MEPs will from December have to pay to charge their electric cars as part of a European parliament decision to “save energy”.
Free EV charging points on Parliament premises have until now been one of the benefits MEPs enjoy, to the embarrassment of some.
The Strasbourg-based Parliament has been a prime mover in the transition to cleaner fuels across the bloc though its members have themselves passed EV charging costs onto the tax-payer until now.
This will end on December 1, members have been informed, under a decision taken two years ago.
“On 1 December 2023, the use of the electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the European Parliament’s car parks will become payable for privately owned cars in line with the Bureau decision of 17 October 2022 and in consideration of the energy saving measures adopted by the Bureau on 2 May and 3 October 2022,” the internal email read.
MEPs can request an EV-charge card from the end of this month.
The advisory continued: “…as of 1 December 2023, the kWh consumed at every charging session activated by an EV-charge card will be registered, stored and used for invoicing purposes. Individual users will receive a quarterly overview of their consumption”.
The EV electricity price “corresponds to the price the European Parliament pays for its electricity and does not include VAT. When invoicing the end users, VAT will be applicable. The price may differ in the three workplaces”.
Some MEPs had complained that free EV charging was “a scandal”.
The Parliament’s monthly migration from Brussels to Strasbourg includes the wholesale transfer of its fleet of vehicles, at considerable expense.
There have been attempts by MEPs to concentrate activity in Brussels, to both save money and reduce emissions. France has however refused to consider giving up its status as the official home of the assembly.
