Greece Court of Audit to rule on pensioners' solidarity contribution

The Plenary of the Court of Audit is scheduled to rule on October 7 regarding the constitutionality of the Pensioners' Solidarity Contribution (EAS) in Greece. The decision could impact more than 400,000 pensioners.

The legal challenge stems from a pensioner's appeal contesting the current calculation mechanism. Currently, for main pensions exceeding 1,468 euros, the EAS is applied at rates between 3% and 14%. For supplementary pensions, rates range from 3% to 10%.

The core of the dispute is that once a pension exceeds the established threshold, the contribution is calculated based on the total pension amount rather than only on the portion exceeding the limit. This mechanism can lead to disproportionate increases in deductions following even minor pension raises. The Court must determine if this method complies with the constitutional principles of equality and proportionality. A ruling against the current system could lead to changes in how the contribution is structured and potentially trigger claims for retroactive payments.