ECR votes against increasing European Parliament's administrative expenditure

Brussels, 25th February 2010

Brussels, 25th February 2010 -- The European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament has today voted against proposals to increase the number of staff posts in the parliament, and to increase the secretarial allowance available for MEPs, Lajos Bokros MEP, ECR budgets coordinator said today.
 
The parliament's 'Bureau' has proposed an additional 75 posts in the parliament's committees, 75 in the political groups, and increases to the staff allowances of MEPs by €1500 per month. The increase would take the parliament's administrative budget above the self-imposed limit of 20 percent of the overall budget for EU institutions, therefore, the parliament voted to move money from one of the parliament's reserve accounts to offset the increase.
 
Mr Bokros said that the move not only highlighted extremely poor budgetary procedures in the European Parliament, it also represented an unacceptable increase in the parliament's budget.
 
After the vote, he said:
 
"The self-imposed rule of keeping our institution's administrative budget under 20 percent must not be broken, particularly by moving money from reserve accounts. Today, we have robbed Peter to pay Paul, and such poor budgeting should not be acceptable in the European Parliament.
 
"With a new commission only just taking office, the Lisbon Treaty has yet to be fully tested. Therefore, we are wrong to insist on extra resources for MEPs before we know what impact the treaty will have on our work.
 
"This extra money has been forced through the parliament at a time when resources are scarce and we could not support the proposals. We are telling our member states to live within their means, and the European Parliament should lead by example."  
 
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