PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) ADJUSTING THE DAILY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE RATES FOR OFFICIALS ON MISSION LAID DOWN IN ARTICLE 13 OF ANNEX VII TO THE STAFF REGULATIONS OF OFFICIALS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Date: 1991-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European official, allowances and expenses, regulations for civil servants, servant (EU)

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(91) 77 final 

Brussels, 15 March  1991 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EEC) 

adjusting  the daily  subsistence  allowance  rates for officials on mission 

laid down  in Article  13 of Annex  VII  to the Staff  Regulations 

of Officials of  the European  Communities 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

~i-

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1.  The last general revision of the rates of the allowances for missions 
within the Community vas based an a survey carried oat In January and 
February I960 the results of which were incorporated In Council Regulation 
No 2339/88 of 23 July 1988. 

The scales fixed then no longer reflect prevailing economic conditions and 
so the rates of the daily subsistence allowanoe and the owning for the 
reimbursement of hotel expenses for ^g^(ff«? within the Member States 
urgently need revision. 

The rates currently payable are as follows: 

Country 

Hôtel 

Al-, 

-A3 
Allowance 

A4 - B 
Allowance 

Other  Cyr*Ae*i 
Allowance 

GERMANY 

2 925 

2 295 

4 060 

2 700 

2 485 

3 625 

BELGIUM 

DENMARK 

SPAIN 

FRANCE 

GREECE 

TBETAMn 

ITALY 

4 960 

2 940 

3 345 

2 015 

3 105 

2 215 

2 120 

1 480 

4 000 

2 400 

4 260 

2 355 

LUXEMBOURG 

2 410 

2 330 

NETHERLANDS 

3 660 

2 520 

PORTUGAL 

3 155 

1 680 

UNITED 
KINGDOM 

3 490 

2 130 

4 740 

5 455 

3 975 

3 845 

2 390 

4 480 

4 535 

3 625 

4 390 

3 260 

3 755 

3 355 

5 045 

3 675 

3 555 

2 210 

4 145 

4 195 

3 355 

4 060 

3 015 

4 385 

2. 

Ttasrlfl  nf  tJre  «ivrvwy 

-  2  -

2.1.  The latest survey (during the first half of 1990) covered the hotels 
used in the previous survey, conducted in January and February 1988. 

Only in the odd oases where the hotels used previously had closed down or 
had been substantially regraded were other hotels substituted. 

2.2.5.  First-class hotels, other than those charging excessively high 
prices, were taken for officials in Grades Al - A3 and second-class hotels 
for those in other grades. 

To provide a coherent frame of reference and in the absence of 
internationally accepted hotel gradings, there was no alternative but to 
use the Michelin guide, which is the only currently available work that 
covers all the Community countries.  There the following classification is 
used: 

one house 
two houses 
one turret 
.two turrets 
three turrets 

fairly comfortable 
comfortable 
very oornfortahl e 
extremely oomf ortable 
luxurious and traditional 

First-class hotels are those with one or two turrets in the Michelin guide. 

Second-class hotels are those with two houses, and occasionally one turret 
if there are too few of the others.  Those with only one house do not 
offer a sufficient standard of comfort, often have too few roams with 
bathrooms and often have rooms lacking telephones and writing tables.  They 
have therefore not been Included as reference hotels. 

3. 

Rrvwltrinun  r>4>  -hh* 

ftltnwMV*» 

The allowance covering all mission expenses (Article 13(6) of Annex VII to 
the Staff Regulations) may be broken down as follows: 

- 3 -

Grades A1-A3: 

hotel op.111ng plus flat-rate allowance covering breakfast 
two meals 
sundry expenses 

Other grades: 

flat-rate allowanoe covering hotel costs 

breakfast 
two meals 
sundry expenses. 

4.  Assessment of the various factors oonsti1avM:ng  +ba  A.11 nwarra 

4.1.  Hotel costs:  see 2.2 above. 

4.2.  Cost of brftairP*.crh:  average of prices quoted by the hotels used for 
reference. 

Hotel costs do not include breakfast (Article 13 of Annex VU to the Staff 
Regulations). 

If, in the case of staff in Grades A1-A3 the hotel price includes 
breakfast, a deduction is made of either its actual cost or, if this cannot 
be determined, a flat 7.7% of the price of the room (Commission decision -
procedure E/447/67, 9.4.1987). 

4 . 3. 

P-nsrh  nf  -hun  mftalg 

4.3.1.  Lunch 

For Brussels and Luxembourg  (average of a + b) 

(a)  Snack or moderately priced lunch - average price of: 

- a set menu at an institution restaurant, 
- a set menu at an institution oafetaria, 
- a set menu at a snack bar in town, 
+ a drink and a coffee. 

(b)  Simple meal:  average price in a reference hotel or, falling that, in 
a Michelin Guide two-fork restaurant in the case of officials in 
Grades A1-A3 and in a one-fork restaurant in the case of other officials, 
for: 

- a menu of the day or business lunch, 
+ a drink and a coffee. 

- 4 -

For the other places (average of o + d ): 

• 

(o) snack 
(d) same as (b) above 

The sum of the prices of these meals is divided by two to give the part of 
the allowance covering the cost of the midday meal. 

4.3.2.  rH^r**7» 

Price of one full meal (à la carte - average prices with a drink and 
coffee) in the reference hotels or, falling that, in the restaurants used 
for (b). 

The price of these meals (average of midday plus evening meal) is added 
together to give the part of the allowanoe covering meals. 

4.4.  Sundry expenses. 

Sundry expenses are supposed to oover the cost of four (two return) 
Journeys by publio transport and two local telephone calls. 

5.  Agreements with hotels 

5.1.  General 

Generally speaking, except for Brussels, Luxembourg and Madrid, it has 
proved virtually impossible to conclude agreements with hotels to secure 
price reductions, because: 

-  hotels cannot be guaranteed a minimum number of bed-nights, since the 

Administration would be unable to provide efficient central 1 zed 
management of reservations or compel staff to use particular hotels; 

-  special prices are impossible to obtain, hotels being already fully 
booked at certain times, as in tourist centres and towns of special 
specific interest, such as Strasbourg when Parliament is sitting. 

5.2.  ftrngfiglg  - Luxembourg - ifaH-Hri 

- 5 -

For the cities of Brussels and Luxembourg, having  regard  to the 
presence  of  the institutions  and the number  of overnight  stays 
and  the  frequency  of trips that  this gives  rise to, it has been 
possible, in certain  cases, to obtain  special  prices. 

For the  same  reasons, it has also been  necessary  to  look very 
closely at the  list of  reference hotels ensure  that  they meet 
the minimum  requirements  set  out  above. Some adjustments  have 
had  to be made. 

For Madrid, with virtually  all hotels offering  price  reductions, 
consideration  was alsu given  to  this point  when drafting  the 
proposal. 

5.3.  OtihflT plftOffi 

In calculating the allowanoe for other places no account was taken of the 
few, somewhat rare reductions (which in any event could not be relied on) 
granted by certain establishments.  The range of meeting places and hotel 
facilities is so widely scattered as to make the sums in question almost 
negligible and with little likelihood of staff staying in these hotels, 
they cannot be regarded as representative. 

6.  Cost saving 

In an effort to save costs in reimbursing hotel expenses specifically for 
Categories A1-A3 (reimtursement against bills) and to some extent other 
categories of officials (flat-rate refund, unless otherwise authorized), 
the Commission Administration is presently Issuing its officials with lists 
of hotels offering value for money and/or granting price reductions under 
specific agreements made during the survey. 

7. 

Short-term  outlook  -  pmpnsw.1 

In order to ensure that the allowances paid to officials on mission are 
kept properly in line with the rising costs of hotel accommodation arrf 
restaurants, and with requests from the other institutions to that effect, 
the time has come to propose a new method of adjustment that will reflect 
the economic realities in the places to which officials are sent. 

- 6 -

Adjustments are currently made on the basis of  'one-off surveys conducted 
at each place of destination listed In this proposal, in order to ascertain 
in situ, whether our listed hotels and restaurants have maintained their 
standards and how far their prices have risen. 

These surveys commit substantial resources and might In future be scheduled 
for every three years. 

However, so that adjustments can be made annually^ as In all areas where 
administrative expenditure is Involved, the Commission Administration is 
having a study carried out to identify eoonomio indicators specific to the 
hotel and catering trades. 

The study is now under way and approaches have been made to the national 
tourist boards and the Statistical Office of the European Communities. 

Subject to its satisfactory outcome, and if the budgetary authority 
approved this new method, future adjustments might be made on two separate 

(i) 

a special on-the-spot survey of a large number of selected hotels 
and restaurants every three years; 

(11) 

(the economic indicators for each intermediate year. 

6.  Results of the survey 

As stated at 7, the cost increases noted were recorded during the 
on-the-spot surveys. 

Although the percentage increases In the two sectors (hotels and 
restaurants) are unrelated to the general rise In prices notified by the 
Statistical Office, they still dearly to some extent correspond. 

The rates of Inflation are therefore shown as a guide In the attached table 
(Annex 1) but do not by any means necessarily reflect the Increases we have 
found, particularly in the hotel trade where these Increases may be very 
substantial. 

As regards restaurants, the price rises have been much more in line with 
inflation. 

-

*-

Proposal for Council Regulation 
allowanoe rates for officials on mission laid down in Article 13 of 
Annex VU  to the Staff Begulations of Officials of the European Comraunities 

adjusting the daily subsistence 

THE OUUNUIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single 
Commission of the European Communities, 

Having regard to the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of 
Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities laid down by 
Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68,1 as last amended by 
Regulation (Euratom, ECSC, EEC) No 3736/90,2 and in particular 
Article 13(9) of Annex VU  to the Staff Regulations and Articles 22 and 67 
of the Conditions of Employment, 

Having rega£ to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas, in view of the increased costs recorded in the different places of 
employment in the Member States, the rates of daily subsistence allowanoe 
for officials on mission should be adjusted, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Articlel 

Article 13 of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations is amended as follows: 

1.  The scale in paragraph 1(a) is replaced by the following: 

1  QJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p.l. 
2  QJ L 360, 22.12.1990, p.l. 

- t f-

I 

H 

HI 

Grades Al to A3 
andIA3 

Grades A4 to A6, 
IA4 to LA8 and 
Category B 

Other grades 

(BFR) 

Belgium 

Germany 
Greece 
France 

Italy 
Inxprnhcflirg 
Netherlands 
United 

Spain 
Portugal 

-2 635 
3 130 
2 468 
1 680 
2 398 
2 868 
2 610 
2 638 
2 628 

2 610 
2 680 
2 000 

4 690 
6 120 
4 228 
2 660 
4 300 
8 238 
8 618 
4 435 
4 988 

6 755 
8 230 
4 180 

3 900 
8 660 
3 910 
2 668 
3 960 
4 640 
6 198 
3 600 
4 668 

6 328 
4 640 
3 640 

2.  The first sentence of paragraph 2 is amended to read as follows: 

"2.  In addition to the rates set out in Column I of the foregoing scale, 
the hotel bill covering room, service and taxes, but excluding breakfast 
shall be reimbursed up to a maximum of BFR 2 838 for Greece, BFR 3 305 for 
Luxembourg, BFR 3 670 for Belgium, BFR 3 210 for France, BFR 4 420 for the 
Netherlands, BFR 3 228 for Germany, BFR 6 038 for Denmark, BFR 4 985 for 
Italy, BFR 4 305 for the United Kingdom. BFR 4 418 for Ireland, BFR 4 665 
for Spain and BFR 3 628 for Portugal. " 

This Regulation shall enter Into force on the day following its publication 
in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in 
all Member States. 

Done at 

For the Council 
The  President 

ISSN 0254-1475 

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