05/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - Improvements to EP right of inquiry. On 19 April, the European Parliament will discuss the report by David Martin on improving the European Parliament's right of inquiry. This right allows the Parliament to examine events in the past and to verify how legislation has been applied. The Parliament has used its right cautiously to date. Since 1995, it has only set up three committees of inquiry: - TRANSIT - inquiry into the Community transit regime; - ESB1 - inquiry into BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy); - and EQUI - inquiry into the crisis of the Equitable Life insurance company. During its meetings, the EQUI committee rapidly came up against the limits of prerogatives given to the committees of inquiry, which were far from being in line with the political stature, needs and competences of the European Parliament. Reform mainly aims at enhancing the powers of investigation of these committees. (LC/transl.jl)