Von der Leyen’s salary increased by just under €560 to €28,461 a month on her first working day in the top job in Brussels. When this is matched with her tax-free allowances, she is likely to be making around €33,400 a month. The 61-year-old officially took over from Jean-Claude Juncker on December 1.
While she was German defence minister Ms von der Leyen earned €16,254 gross a month.
The salary increase enjoyed by the President of the European Commission applies to all EU staff and MEPs.
Their salaries are adjusted annually on the basis of a complicated calculation mode at the end of the year with retroactive effect from 1 July.
The benchmarks are the development of civil service salaries in some EU member states and the cost of living in Brussels and Luxembourg.
The salary increase report of the European Commission was announced on December 2 – on the first regular working day of von der Leyen and her new commission.
The new adjustment increases the basic salaries of EU officials to €2,980 in the lowest grade and €20,624 euros in the highest grade. The salaries of MEPs will increase by €175 to €8,933.
The five Vice-Presidents each earn 25 percent more, which according to 2010 figures is around €23,000 in monthly basic salary.
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The President receives 38 percent more than the Vice Presidents.
The increase also benefits EU pensioners. Their earnings are based on their last salaries and rise accordingly.
According to calculations of the EU Commission 2017, the average pension was €4,640.
The increasing pensions are weighing on the EU budget more and more.
When Mr Juncker left his job, he said he was relieved it was before the UK left the EU because Brexit would “break his heart”.
Von der Leyen has already experienced difficulties coming to a solution on the EU budget for the next five years.
Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg