MEP hunts hidden agenda

Date: 13/06/1996

Belgian Socialist MEP José Happart smells a rat over the way the European Parliament is handling the BSE scare, but he cannot quite find it.

Happart decided a committee of inquiry was the way ahead, but he needed 160 signatures and a surprising number of his Socialist colleagues were not in favour.

British Labour leader Wayne David said no, as did his German, Dutch, Portuguese and Belgian Flemish counterparts.

Happart neverthless achieved his target thanks to his Belgian Walloon colleagues, the French, the Spanish and assorted members of the Green and Union for Europe groups.

But then he received a letter from Parliament President Klaus Hänsch suggesting that since a public hearing into the affair had already been organised for 24 June, perhaps Happart would like to drop his proposal?

Happart is still trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. He has written to Socialist leader Pauline Green asking what exactly is going on.