election in 1979. MEPs may Strasbourg are employed directly by Parliament. Text taken from How gender balanced will the next European Parliament be?, Gina Pavone/OBC Transeuropa, EDJNet. It came into force after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty by 28 countries. political group meetings. No single group has ever held a majority in Parliament. From 1 January 2007, when Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU, there were 785 MEPs, but their number was reduced to 736 at the elections in 2009. group meetings, take place in Brussels or Strasbourg. Members of the European Parliament are free to choose they were elected. not exceed 75% of the parliamentary assistance allowance. per MEP. [19] EU institutions have focused on how to achieve a better gender balance (at least 40 percent) or gender parity (50 percent) in the next Parliament, and for other high-level posts in other institutions. Parliament before the 2009 elections could opt to keep the The publication is the most complete and comprehensive One of the oldest common institutions, it began as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). It is now recording about 4,000 new daily cases and has the second highest COVID-related death rate … Since 1979 MEPs have been elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year period. In other member states, MEPs are immune from detention and from legal proceedings, except when caught in the act of committing an offense. Seats are allocated on the basis of population of each Member State. 43. 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. Who can apply: Nationals of Member State of the European Union, who have a level of education corresponding to completed or ongoing university studies or vocational training relevant for the tasks of Europol and very good knowledge of at least two European Union languages (of which one should be English). European Union. Member States may also subject the salary to national taxes. published on Parliament’s website for the duration of their There are usually a number of former prime ministers and former members of the European Commission. In 2020, the maximum amount made available is EUR 25 442 Like Members of national parliaments, Members of the European Parliament receive a number of [10], Until 2009, MEPs were paid (by their own Member State) exactly the same salary as a member of the lower House of their own national parliament. Notably, Ian Paisley and John Hume once held "triple mandates" as MEP, MP in the House of Commons, and MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly simultaneously. authorities. a valid contract, and partly to the relevant income tax Around a third of MEPs have previously held national parliamentary mandates, and over 10% have ministerial experience at a national level. Brussels, 1.6.2018. There is no uniform voting system for the election of MEPs; rather, each member state is free to choose its own system, subject to three restrictions: The allocation of seats to each member state is based on the principle of degressive proportionality, so that, while the size of the population of each nation is taken into account, smaller states elect more MEPs than would be strictly justified by their populations alone. previous national system for salary, transitional allowance and spectrum across the EU, tracing back election results and the This has been reduced to 705 members after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in January 2020, with each member state now having at least six and at most 96 MEPs.[2]. commission regulation (eu) no 1244/2010 of 9 december 2010 l 338. There are several categories of assistant. To learn how to add open license text to Wikipedia articles, please see this how-to page. The pension equals 3.5% of Elections are held once every five years, on the basis of universal suffrage. overview of recent national elections in all EU Member States. database available covering developments in the political Duration: 3-6 months. [11], However, in July 2005, the Council agreed to a single statute for all MEPs, following a proposal by the Parliament. The allowance is halved in the case of Members who, without due justification, Members are often required to travel within and outside the Member State in which they were elected, both image/svg+xml. Voting age is 18, aside signing one of the official registers made available for that purpose. Members during parliamentary activity periods, on condition that they prove their attendance by [17], As of 2019[update], the youngest MEP is Kira Marie Peter-Hansen of Denmark, who was 21 at the start of the July 2019 session, and is additionally the youngest person ever elected to the European Parliament. The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members is the body responsible for giving Members guidance on the The following citizens have been elected in a state other than their native country;[23]. 22.12.2010 m3. salary is set at 38.5% of the basic salary of a judge at the European Court of Justice. the European Union, the allowance is €162 (likewise subject to the signing of a register), with accommodation and related expenses up to a maximum annual amount of €4 517. [20], In the 2019 elections 308 female MEPs were elected (41%). These declarations are published annually in a register and are available on the Internet.[15]. 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. regulation (eu) no 465/2012 of the european parliament and of … [18] The FEMM Committee requested a study exploring the results of the election in terms of gender balance. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Witney from 2001 to 2016 and leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. [12] As of July 1, 2019, the monthly salary is of €8,932.86, or just over €107,000 per year. Upon presentation of the supporting documents, Most meetings of the European Parliament, such as plenary sessions, committee meetings and political managed by approved paying agents who guarantee compliance with From 26 September 2005 to 31 December 2006, Bulgaria had 18 observers in Parliament and Romania 35. Since 1979 MEPs have been elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year [3] As a result of being broad alliances of national parties, European groups parties are very decentralised and hence have more in common with parties in federal states like Germany or the United States than unitary states like the majority of the EU states. 30.10.2009 m2. 35. reservation fees). statute is €8,932.86 as of 1.7.2019. To learn how to add open license text to Wikipedia articles, please see this how-to page. For information on reusing text from Wikipedia, please see the terms of use. European Union is an international organisation consisting of European Countries, which was formed in 1993. as a salary to assistants who fulfil the requirements and have The electoral area may be subdivided if this will not generally affect the proportional nature of the voting system. Such gifts are reported in the register of gifts. The Parliament, like the other institutions, was not designed in its current form when it first met on 10 September 1952. of the allowance. 2018/0216(COD) Proposal for a. contract, unless they obtain a derogation on duly justified persons providing services and for paying agents. The two largest groups are the European People's Party (EPP) and the Socialists & Democrats (S&D). Luxembourg, Slovenia and Latvia all elected 50 percent female MEPs. also assesses alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct and advises the President on possible action to be [8] The obligation to spend one week a month in Strasbourg was imposed on Parliament by the Member State governments at the 1992 Edinburgh summit. Member MEPs, in general, receive the same salary under the Thus, since the 2009 elections, all MEPs receive a monthly pre-tax salary set at 38.5% of that of a judge at the European Court of Justice. do not attend half the number of plenary sittings in one parliamentary year (September to August). More information on pay can be found here. allowances that are intended to cover the expenditure they incur in the performance of their This article incorporates text from a free content work. in the performance of their official duties and for other purposes (for example, to attend a conference [13], The single statute represented a pay-cut for MEPs from some member states (e.g. experience and of political balance between Parliament's political groups. When the countries then become full member states, these observers become full MEPs for the interim period between accession and the next European elections. single statute which came into effect in July 2009. Under the statute, former Members are entitled to an assistance allowance is earmarked for accredited assistants. their own assistants within a budget set by Parliament. more than 70% in total. parliamentary duties. [21], European citizens are eligible for election in the member state where they reside (subject to the residence requirements of that state); they do not have to be a national of that state. Current MEPs also include former judges, trade union leaders, media personalities, actors, soldiers, singers, athletes, and political activists. For information on reusing text from Wikipedia, please see the terms of use. If a Member does not take part in more than half of the roll-call votes on voting days in plenary Bulgaria weathered the first wave of the pandemic last year relatively well, but like other eastern European countries has suffered badly in the current wave. Sweden elected the highest percentage of female MEPs: 55 percent. They are appointed by the President on the basis of their Direct access to language menu (press "Enter"), Direct access to search menu (press "Enter"), Statute for Members of the European Parliament, Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament with respect to financial interests and conflicts of interest, Implementing Measures to the Code of Conduct, Declaration of Members attendance pursuant to an invitation at events organised by third parties, Notification of gifts received by Members representing Parliament in an official capacity, Register of gifts - 7th parliamentary term, Register of gifts - 8th parliamentary term, Register of gifts - 9th parliamentary term, Rules of Procedure of the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2012, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2013, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2014 - first half, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2014 - second half, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2015, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2016, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2017, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2018, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2019 - first half, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Annual Report - 2019 - second half, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Rota of Chairs-in-Office - 9th term - first half, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Draft calendar of meetings - 2019 & 2020, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members - Draft calendar of meetings – 2021, Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament, The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members, Review of European and National Election Results, Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats), Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, The Left group in the European Parliament - GUE/NGL. the Member State in which the MEP concerned was elected. [21][22] The oldest MEP is Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, who was 82 at the start of the July 2019 session. circumstances, four. EUROPEAN COMMISSION. phased out. In 2002, Italian MEPs earned €130,000, while Spanish MEPs earned less than a quarter of that at €32,000. States may also subject the salary to national taxes. Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members. The salary comes from The names or corporate names of all assistants are regulation (ec) no 988/2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 16 september 2009 l 284. In addition, Australian and other Commonwealth citizens residing in the United Kingdom, up until, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe § Members, List of members of the European Parliament, 2019–2024, Learn how and when to remove this template message, European Union–United Kingdom relations, Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union, Political groups of the European Parliament, first European Parliament election in 1979, Category:Members of the European Parliament, List of current Members of the European Parliament, "Rule 1 in Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament (link is dead)", "The European Parliament: historical background | Fact Sheets on the European Union | European Parliament", "The European Parliament and Supranational Party System", "Understanding the European Parliament from a Federalist Perspective: The Legislatures of the USA and EU Compared", "The European Parliament § Future organisation of the European Parliament", Fresh start with new Members' Statute: The salary – a judgmental question, "EU Parliament Users' Guide Code of Conduct for Members", "In parliaments across Europe women face alarming levels of sexism, harassment and violence", "EU closes in on target for gender parity in the European Parliament", "How gender balanced will the next European Parliament be? recruit three accredited assistants, or, in certain MEPs are organised into seven different cross-nationality political groups, except the 57 non-attached members known as Non-Inscrits. Cyprus dropped from 17 percent in 2014 to zero women this year, while Estonia dropped from 50 to 33 percent. Similarly, Croatia had 12 observer members from 17 April 2012, appointed by the Croatian parliament in preparation for its accession in 2013.[25]. Text taken from EU closes in on target for gender parity in the European Parliament, Kashyap Raibagi/VoxEurop, EDJNet. Total expenditure on local assistants and trainees may REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL. are held - and Brussels, where they attend additional plenary sittings, as well as committee and The salary comes from Parliament's budget and is subject to an EU tax and insurance contributions, after which the salary is €6,962.95. themselves how to share out the costs. A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament.[1]. [16] The percentage of women in the EU parliament has increased from 15.2 percent after the first European Parliament election in 1979 to 41 percent after 2019 European Parliament election. The much-criticised expenses arrangements were also partially reformed. Malta, Cyprus and Estonia lost the most female representation in the EU parliament, dropping by 17 percentage points, while Slovakia dropped by 16. contributions, after which the salary is €6,962.95. Under the protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Union, MEPs in their home state receive the same immunities as their own national parliamentarians. ", "Analysis of political parties' and independent candidates' policies for gender balance in the European Parliament after the elections of 2014", "40% of MEPs in EU Parliament are female, new figures show", "Meet the European Parliament's youngest ever MEP", "Parliament to welcome Croatian "observer" members", The election of the Members of the European Parliament, Intergroup on long term investment and reindustrialisation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Member_of_the_European_Parliament&oldid=1012917116, Articles with dead external links from June 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from February 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2019, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Беларуская (тарашкевіца)‎, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Paid: Yes. In addition, the Review also offers an The Code of Conduct also puts an obligation on Members to submit a detailed declaration of their financial interests. The economy of the European Union is the joint economy of the member states of the European Union (EU). MEPs may not employ close relatives as assistants. On the other hand, Cyprus has elected zero women, and Slovakia elected only 15 percent. assistants must not engage in any external activities that The basic salary is set at 38.5% of the basic salary of a judge at the European Court of Justice. This penalty is announced by the President in Plenary and prominently published on Parliament's website for the remainder of the Parliamentary term. It was a consultative assembly of 78 appointed parliamentarians drawn from the national parliaments of member states, having no legislative powers. The Advisory Committee publishes each year a report of its work. No change in this configuration can occur without the unanimous consent of all national governments. It is the second largest economy in the world in nominal terms, after the United States, and the third one in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, after China and the United States. Several MEPs may form a grouping to recruit one or more [14], Members declare their financial interests in order to prevent any conflicts of interest. Earlier European organizations that were a precursor to the European union did not have MEPs.