Voorstellen om Parlement 'aantrekkelijker' te maken (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Simpler voting procedures, more frequent plenary debates as well as the question of a single seat for the European Parliament look likely to appear on the agenda of a new working group set up to draft parliamentary reforms.

Leaders of the political groups in the EU legislature agreed on Thursday (15 February) on the mandate of a new advisory body to the parliament's president which will come up with practical proposals on how to make the assembly more effective and popular.

The new body represents all eight political groups including three pro-reform leaders - liberal chief Graham Watson, Green co-leader Monica Frassoni and the Independence/Democracy group co-chairman Jens Peter Bonde.

The three have previously spoken in favour of a complex overhaul of the house, with Ms Frassoni and Mr Bonde campaigning for the parliament's presidency in early January on the basis of reform agendas.

"It is clear that there is a mood for reform in all the groups, people are fed up with the way the parliament works," commented Mr Bonde, adding that as "any point can be raised" according to the new body's mandate, even the issue of parliament currently having two seats could come up.

Mr Watson admitted he expects "some opposition to what we are trying to do" but added that the current parliament's administration itself has recognised "the potential for the European parliament to be more effective" which he thinks is a positive change.

What changes expected and possible?

A document drafting the mandate of the working group - tabled by the parliament's president Hans Gert Poettering however suggests that its members should primarily consider ways how to simplify internal procedures and co-operation with other EU institutions.

The new body should also come up with ideas on how to make the plenary discussions more "lively and interesting" so that MEPs would turn up, with Mr Poettering also mooting a regular "State of the Union" debate.

Other changes should involve the voting system, with both Mr Watson and Mr Bonde urging a cut in amendments so that "people know what they're voting about" and vote on the key differences along political lines rather than on technical details.

The argument reflects the frustration among deputies after recent votes on complex issues, such as the REACH chemicals' bill or services directive, which saw over 2,000 amendments in the first reading.

Mr Poettering has also suggested that the mid-term election of the parliament's presidency could be abolished - although he was himself elected this way in January.

The current system is based on political deals between biggest groups that share their half term on the assembly's chair. It was criticised heavily by smaller groups ahead of Mr Poettering's election.

September deadline

The new working group is expected to table all proposals that would influence the parliament's 2008 budget by September and present all the other changes by the end of June 2008 at the latest.

The blueprint will then have to be approved by the relevant parliamentary bodies - depending on which of them the proposed changes concern.

However, the actual move to set a single seat of the EU chamber in Brussels and possibly scrap the Strasbourg seat would need a unanimous approval by leaders of member states, with France currently rejecting the idea.

While parliament chief Poettering did not support the one seat campaign in the past, its advocates are hopeful that Paris could lift its objection after the country's presidential elections in April clearing the way for broader backing in Brussels.