WIREDGOV

The European Parliament should vote to restrict its own budget in 2012, reflecting austerity in EU Member States, said the Budgets Committee on Thursday, as it voted guidelines for the 2012 budget.

The EP budget should now enter a post Lisbon Treaty "consolidation phase", with no increase in 2012 beyond inflation, it added.

"We believe that the budget for 2012 must be neutral, that is to say, we must not exceed inflation... We would like a savings budget" said José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, PT), who is leading Parliament's work on its budget for 2012. 

MEPs also urged the other EU institutions to table cost-cutting plans and improve co-operation between them so as to generate savings and manage the budgets better. The EP budget should enter a "consolidation phase" after the increases made necessary by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, and any increase should remain beneath the inflation rate whilst ensuring quality service to MEPs, they added. 

"Parliament's priority is to secure legislative excellence. If we pass bad laws, this could result in very great costs", said Mr Fernandes.

Croatia joining the EU could lead to higher costs 
Although MEPs in the committee would prefer to see no increase in the budget, some possible future decisions would nonetheless require a higher budget, added Mr Fernandes: "If there are decisions that give give us new members - Croat observers or the 18 new MEPs required by the Lisbon Treaty - it would be necessary to adopt an amending budget. It is essential to give new members the same assistance as the others". 

No figures for 2012 budget yet 
The guidelines are the first step in the EP budget procedure, and do not contain any figures. Parliament's Bureau (EP President and Vice-Presidents) is currently preparing a more detailed budget plan, including all figures, which will be put to a plenary vote in April. 

Parliament works on the 2012 budget in two parts. The "general rapporteur" Francesca Balzani (S&D, IT) leads work on the budget of the Commission, which manages the lion's share of EU activities, and José Manuel Fernandes is responsible for the budgets of the other institutions, Parliament included. The Commission budget was not dealt with in Thursday's vote. 

The guidelines will be discussed and put to a plenary vote in Strasbourg next week. 

Increased staffing allowance confirmed 
In a separate vote, the committee completed the implementation of last year's decision to increase the monthly staffing allowance by €1,500 per MEP in 2011, to enable them to cope with the increased work load following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. These funds do not go to the MEPs themselves - the employment of assistants is managed by the EP administration. The increase will allow MEPs to hire more - or better qualified - staff.

The increase in the staffing allowance, totalling €13.2 million, had been put into a reserve during the 2011 budget procedure, awaiting an evaluation of the first part of the increase (also €1,500 per month), which took effect in spring 2010. The rapporteur for this decision was Helga Trüpel (Greens/EFA, DE) , though she herself opposed going ahead with this increase.

In the chair: Alain LAMASSOURE (EPP, FR)

Contact

Sara AHNBORG
Press Unit - Press Officer
 : (+32) 2 28 34018 ())
 : (+33) 3 881 72420 ())
 : (+32) 498 98 13 36
 : budg-press@europarl.europa.eu

Further information :