Martin Ehrenhauser

The Commission proposal of the 3.7 percent pay rise for the EU civil servants has caused a lot of turmoil recently.  Indignant Commission officials are sending e-mails to FAZ journalists and are complaining that the latter called “certain special regulations “privileges” that are “outdated”. The representatives of the six EU civil servants’ trade unions are trotting in the corridors. They assembled this week in the European Parliament under the motto “Defend your pay” and announced, “Barrosso is on our side. And with friends like that….” They are threatening with strikes, probably from Tuesday until Thursday in Strasbourg.

The Council is ardently struggling to reach a compromise. Negotiations are being adjourned, decisions are being put off. Opinions among the decision makers in the Council are split. According to a high official of the EU Council, different possibilities were discussed during the rather brief negotiation in COREPER today. These possibilities include splitting the percentage, raising the special levy, applying the crisis clause or taking the situation in all 27 Member States as criteria for the calculation. Until now the Council has called on the Commission to review the proposal. Another round of negotiations begins on Monday.

With all my criticism towards the EU officials and the staff regulations, one has to mention that in this case criticism applies to eight Member States too. The salaries of the civil servants in these eight Member States serve as basis for calculating the salaries of the EU officials. These Member States granted their civil servants an excessive pay raise and thus caused the 3.7 percent increase. Still, what the EU officials are overlooking is that they could win many citizens over, if only they showed modesty.