Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 11 December 2023 amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament
Date: 2023-12-11
Institutions: Bureau of the European Parliament
Subjects: Member of the European Parliament, Statute for Members of the Parliament, allowances and expenses, assistant, parliamentary allowance, servant (EU)




C_202301617EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2023/1617


21.12.2023







            DECISION OF THE BUREAU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
         
of 11 December 2023
         
amending the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament
(C/2023/1617)


THE BUREAU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 223(2) thereof,


Having regard to the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (1),


Having regard to Rule 25 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament,

Whereas:







(1)


In accordance with Article 69(1) of the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (2) (‘the Implementing Measures’), the amounts of the general expenditure allowance, travel expenses and the daily subsistence allowance may be index-linked annually by the Bureau, up to a maximum increase equal to the annual inflation rate in the European Union in October of the previous year, as published by Eurostat.












(2)


The inflation rate in the European Union for the period from October 2022 to October 2023, as notified by Eurostat on 17 November 2023, stands at 3,6 %. The new amounts of the above allowances and travel expenses resulting from the adjustment needed in order to take that inflation rate into account should apply from 1 January 2024 and the Implementing Measures should be amended accordingly.












(3)


Pursuant to Article 69(2) of the Implementing Measures, the maximum amount of parliamentary assistance costs defrayable in respect of the personal staff referred to in Article 29(4) thereof is, where appropriate, to be index-linked annually by the Bureau on the basis of the Joint Index established by Eurostat to measure the change in the cost of living for EU officials pursuant to Article 65 of, and in accordance with Annex XI to, the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants, laid down in Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (3) (‘Staff Regulations’).












(4)


That index-linking is normally decided by the Bureau in December, taking effect retroactively as of July of the year in question. However, due to the fact that the Joint Index was set by Eurostat at 103,7 (+3,7 %) for the period from 1 July 2022 to 1 January 2023, and thus exceeded the threshold of 3 % established by the Staff Regulations for triggering an update in the remuneration, an intermediate adaptation of parliamentary assistance expenses was necessary. Accordingly, at its meeting of 12 June 2023, the Bureau decided, in line with the adjustment rate of 1,7 % set by the Commission for the first half of 2023, to increase the maximum monthly defrayable amount in respect of parliamentary assistance expenses to EUR 28 412, with effect from 1 January 2023.












(5)


For the second half of 2023, the Commission has set the adjustment rate at 1 %. The maximum monthly amount defrayable in respect of parliamentary assistance expenses should thus be increased to EUR 28 696 with effect from 1 July 2023 and the Implementing Measures should be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The Implementing Measures are amended as follows:






(1)


In Article 15, point (c) is replaced by the following:






‘(c)


in the event of travel by car, with a reimbursement ceiling of 1 000 km per outward or inward journey: EUR 0,58/km, plus the cost of any ferry crossing or similar transportation required.’;














(2)


Article 20, paragraph 1 is amended as follows:






(a)


point (a) is replaced by the following:






‘(a)


for the part of the journey between 0 and 50 km: EUR 25,91;’;














(b)


point (b) is replaced by the following:






‘(b)


for the part of the journey between 51 and 250 km: EUR 0,15/km;’;


















(3)


Article 22 is amended as follows:






(a)


paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

‘1.   The maximum annual amount which may be reimbursed in respect of travel expenses incurred in the cases referred to in Article 10(1), point (b), shall be EUR 4 886.’
;









(b)


the first subparagraph of paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3.   The maximum annual amount which may be reimbursed in respect of the travel expenses actually incurred by committee or subcommittee chairs travelling to attend conferences or events which deal with a matter of European interest falling within the sphere of responsibility of their committee or subcommittee and which have a parliamentary dimension shall be EUR 4 886. Such participation shall require prior authorisation from the President of Parliament, following verification that appropriations up to the maximum amount indicated above are available.’
;













(4)


In Article 24, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2.   If the official activity takes place on the territory of the Union, a Member shall receive a lump-sum allowance of EUR 350.’
;









(5)


In Article 29, paragraph 4 is replaced by the following:

‘4.   The maximum monthly amount defrayable in respect of all the personal staff referred to in Article 30 shall be EUR 28 696 with effect from 1 July 2023.’
;









(6)


In Article 42, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2.   The monthly amount of the general expenditure allowance shall be EUR 4 950.’.







Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2024, with the exception of Article 1, point 5, which shall apply from 1 July 2023.




(1)  Decision 2005/684/EC, Euratom of the European Parliament of 28 September 2005 adopting the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ L 262, 7.10.2005, p. 1).

(2)  Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 19 May and 9 July 2008 concerning implementing measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (OJ C 159, 13.7.2009, p. 1).

(3)  
            OJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/1617/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)