Additional Benefits
Last updated on 08/12/2022.
- Political immunity (This doesn’t mean MEPs are above the law — Parliament can vote to lift the immunity in case of serious violations — but it allows them some independence)
- Transportation
• Travel costs covered between home and the Parliament (first class, one trip per week). This not only includes the cost of my ticket or gas if I am driving, but also compensation for the time and distance of my trip. In other words, I’m given money for having to sit for a while in the car, train or plane. A roundtrip by car from Berlin to Brussels is compensated with more than 1,300 euro. If I take the train I would be given more than 530 euro (even though the tickets would be free - see my train passes below!)
• €4503 per year to cover other official travel
• First class train travel in Belgium (and in Germany, for German MEPs)
• Limousine service in Brussels and Strasbourg
- Diplomatic passport
- Transition allowance at the end of the mandate (= monthly MEP salary x number of years served) After one full year in office, MEPs are already entitled to the payment of six months' transitional allowance, with a maximum of 24 months' payment possible.
- Insurance
• Coverage against sickness and theft
• Pension (= 3.5% of MEP salary x number of years served)
