[autom.vertaling] Geen revisie van mep's perks vóór verkiezingen (en)

EUOBSERVER / LUXEMBOURG - EU ministers do not share the view of the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox who wants to use the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) to negotiate MEPs salaries, privileges and "diplomatic" immunity.

In a letter sent on 26 September, the President of the European Parliament requested that the 1965 Protocol on MEP privileges and immunities be reviewed by the IGC. But this was thrown out by EU ministers, when meeting in Luxembourg on Monday (13 October).

The draft Statute for MEPs - a law governing euro-parliamentarians - is a source of disagreement between the European Parliament and the EU Council.

Along with the issue of harmonised salaries and taxation, the draft law as adopted by the European Parliament includes provisions on immunities which are not in line with the European Union's "primary law".

This now needs to be approved by the IGC.

The disagreement between the European Parliament and Council over the draft statute will mean that the upcoming term of the European Parliament as from 2004 will see deputies from different member states enjoying national regimes on salary schemes.