The Diplomat
Spanish Congress spent more than three million euros on international activities in 2023, almost 10% more than the previous year. Only in those related to the parliamentary dimension of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union, which took place during the second semester, 1.38 million euros were invested.
The Chamber has counted a total of 144 international activities to which more than 3,008,672.74 euros were dedicated, an amount to which we must add the cost of fifteen of them that has not yet been invoiced, Europa Press reports.
This is an increase of 9.7% compared to the figures for 2022, when spending on international activities amounted to 2,741,319.91 euros.
In 2023, the most expensive were the events related to the so-called ‘parliamentary dimension of the Presidency of the European Union’ that Spain held between June 1 and December 31 and in which 1.38 million have been invested.
Unlike previous years in which the most expensive trips corresponded to those of the Spanish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, this time a trip of 133,192.78 euros made to Washington (USA) by members of the Economic Affairs Committee to participate in the World Parliamentary Forum organized by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
In addition, 127,013.78 euros were spent on the 18th edition of a course for parliamentary advisors from assemblies of Latin America, North Africa and the European Union, which was held for eleven days between Madrid and Zaragoza.
Then there are the trips of the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which meets four times a year in Strasbourg (France). It is one of the largest representations of the Cortes, which also includes senators. More than 239,230.98 euros were invested just in coming and going to those appointments. However, it is a figure about 20,000 lower than the previous year.
In addition, the list includes 90,424.54 euros from the meeting that the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy that this assembly held in Seville in May.
Also noteworthy are several trips by the Spanish representatives in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, such as the one they made for five days to three cities in Canada to attend the joint meeting of the Subcommittee on Transatlantic Cooperation in Defense and Security and the Subcommittee on Foreign Relations. Transatlantic transactions of this body, which amounted to 65,841.13 euros.
Likewise, 49,260.56 euros were invoiced for their attendance at the spring session of the assembly in Luxembourg, which lasted two days; another 52,000 euros to go to the 69th Annual Session of this body in Copenhagen (Denmark), from October 6 to 9, and another 32,024 euros to go to the Meeting of the Subcommittee on Transatlantic Economic Relations and the Subcommittee on NATO Associate Members (of the Political Commission) in Canberra and Sydney (Australia), for five days in November.
A total of 81,633.53 euros were invested in a trip by the Spanish Delegation to the Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to attend its general meeting in Islamabad (Pakistan).
These global figures include only travel and accommodation expenses in the different destinations, but not the expenses of parliamentarians during their stay outside the country. Until 2017, those who participated in these trips received a daily allowance of 150 euros, but Congress replaced this amount with a system of payment of duly justified expenses.
