MEPs fail to build trust, again

MEPs' allowances for their assistants

• Total monthly allowance per MEP for assistants in 2008: €16,914.
  No limit to number of assistants each MEP may employ.
  The employer is the MEP or a service provider.
  Documentation required by the Parliament's management service: Application for reimbursement; copy of employment contract; copy of contract with paying agent, or copy of contract for provision of services between MEP and a service provider; certificate of assistant‘s membership of a social security scheme and a certificate of insurance covering accidents at work “failing which payments relating to the assistant concerned shall be suspended”.
• MEP should keep a pay statement record book itemising sums paid to assistant, tax and social security deductions.
• Paying agent: Paying agents should send to MEP once a year statements of the expenditure incurred in respect of salaries, social security contribution, tax payments and any other refundable expenditure. Copies of statements drawn up in accordance with professional standards laid down in national law should be forwarded to management service. Political groups can act as paying agents.
• Service contracts: Monthly payments can be made as advance payments.

Allowances for MEPs

• Travel allowances to an official meeting of Parliament bodies:
  By air, full economy fare from nearest airport to airport serving place of work, plus flat rate per kilometre of € 0.36 from place of residence to nearest airport, plus an amount based on distance from place of residence to place of work by surface transport, €0.73 per kilometre for first 500 km then €0.31 per km, plus amount based on distance of return journey.
  Supporting documents: boarding card or plane or train ticket or copy, or (for travel by car) declaration of mileage
• Travel allowances on official business outside the EU:
  by air, cost of travel to airport and cost of tickets
  by surface transport, cost of first-class train ticket or equivalent
• Daily allowances for participation in official meetings of Parliament bodies in the EU:
  €287 for accommodation, meals and other expenses (€144 for MEPs who have not taken part in roll-call votes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Strasbourg sessions or Thursday of Brussels sessions) in meetings outside the EU, €144 and the Parliament pays the cost of bed and breakfast.
• Additional travel allowance: Up to €4,000 a year to cover cost of travel anywhere on parliamentary business apart from in the country where an MEP was elected and or purposes other than attendance at official meetings. Expenses reimbursed on presentation of air or rail ticket and supporting documents.
• General expenditure allowances: Flat-rate monthly allowance of €4,052 to cover office management expenditure, phone bills, postage, IT equipment and travel by MEPs within their own country (50% to be repaid by MEPs who have not taken part in half the part-session days without valid reason).