Commission: equal pay for MEPs strain on EU budget

Euro-parliamentarians have taken the first step in reforming their working conditions, pay and expenses by voting in favour of the Rothley report which establishes a Statute for MEPs.

But the Commission, in its opinion after the vote, noted that "there will clearly be significant additional costs for the EC budget."

The majority of MEPs voted in favour of an equal salary of 8,500 euro a month, eliminating the present disparities between what MEPs earn according to their nationali...