2017-05-31
In an unprecedented EU-wide collaborative effort, the journalists from "The MEPs Project" located in every member state investigated how members of the European Parliament (MEPs) make use of the general expenses payments they receive every month.
- On 31 May 2017, Transparency International called for action: “This is what happens when MEPs can collectively spend €40 millions of taxpayers’ money every year without having to produce a single receipt”, said Nick Aiossa, Policy Officer at Transparency International EU.
“It should be obvious that the lack of transparency and control around these allowances make them vulnerable to abuse. Today’s revelations are ample proof of that. This allowance has rules in place and it is not meant to serve as an additional salary, a way to personally enrich themselves, nor subsidise domestic political parties. It is time for the Parliament to take action to instill high-levels of trust in the institution,” concluded Aiossa.
- Litigation: the group of journalists who worked on this story sued the MEPs in the EU Court of Justice. On the 25th of September 2018, the court ruled against the journalists who have since announced that they will appeal.
Find the full story here.
