Europarlementariërs willen zetel Straatsburg omvormen tot Europees Technologie-instituut (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A group of 130 MEPs from across the political spectrum have called for the European Parliament building in Strasbourg to be transformed into a European Institute of Technology.

The group - who call themselves the "Campaign for Parliament Reform" (CPR) - says they are reacting to a speech from European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso which suggested that Europe needed an equivalent to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, in order to stop the brain drain of scientists from Europe to the US.

And the building in Strasbourg - which many MEPs want to do away with - is seen as the perfect venue.

"The building would make a very good Institute, and Strasbourg is an important centre, and a symbol of post-war reconciliation, right in the heart of Europe", a CPR spokesperson said.

Transforming the EP building in Strasbourg into an Institute would be good both for the economy and education, she added.

Although the CPR realise the "feasibility" of the operation is "not that high", due primarily to French opposition, they see a need to "invest in Europe's future".

They believe that the enlargement of the EU to include MEPs from ten new member states may help their cause.

"We are counting on the 400 new MEPs, and on the new member states, to see how ridiculous it is to spend that much money for nothing [on the second home of the Parliament]. Maybe they are not used to spend thousands of euros for a four-day-work week abroad", CPR's spokesperson told the EUobserver.

During the last "Strasbourg week", the CPR argued that stopping the "travelling circus" - changing places between Strasbourg and Brussels for four days a month - would save the EU "almost 200 million euro per year".

The CPR aims at "greater efficiency", "enhanced transparency" and "improved accountability" of the European Parliament. One of their achievements is the abolition of "badly attended but costly Friday meetings in Strasbourg".

What they expect now is MEPs to speak to their groups, member states and representatives in the Council in order to garner more support.