Strasbourg, 22/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Despite measures taken by the European Parliament Bureau on 1 April, the difficulties of the MEPs' pension fund continue to give rise to concern among members of Parliament, some of whom have noted their intention to attack the decision of the Bureau before the Court of Justice. On the sidelines of the plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, German Social Democrat Martin Schulz and Italian Green member Monica Frassoni reiterated their opposition to the use of public money for covering losses incurred by the fund due to the financial crisis. According to the Parliament spokesman, measures finalised by the Bureau - retirement age increased from 60 to 63, abolition of the right to partial retirement from the age of 50, cancellation of the possibility to benefit from a capital handout equivalent to 25% of rights acquired - should suffice to ensure payments under this fund, which will not have any new entrants after this legislature and which is to be phased out. The Greens wanted to have the guarantee that the European Parliament would not make any fresh contributions to the fund, but they were placed in a minority position during the vote in committee on the Paolo Casaca report on the Parliament's 2007 discharge, as a majority felt that such a decision could run counter to the legal obligations to which the Parliament is held under the 1990 Bureau decision to create the fund. The plenary is due to vote on this report on Thursday in Strasbourg. (O.J./transl.jl)