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London MEP calls for MEP 'travelling circus' to be scrapped
October 20, 2010 12:00 AM
Sarah wearing a 'Save time, Save money, Save CO2' t-shirt in support of the amendment.
Euro-MPs are planning ahead and will today be voting on the European Parliament's 2012 calendar.
The European Parliament does most of its work in Brussels, but is forced by the EU treaties drawn up by EU governments to hold 12 week-long sessions a year in a second building in Strasbourg, France. This means 1 session every month except August, with 2 sessions in September and is estimated to cost the European taxpayer £150 million a year. MEPs' monthly 250 mile Brussels-Strasbourg commute is equivalent to Westminster MPs moving from London to Liverpool once a month.
Many MEPs have long campaigned against the Strasbourg seat, but it can only be scrapped if all 27 governments agree to change the treaty. Now a cross-party group of Euro-MPs have put forward an amendment to at least combine the 2 September sessions into one.
London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford, who has long been active in the 'One Seat' campaign, said:
"This barmy and expensive 'travelling circus' to Strasbourg must end. Every month 736 MEPs, thousands of staff and lorries carrying 3500 trunks full of paperwork trundle there and back. Tony Blair failed to veto it when he was prime minister."
"I'm delighted the UK coalition government is calling for the European Parliament's Strasbourg seat to be scrapped. When many national governments in Europe including the UK are having to make deep spending cuts because of large debts, this huge waste is indefensible."
"While a number of EU governments refuse to see sense and thus block reform, we can at least try and combine the 2 September sessions into one - saving much time and money and reducing the European Parliament's CO2 emissions. I will be voting for this change to the calendar, and will encourage others to do so too."
ENDS
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