About MEPs

Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament

The Code of Conduct entered into force on 1 January 2012. It sets out as its guiding principles that Members shall act solely in the public interest and conduct their work with disinterest, integrity, openness, diligence, honesty, accountability and respect for the European Parliament's reputation.

The Code of Conduct defines conflicts of interest and how Members should address them and it includes rules on, for example, official gifts to Members and professional activities of former Members.

The Code of Conduct also puts an obligation on Members to submit a detailed declaration of their financial interests. Members are also obliged to declare their attendance at events organised by third parties, where the reimbursement of their travel, accommodation, or subsistence expenses, or the direct payment of such expenses, is covered by a third party. These declarations are a reflection of the demanding rules and standards of transparency laid down in the Code of Conduct. The information supplied by Members in their declarations can be found on the Members' individual profile pages.

Members also have to declare gifts they have received when representing Parliament in an official capacity, under the conditions laid down in the Implementing Measures to the Code of Conduct. Such gifts are reported in the register of gifts.

Any Member found to be in breach of the Code of Conduct can be given a penalty by the President. This penalty is announced by the President in Plenary and prominently published on Parliament's website for the remainder of the Parliamentary term.

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The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members

The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members is the body responsible for giving Members guidance on the interpretation and implementation of the Code of Conduct. At the request of the President the Advisory Committee also assesses alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct and advises the President on possible action to be taken

The Advisory Committee is composed of five Members. They are appointed by the President on the basis of their experience and of political balance between Parliament's political groups. Each of the five Members serves as chairperson for six months, on a rotating basis. The President also nominates one reserve Member for each political group not otherwise represented in the Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee publishes each year a report of its work.

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Salaries and pensions

Salary of MEPs

MEPs, in general, receive the same salary under the single statute which came into effect in July 2009.

The monthly pre-tax salary of MEPs under the single statute is €9,808.670 as of 1.7.2022. The salary comes from Parliament's budget and is subject to an EU tax and insurance contributions, after which the salary is €7,647.13. Member States may also subject the salary to national taxes. The basic salary is set at 38.5% of the basic salary of a judge at the European Court of Justice.

There are a few exceptions: MEPs who held a mandate in Parliament before the 2009 elections could opt to keep the previous national system for salary, transitional allowance and pensions.

Pensions

Under the statute, former Members are entitled to an old-age pension from the age of 63. The pension equals 3.5% of the salary for each full year’s exercise of a mandate but not more than 70% in total. The cost of these pensions is met from the European Union budget.

An additional pension scheme, introduced for MEPs in 1989, was closed to new members from July 2009 and is being phased out.

MEPs' allowances

Like Members of national parliaments, Members of the European Parliament receive a number of allowances that are intended to cover the expenditure they incur in the performance of their parliamentary duties.

General expenditure allowance

This allowance is intended to cover expenditure in the Member State of election, such as Members’ office management costs, telephone and postal charges, and the purchase, operation and maintenance of computer and telematics equipment. The allowance is halved in the case of Members who, without due justification, do not attend half the number of plenary sittings in one parliamentary year (September to August).

The amount of this allowance in 2022 is EUR 4 778 per month.

Travel expenses

Most meetings of the European Parliament, such as plenary sessions, committee meetings and political group meetings, take place in Brussels or Strasbourg. Upon presentation of the supporting documents, Members are reimbursed the actual cost of their travel tickets for attending such meetings, up to a maximum of the D business class (or similar) air fare, the first class rail fare or €0.56 per km for car journeys (up to a maximum of 1 000 km), plus fixed allowances based on the distance and duration of the journey to cover the other costs of travelling (such as motorway tolls, excess baggage charges and reservation fees).

Other travel expenses

Members are often required to travel within and outside the Member State in which they were elected, both in the performance of their official duties and for other purposes (for example, to attend a conference or take part in a working visit).

For activities outside their Member State of election, Members may be reimbursed for their travel, accommodation and related expenses up to a maximum annual amount of €4 716. For activities within their Member State of election, only travel expenses are reimbursed, up to a maximum annual amount determined on a country-by-country basis.

Daily subsistence allowance

• Parliament pays a flat-rate allowance of €338 per day to cover all other expenses incurred by Members during parliamentary activity periods, on condition that they prove their attendance by signing one of the official registers made available for that purpose.
• If a Member does not take part in more than half of the roll-call votes on voting days in plenary the allowance is halved, even if the Member is present. In the case of meetings organised outside the European Union, the allowance is €169 (likewise subject to the signing of a register), with accommodation expenses being reimbursed separately.

Review of European and National Election Results

The publication is the most complete and comprehensive database available covering developments in the political spectrum across the EU, tracing back election results and the composition of the European Parliament to its first direct election in 1979. In addition, the Review also offers an overview of recent national elections in all EU Member States.