| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | 30/05/96, Volume 2, Number 22 |
| Publication Date | 30/05/1996 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 30/05/1996 Openness and transparency are all very well, but MEPs have decided that such worthy goals have no place in the expenses department. They have just voted by a massive majority of 284 to 32, with 12 abstentions, against a tricky amendment to the 1997 European Parliament budget which would have required them to produce receipts to validate their travel expenses. The very idea! It is, of course, standard practice in most walks of life, but before we get too hypocritical here let us be honest and admit that if the rest of us had the luxury of a vote on the issue we would probably opt against self-justification too. As it is, MEPs can continue claiming 0.8 ecu for every kilometre they travel to Brussels or Strasbourg from their homes without having to show any proof of expenditure. That means a tidy sum of about 1,520 ecu for a Madrid-Brussels run - more than enough cash to cover the cost of a cheap air ticket. All those in favour...? |
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| Subject Categories | Mobility and Transport, Politics and International Relations |
