Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, this week signed the 40,000 strong www.oneseat.eu petition aimed at removing the European Parliament from Strasbourg. At a meeting in Strasbourg with Geoff Hoon MP, the new Minister for Europe, he urged the Government to take the issue seriously. Specifically, he called on Tony Blair to convince his fellow EU leaders at the June European Council that the Strasbourg circus is a farce that must end.
Mr Kirkhope said:
"If Tony Blair is serious about European reform and accountability, he should sign the petition and persuade EU leaders to end the hugely expensive charade of monthly sessions in Strasbourg.
"With the Mayor of Strasbourg fighting allegations that her city has overcharged the EU £50 million for rent of the Parliament building, keeping a second parliamentary seat effectively means pouring millions of pounds paid by British taxpayers down the plughole. This nonsense destroys voters' trust in the EU.
"There is nothing in Strasbourg that we don't already have in Brussels. Conservative MEPs have been at the forefront of the campaign to reform the EU. British taxpayers expect reform to begin by having one seat only in Brussels."
2007-2013 Budget
The EU's 2008/9 budget review process must be meaningful and comprehensive, Conservative budgets Spokesman in the European Parliament, Richard Ashworth MEP said after the European Parliament voted to approve the EU's multi-billion euro budget for 2007-2013 - ending months of wrangling with the Council of Ministers.
Mr Ashworth said the budget figures were far from perfect but he was encouraged by an assurance that was written into the agreement that EU Ministers will reinforce their responsibility to improve controls on EU spending within their borders. EU member states are directly responsible for around 80 percent of total EU spending and the European Court of Auditors has been unable to give the EU's accounts a positive statement of assurance for eleven years running - mainly because the Court is unable to account for many of the EU-financed projects executed by national governments.
Mr Ashworth said:
"The budget wrangling may be over but this does not mean we should all sit back for the next seven years. There is a huge amount of work to be done to ensure the EU's budget is more relevant to modern Europe's needs and less susceptible to fraud. The budget deal that was struck gives too much funding to outdated European policies and short-changes the areas that we should be investing in.
"The EU's accounts have not been signed off for eleven years because national governments have refused requests for them to take full responsibility for the money that is funneled through their departments and agencies. Governments must now make a real effort to make EU spending far more accountable than it currently is.
"The European Commission rightly has few powers to dictate to member states on how they should operate but at the same time, we should not blame the Commission for the stubborn refusal of national governments to take responsibility.
"It is also encouraging to see that the European Commission and Council of Ministers are pledging to give MEPs more say in the budgetary review process in 2009. This review must be meaningful and comprehensive. Conservatives will be at the forefront of this process to ensure we can get a better deal out of the EU budget for British taxpayers.
"The devil will now be in the delivery of these pledges. It seems clear the only way the EU might come close to getting its accounts signed off is if national governments take responsibility for the EU monies they spend."
Bulgaria and Romania Accession
The European Parliament's Rapporteur on Bulgaria's accession to the EU, and Conservative defence Spokesman, Geoffrey Van Orden MEP, responded positively to the Commission's statement this week in Strasbourg on the progress report on Bulgaria and Romania's accession.
Speaking in the European Parliament, Geoffrey Van Orden MEP said:
"Bulgaria fulfils the political criteria for membership, she has a functioning market economy, economic progress has been maintained and the Bulgarian unemployment rate, while still high, is now lower than that of Germany.
"There is the need for more effective action against organised crime, fraud and corruption. That is the area that most perturbs the people of Bulgaria as well as our own citizens. There has been progress since October but many of the crime bosses are still at large and there is concern about how far their tentacles spread. Over the coming months, we need to see dramatic results as well as further steps to improve the effectiveness and resources of the police, investigative and judicial services.
"The need for strengthened financial controls for the future use of structural funds is vitally important. There must not be any possibility of what is effectively taxpayers' money going into the wrong hand or being wasted.
"Much has been achieved in the last six months. It is vitally important that even better results are delivered in the next 6 months."
EU Budget 2007: Commission Annual Policy Strategy
Conservative Spokesman on budgetary control and Rapporteur for the Commission's Annual Policy strategy, James Elles MEP, this week said that the EU should lead the globalisation process, be more outward-looking and improve its accountability.
James EllesMEP said:
"The report strongly criticises the Commission for paying insufficient attention to the rapid changes in the global economy, notably as a result of the emerging economies such as China and India. The Commission's Annual Policy Strategy reads like a routine bureaucratic document without serious political leadership or guidance.
"The report specifically recommends developing clear political priorities during the new Financial Perspectives. There must be a focus on those areas which are key to Europe's future competitiveness and prosperity."
James Elles also called for the EU budget to be implemented with a view to ensuring qualitative value for money and proposed that cost-benefit studies be carried out in specific policy areas. Furthermore, he recommends that work should already begin on the mid-term review of the EU budget, planned for 2008. It will offer a real opportunity to have a close look at the way in which public money is spent.
Food packaging standards
The new Nutritional and Health Claims Regulation, enacted by the European Parliament, gives the European Food Safety Authority the power to decide nutritional profiles.
Commenting on the new legislation, Conservative Spokesman on health and food safety, John Bowis MEPsaid:
"Whilst this will bolster consumer confidence in the various claims consumers see on food packaging - there will be a consistent, standard definition of nutrition claims such as "low fat", "reduced salt", "source of vitamins" - the European Parliament has found itself legislating in the dark when it comes to nutrient profiling, and that is not a good way of legislating. We do not know how this will be achieved; we do not know how the European Food Safety Authority will run it."
RESULTS OF THE VOTES:
Daul - Arrangements for importing rice
Spokesman: Neil Parish MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Daul - Aid for processing flax and hemp grown for fibre
Spokesman: Neil Parish MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Costa - EC - Albania Agreement on certain aspects of air services
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Costa - EC - Serbia and Montenegro Agreement on certain aspects of air services
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Costa - EC - Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Agreement on certain aspects of air services
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Costa - EC - Romania Agreement on certain aspects of air services
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Costa - EC - Moldova Agreement on certain aspects of air services
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Costa - EC - Morocco Agreement on certain aspects of air services
Spokesman: Philip Bradbourn MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Freitas - Protocol to the fisheries agreement with São Tomé and Príncipe
Spokesman: Struan Stevenson MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Guerreiro - EC - Angolo Agreement on fisheries
Spokesman: Struan Stevenson MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Karas - Place of supply of services (VAT)
Spokesman: Jonathan Evans MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Speroni - Request for waiver of the immunity of Tobias Pflüger
Spokesman: Malcolm Harbour MEP
Adopted - Conservatives in favour
Poli Bortone - Nutrition and health claims made on food
Spokesman: John Bowis MEP
No final vote at second reading
Scheele - Addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods
