As the 2024 European elections approach, Euronews looks at the benefits of being an MEP, including an expenses allowance and a golden parachute.
From spending allocation to the golden parachute, the status of European legislator has many advantages, but also many conditions. Here is a list of the main benefits of being a Member of the European Parliament.
Salary
Each member of the European Parliament receives the same gross salary, regardless of the number of years spent in office. This amount amounts to 10,075.42 euros per month from July 2023. After taxes and insurance, the monthly total amounts to 7,853.89 euros. Indeed, many Member States require their MEPs to pay an additional national tax. The final net amount therefore depends on the MP’s country of origin and their tax policy.
In France, national deputies earn a gross monthly salary of €7,637 (€5,676 net) from January 2024.
Read more – Who are the highest paid MEPs in the European Union?
General expenses
To manage office costs in their constituency, including computers, telephones, organizing conferences as well as rent and office supplies, an overhead allowance of €4,950 is budgeted per month from January 2024. This allocation is highly controversial because the sum can be deposited directly into MPs’ personal bank accounts – and they are not required to disclose how the money was spent. While MPs must submit invoices to be reimbursed for travel expenses, the overhead allowance is not subject to any monitoring or control.
And that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. In September 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union upheld the European Parliament’s refusal to grant journalists access to documents relating to MEPs’ overhead allowance expenses, finding that the processing of more than four million documents for all requests constituted an “excessive administrative burden”.
Golden parachute
When an MEP is no longer in office, a soft landing with a golden parachute awaits them if they have been in office for at least a year. EU lawmakers are entitled to a transitional allowance equivalent to one month’s salary for each year in office, but for a maximum duration of two years. This means that an outgoing MEP can earn up to 241,810 euros if they do not carry out other functions in Parliament or in the civil service. If a former MEP accepts a mandate elsewhere, their new salary will be deducted from the transitional allowance.
If the former MP takes a job in the private sector or elsewhere outside the civil service, the full allowance is maintained, regardless of the reason the MP left their seat in Parliament.
“The right to transitional allowance does not only concern MEPs who are not re-elected in European elections, but also MEPs who, for whatever reason, end their mandate in the middle of the legislature (taking another post, leaving the (European Parliament)),” explained a spokesperson for the European Parliament to euronews.
Travel expenses over 4,000 euros
MEPs are reimbursed for their travel to European Parliament meetings, but only if they provide supporting documents. According to the Parliament website, these costs include
- up to a maximum of one business class plane ticket (or similar), or one first class train ticket, or €0.58 per km for car journeys (up to a maximum of 1000 km)
- fixed allowances based on distance and duration of travel to cover other travel costs (such as motorway tolls, excess baggage charges or booking fees).
MEPs can be reimbursed for travel, accommodation and other related costs up to a maximum annual amount of €4,940 for activities outside their country of origin.
Daily allowance
European legislators also receive a fixed compensation of 350 euros for “cover accommodation and related costs for each day that MEPs are present in Brussels or Strasbourg as part of their official activities”. This may include hotel bills, meals and “all other necessary expenses”, according to the European Parliament. MPs only receive the full allowance if they sign a register confirming their presence.
There’s just one catch: MPs have to show up and vote. If MPs miss more than half of the roll-call votes in plenary session, the daily allowance is reduced by half to 175 euros.
For meetings outside the European Parliament, the compensation is 175 euros, provided that MEPs sign the attendance register. In this case, hotel costs are reimbursed separately.
Budget for staff
Since July 2023, each MP has a monthly budget of 28,696 euros to cover all costs related to the recruitment of personal assistants, including their salaries and benefits. The distribution of funds is based on hiring a maximum of three accredited assistants – mainly based in Brussels – although under certain conditions four may be permitted, according to the European Parliament. At least a quarter of the monthly budget (7,174 euros) must be devoted to it.
For the hiring of local assistants based in the member state of the MP, it is possible to use up to 75% of this monthly budget (21,522 euros).
The monthly budget can also cover interns, paying agents and service providers that the MEP would hire, a spokesperson told euronews.
There is one main recruiting rule when it comes to hiring personal assistants: no close relatives allowed.
ADVERTISEMENTAccess to car and office
As is the case for many national parliaments, the European Parliament provides offices, located in Strasbourg and Brussels. MEPs also have access to official Parliament vehicles for official business when in either city.
The pension
MEPs are entitled to a pension from the age of 63. This pension is equal to 3.5% of salary for each full year of mandate, but does not exceed 70% in total. The cost of these pensions is charged to the European Union budget.
Medical fees
MEPs are entitled to reimbursement of two thirds of their medical costs.
