Finns bid to break MEP statute deadlock

Date: 09/12/1999

By Gareth Harding

THE Finnish presidency has launched a last-ditch attempt to break the deadlock over a common statute for MEPs which could pave the way for a deal to end the long-running dispute between the European Parliament and Union governments.

A new compromise paper drawn up by the Finns, which was presented to Parliament President Nicole Fontaine yesterday (8 December), appears to go some way towards satisfying MEPs' demands for changes to the text agreed by member states earlier this year.

The Parliament and the Council of Ministers' officials have been attempting to thrash out a compromise on proposed new rules to govern MEPs' pay and conditions for the past six months, but have so far made no progress. The two have been at loggerheads since the Parliament rejected the text agreed by ministers in May, forcing member states to go back to the drawing board.

Although senior parliamentarians have yet to study the new proposals drawn up by Helsinki in detail, one said this week that the paper "comes across as a concession from the Council," adding: "The majority of the Parliament's problems are addressed, with the exception of tax."

The Finnish paper says "the present system is unsatisfactory for both MEPs and the public" and calls for a "fresh and practical look at the issue as well as new initiatives from both sides".

Almost exactly a year ago, MEPs adopted a report by German Socialist Willi Rothley which would have put parliamentarians' pay, taxes and pensions on a level playing field and set stringent rules for claiming expenses. In April, EU governments accepted most of the assembly's proposals, but made a number of key changes which prompted the Parliament's decision to vote down the text.

The new Finnish paper admits that "the Rothley report in its present strand is, in some significant parts, not acceptable to the Council". Notably, EU governments still believe that members should make a contribution to their generous pension scheme and that their pension age should be 65 and not 60 as proposed by the assembly. They are also still insisting that member states should be allowed to impose a top-up tax on MEPs' salaries in addition to a common EU charge.

However, the report gives ground on many of the Parliament's demands.

It accepts that a transitory period of five years is needed to introduce the new rules, that deputies' pay should not be set in stone in the statute but should be reviewed by an independent expert group, and that acquired pension rights should be maintained.

Despite the pessimistic predictions of many senior MEPs and member states, the Finns are upbeat about prospects of reaching a deal. "The different views between the Parliament and the Council are, in reality, not too difficult to overcome," states the paper.

The Finnish Presidency has launched a last-ditch attempt to break the deadlock over a common statute for MEPs which could pave the way for a deal to end the long-running dispute between the European Parliament and EU governments.