A report by the EU Commission shows that the costs of pensions for former MPs rose to 2.3981 billion euros in 2022. In 2014 the figure was 1.4851 billion – an increase of 61 percent. Between 2021 and 2022, spending increased by 225 million.
The 33-page paper also states that long-term pension obligations amount to an incredible 126 billion euros. This includes both those who are currently retired and those who will be entitled to a pension in the future.
61.7 percent of EU employees receive their last salary as a pension
The decisive reason for this development is the drastic increase in EU employees. 66,120 MEPs worked for the EU in 2021, almost 13 percent more than in the previous year. It is not enough that the pension entitlements for new employees were limited by a reform in 2014.
The demands of retired MEPs are enormous: Like them „Bild“ reported, 61.7 percent receive their last salary as a pension. The lowest amount is therefore 2018 euros per month, the highest at 12,869 euros. There are also allowances. However, unlike German civil servants, EU officials have to pay pension contributions during their working life. In 2022, these were 10.1 percent of the salary.
