A correction coefficient is a cost-of-living multiplier applied to an EU staff member's basic salary depending on their place of employment. Set out in Article 64 of the Staff Regulations, it keeps the real purchasing power of a given grade broadly comparable across all EU duty stations.
Brussels is the reference duty station, fixed at a coefficient of 100. Duty stations with a higher cost of living than Brussels carry a coefficient above 100, which raises the salary paid there, while cheaper locations carry a coefficient below 100, which lowers it. The coefficients are recalculated annually by the Council on the basis of Eurostat cost-of-living data and published in the Official Journal, so a given grade and step can translate into a different net pay figure in Luxembourg, Alicante, Parma or an EU delegation abroad than in Brussels. The coefficient applies to basic salary and to some allowances, but not to every element of remuneration, and for staff outside the EU a specific set of coefficients reflects local conditions and exchange rates. Understanding the correction coefficient matters when you compare offers or estimate take-home pay, because two colleagues on the same grade and step can be paid noticeably differently purely because of where they work. Our detailed breakdown of current values and how they interact with allowances is on the correction coefficients guide.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the reference correction coefficient?
- Brussels is the reference duty station with a coefficient of 100. Locations more expensive than Brussels carry a coefficient above 100, which increases pay, while cheaper locations carry one below 100, which reduces it. The values are updated annually by the Council.
- Which legal article governs the correction coefficient?
- Article 64 of the Staff Regulations establishes the correction coefficient. The specific values for each duty station are set by the Council each year using Eurostat cost-of-living data and published in the Official Journal of the European Union.