German MEPs insist on the adoption of a statute after the elections or, at least, on an immediate reform of the travel expenses system

Brussels, 16/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The German MEPs from four political groups of the European Parliament - PPE-DE, PSE, Verts/ALE and GUE/NGL - restated their desire, in a joint declaration, to strive towards a reform of the working methods of the European Parliament, underlining particularly that the adoption of a new constitutional treaty would bring with it "additional rights and duties for the Parliament", and would also put its working methods to the test. The MEPs from these groups had already demonstrated their unified position at the last plenary session in Strasbourg, when facing attacks from the independent Austrian MEP Hans-Peter Martin on the subject of the alleged abuses of the allowance system, a subject which is still shrouded in controversy in Germany (see EUROPE of 31 March, p. 6, 2 April, p. 11 and 12 and 3April, p. 5).

Now Hartmut Nasser of the CDU, Markus Ferber of the CSU, Martin Schulz of the SPD, Heide Rühle of Bündnis 90/Grüne and Sylvia Kaufmann of the PDS have stated that they will work towards the following: (1) The adoption of a statute for MEPs after the European elections in June. A working party composed of representatives of the Council, the Commission and the Parliament should draw up a proposal likely to achieve an agreement between the Parliament and the Council. The MEPs urged the German government to come out in favour of a "rapid agreement" within the Council. (2) A reform of the rules on reimbursing MEPs' expenses. In particular, travel expenses paid out should reflect the actual costs incurred. (3) An immediate reform of the system for reimbursing costs which would be independent of an agreement on a Statute for Members if such an agreement is not possible immediately after the European elections. (4) Per diems which cover living expenses outside the country of origin, particularly in Brussels and Strasbourg. Per diems would be paid to cover "attendance at a session of the European Parliament or one of its bodies" as per the MEP's mandate. The rules should be comprehensible and transparent. (5) The use by MEPs of staff, who are not members of their own family, as under the rules in force in the Bundestag.