Many EMBs link their staff pension to that of the public service, and it is natural to do so in EMBs where secretariat staff are public servants. It is cost-effective and convenient for these EMBs to maintain the pension link to the public service, and it may provide more secure or higher retirement benefits for EMB staff.

However, this practice can raise questions, especially for Independent and Mixed Model EMBs, about how ‘independent’ of the government the EMB is. In some countries, the EMB’s pension is linked by law to the public service pension without compromising its independence, while in others, EMB staff pension benefits are for staff of the legislature. Some EMBs have their own pension scheme.