Important information on transferring and acquiring pension rights 

Reform of the Staff Regulations has resulted in changes to the provisions governing the transfer of pension rights. Article 11 of Annex VIII to the Staff Regulations lays down a new time limit for submitting a request for the transfer of pension rights in line with the first paragraph of Article 77 of the Staff Regulations, which defines the time at which the right to a retirement pension is acquired (10 years’ service or reaching normal pensionable age). The calculation parameters are those applicable on the date of the request. 

Annex XIII to the Staff Regulations lays down transitional measures for officials and temporary staff in service before entry into force of the reform. Article 26(5) provides for the result of the transfers finalised (accepted) before 1 May 2004 to be recalculated on the basis of the parameters used in the first decision adjusted in accordance with Article 22 (new pensionable age and new rate of increase applicable to the staff member concerned). For those concerned, the result of this recalculation will always exceed the outcome of the original calculation. Please note, however, that the parameters referred to above will remain unchanged for staff members who were 50 years old or more or who had achieved 20 years of service or more by 1 May 2004, so the recalculation will have no effect on the earlier result. The Paymaster’s Office (PMO) will carry out an automatic recalculation for all those concerned and will inform them of the result by the end of the year. There is therefore no need to submit a request.  

In addition, transitional measures have been laid down concerning submission of a transfer request by officials and temporary staff in service before the entry into force of the reform. Article 26 of Annex XIII to the Staff Regulations provides for a re-opening of the time limits for a limited period (from the 1th of May until the 31th of October) for those who did not submit such a request within the time limits previously stipulated, whose request was rejected for having been submitted after those time limits or who rejected the offer made to them. A computer tool which can detect whether you are affected by these measures and which will guide you through the procedure is available at the following internet address: /pers_admin/pension/transf/mes_trans/index_en.html

Lastly, Article 22(4) of the transitional measures also provides a limited opportunity to acquire additional pension rights for a period of five years after entry into force of the reform (this only applies to officials and temporary staff in service before entry into force of the reform and who cannot attain the maximum pension percentage – 70% - at the age of 65). This acquisition of additional pension rights is based on the payment of the full contributions for the concerned period. A computerised application procedure has been created and can be found at the following internet address
:/pers_admin/pension/transf/others_en.html#4

Your questions concerning this procedure can be addressed to the Call Centre of ADMINFO* or by telephone on (+32) (02.29)666.00 or by Email at (Adminfo@ec.europa.eu). 

*ADMINFO is the reception and information point of DG ADMIN for general questions of administrative nature concerning the Commission and Brussels.  ADMINFO is part of Unit  ADMIN.C.1.