Firstly, salaries and other benefits have been much reduced following a 2004 package of staff reforms; while salaries are relatively attractive to staff coming from new member states, the same cannot be said for many EU10 member state employees. This situation is aggravated by the EU refusal to recognise more than a minimal level of work experience earned outside the institutions, a particularly malign policy given that the average age of entry for AD5 ('graduate-level') staff in the commission is 34 years old (2009 Commission Human Resources Report).
Salaries and other benefits were substantially reduced after a 2004 staff reform package; while salaries remain attractive to new member states' workers, they are less so for many EU10 employees. This issue is exacerbated by the European Union's refusal to recognize more than a minimal amount of work experience acquired outside the institutions, which is particularly problematic given that AD5 (graduate-level) staff in the commission typically start at age 34 (2009 Commission Human Resources Report).