Brussels, 19/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Parliament approved the forecasts for revenue and expenditure for the 2004 tax year, which takes into account of the considerable impact of enlargement on spending. In presenting the report, British labour Party member, Neena Gill (for the summary of the report se EUROPE 8 May p 17) called on the plenary to not follow the EPP-ED's demand for the sickness benefit system to be extended to former MEPs, which would be expensive and unjustified and make a bad impression on the public. The majority of Parliament supported this and adopted the amendments by the Greens/EFA, which refused this extension. On the other hand, Ms Gill pointed to the challenge of the next Parliamentary elections and the loans for the "physical" environment of the Parliament and linguistic system and the fact that key questions such as information for citizens had not received enough attention. According to Ms Gill, Internet diffusion had not progressed sufficiently. Italian Radical, Gianfranco Dell'Alba informed her that the EP would transmit the session that very day by Internet. Mr Dell'Alba also asked why this could not apply for other committee sessions, as it was not very expensive. In its resolution, Parliament indicates the significant changes that it will experience in 2004 (possibly to the status of MEPs, administrative reform) and welcomes the decision taken in the context of the draft, "New advantages for the Institutions", presented by the Secretary General of the Parliament.