Allowances
In addition to their salary, MEPs are - like Members of national parliaments, entitled to allowances that cover expenditure incurred in the performance of their parliamentary duties, often away from home. All figures below are as of 01/01/2024.
The general expenditure allowance (€4 950 per month), or GEA, is a flat-rate sum allowing MEPs to cover expenses such as office rental in the Member State in which they are elected, such as IT hardware and software, office supplies, mobile phones/subscriptions and internet subscriptions.
For MEPs, it is important to be able to organise such activities in their constituency, locally, and not only in Brussels, and Strasbourg. The rules and purposes of the GEA are laid down in the Statute for Members and implementation rules are set by the Bureau.
The lump sum payment is used in order to safeguard the independence of the mandate and because this form of payment is the most cost-effective.
Last revision increases transparency with a simplified list of the types of costs covered. MEPs can publish their expenses online in a transparent and accessible manner.
MEPs receive half the allowance if they, without proper justification, attend fewer than half the plenary sittings in one parliamentary year (September to August)
Daily allowance
The daily allowance (€350 per day), also known as the subsistence allowance, is a flat-rate sum covering accommodation, meals and related expenses each day that an MEP is at the European Parliament on official business.
MEPs must sign an attendance register while there are exemptions for the President and parliamentary group leaders.
MEPs receive half the daily allowance if they miss more than half the roll-call votes on days when plenary votes are held, even if they are present and sign the attendance register.
For meetings outside the EU, the allowance is halved.
To and from the European Parliament:
The European Parliament covers the cost of travel to allow MEPs to participate in European Parliament meetings, like plenary, committee and group meetings. They mainly take place in Brussels or Strasbourg.
MEPs are refunded the actual cost of travel tickets for attending the meetings, upon submission of receipts.
Ceilings are set to a up to a maximum of business class (“D” fare class or similar) air fare, first class rail ticket, or €0.58 per km for car journeys (up to a maximum of 1000KM). The European Parliament issues tickets.
In addition, set amounts based on journey distance and duration to cover miscellaneous travel expenses (motorway tolls, excess baggage charges, reservation fees, etc.).
Official travel
During the exercise of their mandate, MEPs can travel beyond EP's places of works for different reasons while representing the EP: in the frame of committee fact-finding missions or committee delegations or official delegations to third countries mainly. These trips are organised following the EP Rules of Procedure and Bureau rules. Travel expenses fall under the budget of the committee or the delegation organising it.
Individual travel
Additionally, MEPs can organise travels on their behalf to carry out official duties. Members are often required to travel within and outside the Member State in which they are elected to carry out official duties as well as for other reasons (for example, to attend a conference or take part in a working visit).
For commitments in the MEP’s Member State, the Parliament only reimburses travel expenses up to a maximum annual amount determined on a country-by-country basis.
For commitments abroad - that are not as part of official Parliament meetings - MEPs may seek reimbursement for travel, accommodation and related expenses in other countries up to a maximum yearly amount of €4 886.
MEPs are entitled to a reimbursement of two-thirds of their medical expenses. Apart from the proportion of reimbursement, the detailed rules and procedures of this system are the same as that which covers EU civil servants.
At the end of their term in office, MEPs are entitled to a transitional allowance, equivalent to one month’s salary per year they were in office for up to two years maximum.
When a former MEP takes office elsewhere, the new salary offsets against the transitional allowance.
If the MEP is simultaneously entitled to an old age or invalidity pension, they cannot receive both and must choose one or the other.
MEPs may make use of official vehicles to attend meetings or events in Brussels or Strasbourg.