We review the perks that newly elected legislators who meet this week can expect.
Los MEPs meet in Strasbourg to hold their first solemn session since June European elections.
From salaries and allowances to many other benefits, MEPs can expect considerables advantages while serving as EU legislatorsand even after leaving office.
Here is a list of the main advantages to be a member of European Parliament.
What salary do MEPs have?
All MEPs They have the same gross salaryregardless of status or service.
They charge 10,337 euros per month, or 8,090 euros after deducting special EU deductions. The majority of MEPs They must also pay additional national taxesalthough that varies depending on the country they come from.
These are the figures as of January 1, 2024, which are updated every year to take inflation into account.
The comparison with national legislators is favorable. In April 2024, British deputies received a gross monthly salary of about 7,600 pounds (9,019 euros) per month; in France, about 7,637 euros. In Spain They have a gross salary of 3,126.89 euros.
And it is certainly more than the salary that the typical ordinary EU worker can expect, which according to Eurostat is on average a salary of 2,944 euros per month.
What monthly allowance do MEPs receive?
MEPs receive a monthly allowance of 4.950 euros for office expenses in your constituency, such as rental and computer supplies. (Parliament provides the office space in Brussels and Strasbourg).
This is a very controversial amount, since can be deposited directly into personal bank accounts of the MEPs. Unlike, for example, travel expenses, they are not required to justify or present invoices, nor to reveal how the money was spent.
Controversy over the extra expenses of MEPs
The controversy over expenses has sometimes reached the EU courts. Ioannis Lagos, MEP far-right party Golden Dawn, was convicted of membership in a criminal organization in 2020.
In the seven-month period between his conviction and Parliament agreeing to lift his immunity, Lagos had access to more than 100,000 euros in public fundsand activists have argued that he may have attempted to use taxpayer-funded travel expenses to escape justice.
How much do MEPs earn in per diem?
In addition to their salaries, EU legislators They also charge for the mere fact of showing up.
Los MEPs they can claim a flat-rate allowance of 350 euros per day, intended to cover the costs of accommodation, board and other during your stay in Brussels or Strasbourgbut it does not cover weekends or non-session days.
There is only one catch: MEPs have to sign a register to confirm their presence and, to receive the full amount, they also have to vote. If legislators miss more than half of the roll call votes during a plenary session, their stipend is reduced to only 175 euros a day.
ADVERTISINGAccording to Parliament’s calendar, there are political, committee or plenary events for about 150 days a year, which means an average of about 4,400 euros per month.
Can MEPs have other jobs?
As if this were not enough, MEPs They can also have parallel jobsand about two-thirds of them have them, according to research on the latest European Parliament carried out by Transparency International.
They are not always paid for their extra efforts, but MEPss collect together 8.6 million euros a year with themmeaning that the average MEP wins 12,000 extra euros a year from elsewhere, as the lobby group discovered.
In many cases, external income exceeds the base salary from an MEP, and sometimes come from companies that also lobby on EU political issues, according to Transparency International.
ADVERTISINGThey continue to earn even if they are no longer MEPs
MEPs continue to receive allowances even after leaving office, for example if they are not re-elected or resign to work in the private sector.
Its value is the same as your monthly salary, and they continue to charge it during a transitional period It depends on your seniority in the position.
Thus, a legislator who serves five complete terms could obtain a “golden retirement” for a total value of 248,000 euros, for two years.
MEPs too They are entitled to a pension when they turn 63. This pension amounts to 70% of your salary, and is accumulated at a rate of 3.5% of your salary for each year of service.
ADVERTISINGThousands of euros in travel expenses
To the MEPs They reimburse round-trip travel expenses to the European Parliament.
This includes business class air travel, first class train or reimbursements for car travel. An MEP traveling by car from Toulouse to Strasbourg, for example, You could claim a refund of 580 euros per trip.
If they visit other EU countries outside of official Parliament meetings, they can also claim a maximum of 4,886 euros per year for travel and accommodation.
When in Brussels or Strasbourg, MEPs also have access to the Parliament’s own fleet of vehicles for official business.
ADVERTISINGStaff budget
The majority of MEPs They can also hire three or four assistants, who help them in administrative and political tasks.
The MEPs receive a monthly budget allocation of 29,557 euros to pay the salaries, benefits and other associated expenses of their assistants.
The legislators They are free to choose their own staff, but they are prohibited from hiring close relatives.
