Strasbourg, 26/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - In 2008, the European Parliament will only account for 19.87% of all the EU institutions' administrative expenditure, confirming its firm desire to keep within the upper limit it set for itself, 20% of Heading 5 (administrative expenditure). The European Parliament foresees €1.452bn in expenditure for itself in 2008.
Adopting a report by Ville Itälä (EPP-ED, Finland) on 25 October by 499 to 24 with 42 abstentions, the EP pointed out that 2008 would be the last full year of the current parliamentary term and the last year before MEPs' new terms and conditions come into force. It believes that this needs to be taken into consideration for future budget planning (the EP will have to 'pay' for its Members' new terms and conditions).
For the first time, the European Parliament foresees a very green budget: - encouraging staff of the European institutions to use public transport and ride bikes (when conditions are safe); calling on the administration to renew its car fleet by buying or leasing less polluting vehicles such as hybrid cars; the administration is invited to prepare an action plan to cut and compensate for CO2 emissions caused by EP activities (particularly its buildings and travelling) and to reduce usage of water, paper and other resources; the administration is asked to produce an expert report on the possible use of solar panels on the EP buildings' roofs and walls to generate energy. The EP also recommends reducing the number of missions made by staff and to advise staff, when travelling between their three places of work, to travel in the most environmentally-friendly manner.
In this connection, the EP believes the presidencies of the European Parliament and Council should take account of European citizens' views of the geographical dispersion of the EP among its three sites, and the environmental costs and impact accruing from this. It points out that the institutions have sometimes been forced to buy or rent buildings at prices that seem at first sight to be higher than the market value. It recognises the need to set up a study department in the current EP library for MEPs responsible for research connected with their parliamentary work. The EP stresses that security of MEPs and staff in the area around the European Parliament buildings in Brussels is not guaranteed outside normal working hours, and urges the Belgian authorities to improve the situation. The EP takes note of the Bureau's suggestion of giving €100,000 to the Sakharov Foundation to subsidise human rights initiatives, and promises to check whether the granting of funding to the Sakharov Foundation in Moscow was in line with the provisions of the Financial Regulation. (L.C.)