Geen hervorming onkostenvergoeding europarlementariërs voor verkiezingen (en)

EUOBSERVER / STRASBOURG - A last attempt to reform MEPs expenses system and clean up the European Parliament's "gravy train" image before the elections in June was missed on Monday (3 May).

The issue will be taken up again in July.

The "Bureau" of the House, made up of the President, Vice-Presidents and the five Questors, met on Monday evening to discuss reform of the current expenses system where MEPs get a lump sum each time they travel to Brussels or Strasbourg, irrespective of the actual cost of the ticket.

"The agenda was overloaded and the President had different commitments", a member of the bureau told the EUobserver, following the meeting.

President Pat Cox referred the matter to be discussed on 13 July - after the European elections.

But a spokesperson for the Green group said the discussion had been postponed as "it was impossible to find a compromise".

In July, the bureau will still meet in its current composition as its mandate lasts until 19 July, the day before the newly elected European Parliament holds its first session.

However, Dutch Socialist Michiel Van Hulten, who had called for a reform of the current system, does not believe that an agreement will be reached after the elections.

"The decision by the Bureau to postpone this issue is disgraceful", he told EUobserver. "If they were not willing to reform now before the elections when the public is paying most attention, it is unlikely that they will ever do so".

Attempts to reform the MEPs pay and allowance system failed earlier this year due to lack of agreement between member states.

But the European Parliament adopted a report in April by Mr Van Hulten calling for the reform of the expenses systems - independent of salary reform - so that reimbursement of travel expenses would be on the basis of actual costs incurred.