Strasbourg, 21/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - Voting on Tuesday 20 May on the provisional state of income and spending for the budgetary year 2009, the European Parliament endorsed the rapporteur of the committee on budgets Janusz Lewandowski (Poland, EPP/ED) by a large majority (556 votes in favour, 40 against and 61 abstentions).
In its resolution, the Parliament recalls that the 2009 budget should respond to a number of major challenges laid out in the resolution of 10 April 2008 (see EUROPE 9640), stressing the large degree of consensus concerning the challenges linked to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, those linked to the year 2009 in terms of it being an EP election year, and the challenges linked to the new MEPs' statute and the change of mandate.
In adopting three amendments presented by the socialist group, the EP also specified: - Long-term strategic plan on building policy (which is due to be presented by the end of the month). The EP decided to put €3 400 000 from the provisional draft in reserve, awaiting technical, administrative and financial clarifications concerning the asbestos-removal work in the buildings in Strasbourg. - Information and communication policy. The EP stresses the importance of good cooperation between the institutions. - Parliamentary assistants: the EP welcomes the contacts made with the member states, the Council and the current and future presidencies of the Council concerning an “agreement on a statute for assistants” ( the original text talked of a “new scheme applicable to parliamentary assistants”). (L.G.)