EPP finds appointment of its representative at IGC hard-going

Strasbourg, 25/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - The EPP is finding it tough to appoint an observer for the Intergovernmental Conference for reforming the institutions. Although the Conference of President had accepted the appointment by the Socialist group of the appointment of Klaus Hänsch, the second representative of the European Parliament has still not been selected a week before the IGC. In an initial vote of the EPP group between Spaniard Inigo Mendez de Vigo and the German, Elmar Brok, each tied with 95 votes. On Wednesday evening in an attempt to resolve the problem, the group decided that both contenders could share the role, according to their competencies. This solution would have found it difficult to get the agreement from the other groups. Finally, group leader, Hans-Gert Pöttering, requested on Thursday morning that the Conference of Presidents five more time for the EPP to reach a decision.