Lump sums of disbursed travel allowances amount to differences up to 40 000 Euro per year in relation to the actual costs involved all reimbursed by the administration of the European Parliament. For Instance, every time a MEP travels by air to or from Brussels, a YY-economy class unrestricted normal fare is being refunded even when the MEP chose to fly with a low cost airline.
In addition, we as Members profit from the so called long distance allowances that mount up to 540 Euro per Trip - providing easily an additional compensation of 10 000 Euro and more per year just for nothing.
Already in the coming week the European Parliament could easily abolish these privileges. A simple majority would be sufficient. Instead, there are serious efforts to increase these rates.
Double standard
On November 11, 2003, leading German Parliamentarians wrote a letter to the President of the European Parliament Pat Cox demanding to introduce a new regulation for travelling expenses, which would be determined by the actual travelling costs. A month later, not a single member of the German Conservatives or Social Democrats voted in favour of such a real cost solution. And what will happen during the coming week?
Special responsibility
The Austrian Social Democrats carry a special responsibility in this matter. As their independent front runner in 1999 I promised far reaching openness and transparency. This was one of the main reasons for our victory at the elections despite a trend against the Social Democrats almost all over Europe.
From now on, with the click of a mouse, interested citizens can have a look at my receipts (see bottom of this text).
Be transparent
As a consequence, I am asking all my colleagues to stop the disgraceful hypocrisy too. No MEP should pretend to be poor in public. Instead, every one should publish his real earnings.
It should also be stated who has done what with all the money he or she received in excess to the real costs.
Personally speaking, I have not submitted any claims for travel expenses since the end of 2002, with a single exception in 2003 for research purposes. The already received amount till 2002 will cover comfortably all my parliamentarian travel costs in 2003 and 2004 as well.
Eventual excessive pay will be invested in additional research on financial abuses in Brussels.
As a Rapporteur of the European Parliament on the Lobbying of Industrial Associations and on the Access to Confidential Documents, I will address these topics within the Parliament during the upcoming weeks.
In my view, 7000 Euro gross income per MEP would certainly be enough.
In any case, we urgently need a catharsis of the European Parliament.
Detailed information:
- Letter to the President of the Parliament
- Amendment regarding real travel costs and result of the vote
- Payments of the European Parliament for travels 1999
- Receipts for flights 1999
- Receipts for own car 1999
- Receipts for other costs 1999
- Payments of the European Parliament for travels 2000
- Receipts for flights 2000
- Receipts for own car 2000
- Receipts for other costs 2000
- Payments of the European Parliament for travels 2001
- Receipts for flights 2001
- Receipts for own car 2001
- Receipts for other costs 2001
- Payments of the European Parliament 2002
- Receipts for flights 2002
- Receipts for own car 2002
- Receipts for other costs 2002
- Payments of the European Parliament for travels 2003
- Receipts for flights 2003
- Receipts for own car 2003
- Receipts for other costs 2003
- Payments of the European Parliament for travels 2004
- Receipts for flights 2004
- Receipts for own car 2004
- Receipts for other costs 2004
|
to the top
back