Living-conditions allowance (LCA) applicable in countries outside the European Union

Article 10 of Annex X to the Staff Regulations (2006 mid-term review) ⁽¹⁾

In accordance with Article 10(1) of Annex X to the Staff Regulations, a living-conditions allowance (LCA) is fixed according to the place of employment of officials, contract staff and temporary staff. The Appointing Authority (Director General) (Commission decision of 16 June 2005 on the exercise of powers conferred by the Staff Regulations on the appointing authority and by the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants on the authority responsible for concluding contracts of employment, as last amended by Commission decision of 31 May 2006) has to review that allowance each year and, where appropriate, adjust it, after obtaining the opinion of the Staff Committee.

Officials, temporary staff and contract staff of the European Communities assigned to postings outside the European Union are to be paid a living-conditions allowance (LCA) at the rate specified for their place of employment in the Annex.

This allowance is to be paid retroactively from 1 July 2006 as follows:

• living conditions allowance increased for Cuba (Havana) (from 20 to 25%), Eritrea (Asmara) (from 25 to 30%) and Honduras (Tegucigalpa) (from 20 to 25%);
• living conditions allowance reduced for Comoros (Moroni) (from 35 to 30%) and Panama (Panama City) (from 25 to 15%);
• new delegation opened with living conditions allowance for Southern Sudan (Juba) (40%);
• Netherlands Antilles (Willemstad) closed.

However, for officials, temporary staff and contractual staff posted to:

• Indonesia (Banda Aceh), Timor-Leste (Dili) and Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain), this allowance is to be paid retroactively from 1 January 2006;
• Iraq (Baghdad), this allowance is to be paid retroactively from 15 December 2005.

Brussels,12.09.2006
K.4/RM D(2006) 516235

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COMMISSION

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community;

Having regard to the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the Communities laid down by Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68⁽²⁾, as last amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2104/2005⁽³⁾, and in particular Article 10(1) of Annex X thereto,

Having regard to the Commission decision of 16 June 2005 on the exercise of powers conferred by the Staff Regulations on the appointing authority and by the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants on the authority responsible for concluding contracts of employment, as last amended by the Commission decision of 31 May 2006,

After consulting the Staff Committee and the Steering Committee for the External Service,

Whereas:

1. Account should be taken of the examination by the relevant Commission departments of the results of the questionnaire on living conditions completed by the delegations, the ratings of the United Nations system of hardship allowances and other information available to the Commission.
    
2. Account should be taken of the technical group’s discussions at its meeting of 12 October 2005 concerning the Appointing Authority’s evaluation of the living conditions allowance for all places of employment from 1 January 2006.
    
3. Account should be taken of the conclusions of the technical group’s meeting of 17 May 2006 and of the comments made by the relevant departments when the Steering Committee for the External Service was consulted on the retroactive revision of the living conditions allowance (LCA) from 1 January 2006 as follows:

• LCA increased for Indonesia (Banda Aceh) (from 35 to 40%), Timor-Leste (Dili) (from 35 to 40%) and Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain) (from 15 to 20%).

4. Account should be taken of the conclusions of the technical group’s meeting of 17 May 2006 and of the comments made by the relevant departments when the Steering Committee for the External Service was consulted on the retroactive revision of the living conditions allowance (LCA) from 1 July 2006 as follows:

• LCA increased for Cuba (Havana) (from 20 to 25%), Eritrea (Asmara) (from 25 to 30%) and Honduras (Tegucigalpa) (from 20 to 25%);
• LCA reduced for Comoros (Moroni) (from 35 to 30%) and Panama (Panama City) (from 25 to 15%);
• new delegation opened with LCA for Southern Sudan (Juba) (40%);
• Netherlands Antilles (Willemstad) closed,

THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Officials, temporary staff and contract staff of the European Communities assigned to postings outside the European Union shall be paid a living-conditions allowance at the rate specified for their place of employment in the Annex.

This allowance shall be paid retroactively from 1 July 2006.

However, for officials, temporary staff and contractual staff posted to:

• Indonesia (Banda Aceh), Timor-Leste (Dili) and Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain), this allowance shall be paid retroactively from 1 January 2006;
• Iraq (Baghdad), this allowance shall be paid retroactively from 15 December 2005.

This decision repeals and replaces that of 1 January 2005.

Done at Brussels, on 12.09.2006.

Eneko LANDABURU
Director-General for External Relations
[Signed]

LIST OF PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT AND LIVING-CONDITIONS ALLOWANCE RATES*
Date of effect: 01.7.2006 (* except Indonesia (Banda Aceh), Timor-Leste and Trinidad and Tobago: 01.01.2006; Iraq: 15.12.2005)

* Revised following 2006 mid-term review.
_________________
FOOTNOTES

⁽¹⁾ The rates for 2007 will be published at a later date.
⁽²⁾ OJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1.
⁽³⁾ OJ L 337, 22.12.2005, p. 7.