14/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - Adopting without debate on Tuesday the report by CSU MEP Markus Ferber, the European Parliament approved Amending Budget No. 5/2001, put forward by the European Commission in order to make an early repayment on the Louise Weiss (LOW) building in Strasbourg from this year's budget. The rapporteur explained that the European Parliament had been able to fully pay off the Paul-Henri Spaak and Altiero Spinelli buildings in Brussels through early repayments made possible by two Supplementary and Amending Budgets (in 1996 and 1998) and through savings made in the operational budget since 1992. Without the repayments, the Parliament's Budget for 2002 would have been increased beyond the available ceiling, Mr Ferber stressed, adding that taking account of the current budgetary situation, Parliament should continue to apply this method in order to cut expenditure on buildings in future buildings. At current rates, an early repayment of EUR 10 million would generate savings in interest payments of around EUR 1.8 million a year over a ten year period, noted the rapporteur.