Line4

2 min readWarningEBA reporting framework 4.2Updated 10 November 2026

Total variable remuneration in year N of all high earners cannot be less than the sum of four rows (EBA rule v12116_m)

A warning in the high earners, investment firms return, REM high earners (IF), on template R 04.01.a, information on the remuneration of high earners - IFD (I).

Check your file against this ruleWhat to do if it fails

The rule in plain words

Total variable remuneration (in EUR) in year N of all high earners cannot be less than these four added up:

  • Guaranteed variable remuneration awards – total amount
  • Severance payments awarded during the financial year - total amount
  • Total amount of contributions to discretionary pension benefits in year N (in EUR)
  • Total amount of variable remuneration awarded for multi- year periods under programmes which are not revolved annually (in EUR)

EBA checks it for eight columns: MB supervisory function, MB management function, dealing on own account, underwriting and placing of instruments, investment advice, order execution, portfolio management, operation of MTF/OTF, independent control functions, and all other staff. That makes eight checks. A failure names the one that failed.

How the Line4 Check report words itShow

The first of its checks, word for word as the report shows it when it fails. The others read the same, with their own column, row or sheet.

Dealing on own account, underwriting and placing of instruments: Total variable remuneration (in EUR) in year N of all high earners >= Guaranteed variable remuneration awards – Total amount + Severance payments awarded during the financial year - Total amount + Total amount of contributions to discretionary pension benefits in year N (in EUR) + Total amount of variable remuneration awarded for multi- year periods under programmes which are not revolved annually (in EUR)

What to do if your filing fails it

  1. 01Open the template below and find the cells the rule reads.
  2. 02Compare the values in your file. If the first is smaller than it may be, one of them is wrong: check both before you change either.
  3. 03EBA allows a small rounding difference, worked out from the decimals each value is reported with.
  4. 04It runs only when your filing indicators mark R 04.01 as reported.
  5. 05This is a warning. It does not stop the filing on its own, but your authority may ask you to explain it.

The cells it reads

Information on the remuneration of high earners - IFD (I) (R 04.01.a)

Rows

  • 0140Total variable remuneration (in EUR) in year N of all high earners
  • 0330Guaranteed variable remuneration awards – Total amount
  • 0350Severance payments awarded during the financial year - Total amount
  • 0370Total amount of contributions to discretionary pension benefits in year N (in EUR)
  • 0380Total amount of variable remuneration awarded for multi- year periods under programmes which are not revolved annually (in EUR)

Columns

  • 0010MB Supervisory function
  • 0020MB Management function
  • 0030Dealing on own account, underwriting and placing of instruments
  • 0040Investment advice, order execution
  • 0050Portfolio management
  • 0060Operation of MTF/OTF
  • 0070Independent control functions
  • 0080All other staff

A worked example

The first of its checks, with simple numbers.

Illustrative values
Guaranteed variable remuneration awards – total amount1,200
Severance payments awarded during the financial year - total amount800
Total amount of contributions to discretionary pension benefits in year N (in EUR)450
Total amount of variable remuneration awarded for multi- year periods under programmes which are not revolved annually (in EUR)300
Together2,750
What the rule then expects

Total variable remuneration (in EUR) in year N of all high earners must then be at least 2,750.

2,750Passes
2,650Fails

A file that reports 2,750 passes. One that reports 2,650 fails, by 100.

The numbers are illustrative, reported to the unit, so the rounding tolerance does not change the result.

Show the rule as writtenShow

EBA's formula, as written out for the first of its checks. Cells are written as {template, row, column, sheet}.

{R_04.01.a,r0140,c0030,} >= {R_04.01.a,r0330,c0030,} + {R_04.01.a,r0350,c0030,} + {R_04.01.a,r0370,c0030,} + {R_04.01.a,r0380,c0030,}

The next five:

{R_04.01.a,r0140,c0050,} >= {R_04.01.a,r0330,c0050,} + {R_04.01.a,r0350,c0050,} + {R_04.01.a,r0370,c0050,} + {R_04.01.a,r0380,c0050,}{R_04.01.a,r0140,c0080,} >= {R_04.01.a,r0330,c0080,} + {R_04.01.a,r0350,c0080,} + {R_04.01.a,r0370,c0080,} + {R_04.01.a,r0380,c0080,}{R_04.01.a,r0140,c0060,} >= {R_04.01.a,r0330,c0060,} + {R_04.01.a,r0350,c0060,} + {R_04.01.a,r0370,c0060,} + {R_04.01.a,r0380,c0060,}{R_04.01.a,r0140,c0010,} >= {R_04.01.a,r0330,c0010,} + {R_04.01.a,r0350,c0010,} + {R_04.01.a,r0370,c0010,} + {R_04.01.a,r0380,c0010,}{R_04.01.a,r0140,c0040,} >= {R_04.01.a,r0330,c0040,} + {R_04.01.a,r0350,c0040,} + {R_04.01.a,r0370,c0040,} + {R_04.01.a,r0380,c0040,}

And 2 more, the same formula for the other cells it covers.

Every REM high earners (IF) rule, by template

Checks like this one, run at the point of submission, are the first step to real-time supervision.