Brussels, 07/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 6 March, the Conference of the Presidents of the political groups in the European Parliament asked its bureau to take a series of measures to reform the system of payment of Parliamentary assistants (see EUROPE 9617). At the Bureau meeting on Monday 10 March, EP Secretary General Harald Ramer will present proposals on this issue. The main idea is to amend the regulation on European civil service law, with a view to setting up a special category of contract employees for assistants. Assistants will continue to be paid by MEPs and not by the EP, however. The Bureau of the European Parliament is made up of the President of the EP, the 14 Vice-Presidents and the six quaestors elected by MEPs for a renewable period of two and a half years. (L.C.)