MEPs earn €6.3m in side-jobs, nearly all top earners from far-right

MEPs collectively earn over €6.3m annually from side jobs, according to a report by Transparency International EU released on Thursday (12 December). 

Many of the things listed are public responsibilities for which MEPs receive minimal remuneration. 

But a large number includes highly lucrative side-hustles for big corporations that are actively lobbying EU policies, which the transparency group says raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest. 

Officially, side jobs are allowed as long as it doesn’t “improperly influence” an MEP's work. And they are required to declare potential conflicts of interest. But this hasn’t stopped them from taking on roles that might clash with their legislative duties.

Public records show that Christine Singer, a German politician with the liberal Renew Europe group, serves on the EU Parliament’s committee on agriculture and environment while also earning €5,500 a month as president of the Bavarian Farm Association.

This is relatively modest compared to some of the others. Filip Turek, a former racing driver and newly elected MEP of the Czech Přísaha and Motorists Alliance, earns €120,000 annually as a freelance consultant in the automobile industry. 

He is also a member of the parliament's environment committee which is responsible for the phase out of combustion engines. 

The problem is that MEPs can essentially decide for themselves whether this constitutes a conflict of interest. 

Even after Qatargate rocked Brussels in 2023, the parliament's secretary general maintained that "members are personally responsible for the content of their declarations."

There is no "mandate to investigate or check the content, nor a legal basis to ask for proof or supporting documents," he added.

But an "ethics system in which MEPs can have such a vast array of side jobs is not fit for purpose," a senior policy officer at TI-EU told EUobserver.

Confusion, malpractice, who knows? 

The lack of rules creates problems of its own as it is not always clear what constitutes a conflict of interest. MEPs can request guidance from a group of other MEPs, the advisory committee on the conduct of members.

Former Green MEP Marcel Kolaja sought guidance from the advisory body after a European investigative platform revealed he held shares in Apple and IBM while drafting legislation on big tech. He later described the advice as "extremely vague."

The lack of clear rules has created a highly uneven situation, as Transparency International’s data show. 

Eighteen of the top 20 earners come from right-wing parties. Members of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group average €55,000 in side-income per MEP, while members of the Greens average less than €10,000.

The transparency group found that nearly three-quarters of MEPs engage in additional activities, with four-fifths of these roles being board memberships. Seven percent involve shareholding or company ownership. 

MEPs have a base salary of a little above €100,000 per year after tax, plus a €350 per diem when in parliament. 

Still, fourteen MEPs earn more from their side jobs than their salaries as elected officials. And there are no limits on the number of extra jobs MEPs can undertake, nor any cap on how much they can earn. 

Reporting rules for MEPs have been tightened since the Qatargate scandal, which involved bags of cash allegedly used to influence lawmakers ahead of the 2022 World Cup, including the top suspect, Greek socialist and former MEP Eva Kaili.

But campaigners say the new rules are still too weak and call for a full ban on MEPs taking on paid or unpaid roles with companies seeking to influence EU policy making.