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A chance for Prime Ministers to save taxpayers a fortune
December 11, 2003 12:00 AM
As EU prime ministers gather in Brussels to finalise an EU constitution, a group of MEPs have written to European governments urging them to liberate the European Parliament from its ludicrous travelling circus.
Deputy leader of the UK Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament and one of the signatories of the letter, Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, says:
"Like all other parliaments, the European Parliament should have the right to decide its own working arrangements. We would certainly vote to end the current situation whereby MEPs, staff and boxes shuttle to Strasbourg for four days a month.
"Dictated to us by EU governments - and concocted in particular to please France - the present unholy bargain is an embarrassment to MEPS, an outrageous burden on taxpayers, and a gift to Eurosceptics!"
"It's already impossible to justify the £105 million of taxpayers' money it costs to maintain several places of work for the European Parliament After enlargement this will be closer to £150 million, or 16% of the Parliament's budget.
"Only national governments can end this charade; they must see sense on this matter which is a key test of credibility for the EU."
Governments oblige the European Parliament to have most staff in Luxembourg, committee meetings in Brussels and plenary sessions in Strasbourg.
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