| Author (Person) | Banks, Martin |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.8, No.5, 7.2.02, p1-2 |
| Publication Date | 07/02/2002 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 07/02/02 By MEPs with the furthest to travel have the best attendance records at the European Parliament's plenary sessions, a new investigation reveals. Deputies from Finland and Greece, two member states at the EU's geographical edges, attended an average 86.6 of the meetings in Strasbourg and Brussels last year. But their counterparts from two countries traditionally regarded as strong supporters of the European project have among the worst records. Italian and French MEPs attended just 65.7 and 77.9 of sessions respectively. Also near the bottom of the list was Denmark, whose deputies took part in 77.9 of the plenaries. The new survey, compiled from official European Parliament records, also indentifies the individual members with the best - and worst - attendance records. Bottom of the league table of 626 MEPs is controversial Italian Marcello Dell'Utri, who attended and voted at just 14.2 of plenary sessions. He is followed by British eurosceptic Michael Holmes (20.7), Belgian Karel Dillen (30.7) and another Italian, the 71-year-old veteran Marco Pannella (33.7). The best are two French members, Socialist Gérard Caudron and centre-right Christine de Veyrac who, with Belgian Socialist Olga Zrihen, have a perfect 100 record of attendance. Along with the 'naming and shaming' came some inevitable boasting and roasting. 'I am not surprised Finnish MEPs have the best record as they take their jobs very seriously,' said Mikael Carpelan, the spokesman for Finland's permanent representation to the EU. A Greek official took the opportunity to chide France and Italy for their poor showings. 'It seems ironic that members from two of the Union's loudest cheerleaders are among the worst when it actually comes to attending and voting at meetings,' he said. The findings will add weight to those currently calling for an end to the so-called double mandate, under which members can sit in both the European Parliament and their own national assemblies. Some MEPs have a triple mandate, also holding a seat in a regional parliament. The committee on constitutional affairs is due to vote on the issue later this month. On average, MEPs attended almost 80 of plenary sessions last year, according to the survey. Among the parties, the 180-strong Group of European Socialists, Parliament's second biggest political group, had the best turnout (81.6). The Technical Group of Independent Members, with 18 members, had the worst (65.4). The plenary meetings - held one week each month in Strasbourg and several times a year in Brussels - are significant because they allow deputies the chance to vote on EU legislation. Commenting on his position at the bottom of the attendance table, Dell'Utri said: 'I am unable to attend voting sessions as often as I would like. This is due to many different reasons. Above all, besides being a politician, I am also indicted in Italy and am forced to defend myself before the courts.' Dell'Utri has been a senator in the Italian parliament since 1996 and an MEP for three years. For several years, he has also been embroiled in various legal proceedings in Italy and faced accusations of Mafia links. He said: 'I believe there is more to being an MEP than attending meetings. I do a lot of constituency work and do not take my MEP duties lightly.' Retired businessman Holmes, former leader of the UK Independence Party, told European Voice he has not attended a Strasbourg plenary for two years and spends only three to five days a month in Brussels. He said: 'I am not xenophobic but I am not going to turn up at Parliament just to sit around and do nothing at what I regard as a holiday home. 'I don't see the point of going to plenary sessions when I have a full-time assistant who attends. I feel my time is better spent in my constituency.' Parliament spokesman David Harley said: 'The overall attendance figure is quite good - although we are always striving for 100. 'Some members face practical problems in attending, such as the relatively poor air connections to Strasbourg from parts of Europe. 'Family obligations and illness may also prevent some deputies from attending all sessions.' Attendance survey: the results in full THE survey was carried out by researcher Frédéric Sallé. He compiled the information from the European Parliament's website. Below are the full results: Countries:
Attendance record of groups:
Report of a survey of attendance records at the European Parliament's plenary sessions. |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
