Drafting in reserves

Date: 23/01/1997

A European Parliament report has been such a sell-out that it really ought to be brought out in hardback.

With the exception of a handful of Greek and Finnish language texts, all copies of the committee of inquiry's draft report into the Community transit system had vanished within 24 hours of publication.

The report was only meant for internal use, but the demand from MEPs and their staff, journalists and interested third parties was such that it quickly reached the top of the best-seller list.

The 117-page 40,000 word report was completed in English just a few days before last week's meeting of the special inquiry committee and, in a tribute to the Parliament's translators, was ready in all 11 official languages the next day.

A normal print run falls a little short of the average Frederick Forsyth or Jeffrey Archer novel 200 copies in English, 150 each in French and German, and 100 each for the other eight official languages.