Brussels, 19/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - A hundred MEPs from across the political spectrum, and from 14 Member States (mostly the Netherlands, Finland, the UK and Sweden) have launched a 2004-2009 'Campaign for Parliament Reform'. The goals of the campaign group are greater efficiency by demanding an end to the EP's three places of work, giving it a single seat; enhanced transparency through reform of the expenses system including the reimbursement of travel expenses only on the basis of costs actually incurred; and improved accountability through the introduction of a strengthened code of conduct setting out MEPs' rights and responsibilities, and through further reform of the EP's Rules of Procedure.
The founding core members of Campaign for Parliament Reform (set up in 2001) are British Conservative Chris Heaton-Harris, Swedish Liberal Cecilia Malmstrom, Swedish Conservative Pia-Noora Kauppi, Dutch Socialist Edith Mastenbroek, British Labour MEP Catherine Stihler, German Liberal Alexander Alvaro and Dutch Green Kathalijne Buitenweg.