Can an MEP pay for video from the parliamentary assistance allowance?

Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures (Art. 30(5), 2026), Members may use natural persons established, or companies incorporated, in an EU Member State who provide specialised and clearly identified services under a service contract. Under Art. 29(2) of the same Measures, only assistance that is necessary and directly linked to the exercise of the Member’s parliamentary mandate is covered. Whether a given cost is covered is Parliament’s decision, so nothing here is a promise that a video is reimbursable. Source: EUR-Lex, Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (C/2024/2814)

Can the videos be used in an election campaign?

The videos I make under the parliamentary assistance allowance or group funds cover parliamentary work only. Campaign video is a separate job with separate funding. Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures (Art. 29(2), 2026), only assistance that is necessary and directly linked to the exercise of the Member’s parliamentary mandate is covered. Under the European Parliament Bureau’s rules on budget item 400 (as amended 4 July 2022; Art. 1.1.1), group funds may not finance any form of European, national, regional or local electoral campaign, or political parties and foundations. Sources: EUR-Lex, Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (C/2024/2814) and European Parliament, Bureau rules on budget item 400, published with the S&D Group’s provisions (PDF)

How fast is a plenary speech published?

The same day or the morning after. Plenary speeches are filmed in the chamber and cut on the spot.

How much of the Member’s time does a video take?

One to two hours, for the shoot. The video is publish-ready within 24 hours of the shoot, or within 48 hours if there are notes.

Which languages do you work in?

English and Finnish. Subtitles in other languages are available on request.

Social Media Video for MEPs, from €500

The programSince Feb 2026

It already runs every week in Parliament.

Since February 2026 I have made weekly short-form video for the Finnish S&D delegation in the European Parliament. See the European Parliament case.

What goes into a video

Each video starts from your parliamentary work that week: committee work, policy, the week’s decisions. I write it into a script, film it with you and edit it for Reels, TikTok and Shorts, with subtitles, text animation and animated graphics.

One person, accredited

One person plans, shoots and edits. I am accredited to the European Parliament and in the EU Quarter every week.

What you receive

Exports in 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9, with subtitles
You own the delivered files, with full usage rights
GDPR-compliant consent forms

Finnish S&D delegation, European ParliamentWeekly since Feb 2026

How it worksOne week

One week, from idea to publish-ready.

Monday

Ideas

I send video ideas built on your work that week.
Tuesday or Wednesday

Your OK

We refine them with your team until you approve.
Shoot day

One short shoot

One to two hours of your time, in Brussels, Strasbourg or your constituency.
Within 24 hours

Done

The video is publish-ready. Within 48 hours if there are notes.

One revision round is included.

Plenary weekFast track

Plenary speeches do not wait for Monday.

Filmed in the chamber: I film your speech in the plenary chamber.
Cut on the spot: The edit is made on site, with subtitles.
Published the same day: Or the morning after. Your parliamentary work reaches people while it is still news.

PricesExcl. VAT

The full price list.

Test videoNo. 00

One short video

€500 + VAT · fixed price

Brief, script and a short shoot in Brussels
One publish-ready vertical video with subtitles
One revision round

Continue within 30 days and the €500 is credited toward your first month.

Start with one video

MonthlyNo. 01

Short-Form Program

from €1,500 a month

4 videos: €1,500 standard ~~€2,000~~
8 videos: €2,500 standard ~~€3,000~~
12 videos: €3,500 standard ~~€4,000~~

Prices per month, excl. VAT. Founding rate for the first 5 clients. Month to month, no minimum term.

Book an intro call

Per projectNo. 02

Cinematic Productions

from €2,500 single-day production

Brand film: €4,000–15,000
Documentary / multi-week: scoped per project

RED-line cinema camera, RAW workflow, full colour grade.

Book an intro call

FundingPublished rules

How an office can pay for it.

Parliamentary work only. Never campaign content. These are the published rules, each with its source. Parliament’s administration or your group decides what is covered.

MEP offices: the parliamentary assistance allowance: Published rule · The allowance

According to the European Parliament (2026), the maximum made available to each Member for all staff-related expenses is EUR 32,072 a month.

Under the European Parliament’s rules (2026), Members are not paid this amount. They can use it for staff-related expenses after authorisation by Parliament’s administration. Whether a given cost is covered is Parliament’s decision, so nothing here is a promise that a video is reimbursable.

Source: European Parliament, About rules for Members

Published rule · Service providers

Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures (Art. 30(5), 2026), Members may use natural persons established, or companies incorporated, in an EU Member State who provide specialised and clearly identified services under a service contract.

Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members (Art. 30(11), in force 2026), spending on service providers may not exceed 20% of the parliamentary assistance allowance, calculated per financial year.

Source: EUR-Lex, Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (C/2024/2814)
National delegations and political groups: budget item 400: The S&D Group’s provisions are the published example here. Other groups have their own.

Published rule · Budget item 400

Under the European Parliament Bureau’s rules on budget item 400 (as amended 4 July 2022; Art. 1.1.1), the political groups’ appropriations cover secretariat costs and political and information activities connected with the EU’s political activities.

Under the S&D Group’s implementing provisions (revised 22 November 2022), national delegations may conclude service contracts from their decentralised appropriations. The contract states the provider, the duration, the services and the price (including VAT where applicable), and the invoice is presented with proof of the work done.

Under the European Parliament Bureau’s item 400 rules (as amended 4 July 2022; Art. 1.5.1), anything financed from group funds must clearly carry the political group’s name and/or logo. The S&D Group’s provisions add that the national delegation’s name may accompany it.

Source: European Parliament, Bureau rules on budget item 400, published with the S&D Group’s provisions (PDF)
Parliamentary work only: Videos made under these budgets cover your parliamentary work. Campaign video is a separate job with separate funding.

Published rule · The allowance

Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures (Art. 29(2), 2026), only assistance that is necessary and directly linked to the exercise of the Member’s parliamentary mandate is covered.

Source: EUR-Lex, Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (C/2024/2814)

Published rule · Group funds

Under the European Parliament Bureau’s rules on budget item 400 (as amended 4 July 2022; Art. 1.1.1), group funds may not finance any form of European, national, regional or local electoral campaign, or political parties and foundations.

Under the guidelines annexed to the European Parliament Bureau’s item 400 rules (as amended 4 July 2022), electoral nature is judged from the general context, and an activity considered partially electoral is rejected in its entirety.

Source: European Parliament, Bureau rules on budget item 400, published with the S&D Group’s provisions (PDF)

The guide How an MEP office can commission video: the rules in 2026 goes through the process in order: the two budgets, the rules for each and the paperwork.

Proof

Accredited to the European Parliament.

17M+views across my work
13candidate films for SDP in Helsinki in 2025, plus the hero film and visuals for the mayoral campaign of Finland’s most-voted candidate
16major-label music videos for Universal, Sony and Warner
2.3M+reach for a five-part Red Bull documentary series

“He has a creative mind but also understands political marketing, not always self-evident with video producers. He brings ideas and combines different views. His talent is problem-solving.”

Eveliina HeinäluomaMP · Chair, Helsinki City Council

A reference from Finnish national politics, not from an MEP office.

Questions

Questions offices ask.

Can an MEP pay for video from the parliamentary assistance allowance?

Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures (Art. 30(5), 2026), Members may use natural persons established, or companies incorporated, in an EU Member State who provide specialised and clearly identified services under a service contract. Under Art. 29(2) of the same Measures, only assistance that is necessary and directly linked to the exercise of the Member’s parliamentary mandate is covered. Whether a given cost is covered is Parliament’s decision, so nothing here is a promise that a video is reimbursable.

Source: EUR-Lex, Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (C/2024/2814)
Can the videos be used in an election campaign?

The videos I make under the parliamentary assistance allowance or group funds cover parliamentary work only. Campaign video is a separate job with separate funding.

Under the European Parliament’s Implementing Measures (Art. 29(2), 2026), only assistance that is necessary and directly linked to the exercise of the Member’s parliamentary mandate is covered. Under the European Parliament Bureau’s rules on budget item 400 (as amended 4 July 2022; Art. 1.1.1), group funds may not finance any form of European, national, regional or local electoral campaign, or political parties and foundations.

Sources: EUR-Lex, Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the European Parliament (C/2024/2814) and European Parliament, Bureau rules on budget item 400, published with the S&D Group’s provisions (PDF)
How fast is a plenary speech published?

The same day or the morning after. Plenary speeches are filmed in the chamber and cut on the spot.
How much of the Member’s time does a video take?

One to two hours, for the shoot. The video is publish-ready within 24 hours of the shoot, or within 48 hours if there are notes.
Which languages do you work in?

English and Finnish. Subtitles in other languages are available on request.

Start with one video.

€500 + VAT, fixed. One publish-ready vertical video with subtitles.

Book an intro call

Or write to pamir@sunbaypictures.com
or call +358 44 047 7804

What goes into a video

One person, accredited

What you receive

Ideas

Your OK

One short shoot

Done

One short video

Short-Form Program

Cinematic Productions

Start with one video.