Strasbourg, 27/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - In its adoption, with 535 votes in favour, 45 against and 51 abstentions, the report by Markus Ferber (EPP-ED, Germany), the European Parliament decided on 26 September to give discharge to its President on the execution of the 2004 budget. The EP considers it "reasonable" to continue the purchase of the Winston Churchill (WIC) and Salvador de Madariaga (SDM) buildings which occupies in Strasbourg, thus drawing a line under its row with the city of Strasbourg over the lack of transparency in the implementation of rental contracts and the financial operation for the acquisition of the offices. In this way, the EP went along with the recommendation of its Parliamentary committee on budgetary control (EUROPE 9266).
It is worth noting that the adoption of the previous report on the EP's discharge had been delayed, to allow sufficient time to shed light fully on the dossier of the Strasbourg buildings. The committee on budgets of the EP has still to give its green light to the purchase of the WIC, SDM and also IPE3 buildings, in order that the act of sale can be signed.
The EP concludes that no element clearly indicates that the conclusion and application of rental contracts and codicils "had been tainted by illegal or irregular acts, although doubts nonetheless remain as to the integral respect of the principle of correct financial management enshrined by the financial regulation". In its approval of an amendment tabled by the EPP-ED group, the EP welcomes the response of the Secretary-General to the discharge questionnaire on the use of the LOW building in Strasbourg, which states that "the Parliament is the sole proprietor of the LOW building in Strasbourg", and can make use of it itself or "do with it as it sees fit".
Status of assistants and voluntary pension regime
The EP also calls on the Bureau to draft the status of assistance to MEPs, to regulate conditions for their recruitment, employment, social security regime and tax regime. It insists that this status should enter into force as soon as possible. Furthermore, it points out that the reports of the Court of Auditors in the last three years have called for the implementation of a satisfactory legal base for the voluntary pension regime of members of the European Parliament and the adoption of clear provisions should this be in deficit. The MEPs state that the legal services of the European Parliament believe that there is already a sufficient legal basis for this pension regime, to wit the regulatory autonomy of the EP. According to the Parliament, "the contributions of the MEPs should be drawn directly from a personal source and not deducted through the Parliamentary indemnity".