Call halt to Euro-circus

Published: 25 June, 2010

• THE constant journeying of the European Parliament, once a month, between Brussels and Strasbourg is a complete waste of time and money – not to mention the frayed nerves of MEPs.

This is the opinion of Islington resident, Baroness Sarah Ludford, MEP, who opposes the monthly move of MEPs, support staff, documents and other files for just four days at the cost of hundreds of thousands of euros
She said on Wednesday: “I find it appalling that the work of the parliament has to be interrupted for just a few days each month just to satisfy the demands of one or two member countries.

“For the most part, it takes up to three weeks just to plan what files and other documents to take, to say nothing of the vast expense and the added cost to the environment in taking unnecessary journeys like this.”      

The 500-mile, round-trip journey represents a huge cost to the European taxpayer.

Twelve times a year, 732 MEPs, with 2,000 assistants and many hundreds more parliament staff, take to the road from Brussels to Strasbourg.

They are followed by removal vans that carry 3,500 trunks packed full of folders and papers necessary for a week’s work.

The costs total more than 200 million euros (£140million) a year.

Lady Ludford has said: “I really hate this inefficiency.

The European Parliament is becoming a more powerful and politically mature institution.

It needs to get on with its work in a business-like fashion and a full-time single seat in Brussels would reflect that. 

“But the Lisbon Treaty now gives some hope because, under its provisions, the Citizens’ Initiative, with one million citizen signatures, will force errant member countries to comply with this reform.

Strasbourg will always have a special place in the history of the European Union, but paying this price for symbolism is unacceptable. 

“The Strasbourg buck stops with national governments.

They bear ultimate responsibility for this needless cost and waste. They must find an amicable way to end the Brussels-Strasbourg circus.”
MIKE MORIARTY
Mildmay Road, N1