What happens once you’ve reached the maximum pension contributions, do you still pay 11% of your salary?

We can find no provision for colleagues to stop making PSEUI contributions. Given that it would take colleagues some 35 years of contributions to reach the maximum and that the average age of recruitment is around 35, there will be very few people who ever manage to have this problem.  So, we believe that the payment continues yes, as it would also in many national systems.

37. Do I pay tax on a PSEUI pension?

The PSEUI pension is subject to income tax levied by the European Union but exempt from national taxation (Pensions and invalidity allowances Guide point 6.5). The solidarity levy (6% for most staff) is not applied to pensions.

Your question isn’t here?

If you don’t find your pension question answered in either of the two FAQs or in the Staff Matters FAQs then please contact us.

See also Pensions and invalidity allowances guide October 2018 for information on deductions and allowances.

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[*] By default, Local agents do not make contributions to the PSEUI but could choose to transfer contributions in to the PSEUI and then to reverse that by transferring out (among other options, see below).

‘The administrative manager may authorise the payment of these rights into another financial institution (e.g. a bank account held outside the country of employment, another pension scheme such as the PSEUI) upon reasoned request by the local agent and in compliance with local law …’ (Settlement of individual rights).

[**] Update 02.05.2025: Beware,

The PSEUI is not a pay as you go pension system (and one must distinguish private pension plans from public pension schemes). There is an EU budget item covering pensions. Consequently, we have removed the following phrase: ‘This means that there will be difficulties in the future as staff are recruited at lower grades and earning lower salaries. This results in lower sums being collected as pension contributions to sustain the relatively higher pensions paid to colleagues recruited pre-2004 or pre-2014.’

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Older updates

*Update 29.10.2025: Questions 9a added below and several questions have been revised. Please check out our event 04.11.2025.*

*Update 07.05.2025: Questions 35 onwards added below and several questions have been revised. Please check out our event 13.05.2025.*