The Common Statute for the Members of the European Parliament: Wise Men and Clear Guidance

Authors

  • Frederike Kaltheuner

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26481/marble.2013.v5.181

Abstract

In 2005, the European Parliament adopted a Common Statute for its Members. For the first time in the history of the institution, all its members were paid the same basic salary. Prior to the reform, the remuneration of MEPs was aligned to the salary of their respective national parliaments. The remuneration of high civil servants in closely tied to values implicit in a political culture. Hence agreeing on a unitary salary implies a compromise on sensitive differences in political culture. This paper explicates and analyzes the arguments that were given in favor of a common salary. Which normative concepts were employed in the discourse that led to a Common Statute? As such, this paper aspired to make a modest contribution to the curious question of how normative principles are debated in the EU context.

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Published

2013-07-01