Brussels, 19/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - French Minister for European Affairs Noëlle Lenoir reacted strongly in a press release to the vote by the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control on the report by van Hulten, which calls for Brussels to be the permanent seat of Parliament (see EUROPE of 18 March, p.11). The vote by some twenty MEPs cannot presume the decision of the April plenary, Ms Lenoir noted. She will be in Strasbourg on 30 March when she will reaffirm the "importance of complying with the treaties in force" and the "total commitment" of the French government in favour of Strasbourg. Also, Ms Lenoir notes that the passages in the report that criticise the shortcomings of the air service to and from Strasbourg are mistaken as, following renewed subsidies to airlines between Strasbourg and Milan, Madrid, Vienna, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, "Strasbourg is now accessible in one morning for all MEPs, including those from the ten new Member States".