Accions a favor d’una sola seu per al Parlament Europeu
Les darreres votacions mostren una majoria creixent al Parlament favorable a canviar aquesta situació, la qual cosa hauria de servir per tal que el Consell, que és qui té la capacitat de decidir sobre aquest particular, adopti les mesures que se li estan reclamant.
1. The latest vote showed support for a single seat for the European Parliament at two-to-one among MEPs (432 – 218). They are now joined in their call by the Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders and by prominent Group Leaders, who want a proper debate and resolution. The ‘Calendar’ cases have received an Opinion from the Advocate General of the ECJ – requiring a “dynamic interpretation of the Treaty”. Meanwhile, the EP administration is assessing the damage to the Brussels Hemicycle.
2. Single Seat Campaign wins “Outstanding Contribution” in the Parliament magazine 2012 MEP Awards
Edward McMillan-Scott, co-chair of the Single Seat campaign was presented with the Award for Outstanding Contribution in the MEP 2012 Awards organised by the Parliament magazine. He expressed his thanks to co-chair Alexander Alvaro and to the cross-party support that has highlighted the costs and difficulties of the ‘travelling circus’ in a time of economic stringency for our constituents. McMillan-Scott said “Brussels is the political capital of the EU: sorry Strasbourg!”
3. Belgian foreign minister supports a Single Seat for Parliament – in Brussels
In an interview on TV Bruxelles [20 September] Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders underlined that Brussels is the political capital of Europe. Reynders argued in favour of “stopping the shuttles” because the monthly move is “very costly”. He also thinks it is necessary to strengthen the status of Strasbourg “on other points like human rights” – the capital of Alsace already being home to the Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. Reynder’s comments follow those of Poland’s foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, who broke EU Presidency etiquette by saying in a speech in Berlin that “the EP should have its Seat in a single location”. At the outset of the outgoing Danish EU Presidency, budget minister Bjarne Corydon said that “we don’t see the relevance in having two headquarters for the European Parliament”.
4. On 17 September Public Service Europe published our article on a single seat, which gives you an overview of the most recent developments concerning the right of MEPs to decide when and where they meet.
5. Daniel Cohn-Bendit supports for a Single Seat in Brussels – Green Group Leaders call for a debate, a vote and a permanent solution
In a defiant statement in Strasbourg’s local newspaper Les Dernieres Nouvelles D’Alsace on 12 September, Cohn-Bendit argues that the ongoing Court case is a sideshow. His preference would be to have the European Parliament 100% located in Brussels. Together with his Green co-President Rebecca Harms, he calls for a debate and a resolution – before November.
6. Brussels Hemicycle – temporary closure
The 10 September discussion in the EP Bureau on the discovery of cracks in the wooden beams in the ceiling of the Brussels Hemicycle was postponed in anticipation of a full report. Single Seat applauds the upgraded inspection and maintenance policy and the swift response by the crisis management team which avoided a repetition of the collapse of the Strasbourg Hemicycle ceiling in July 2008.
7. EP ‘Calendar’ votes: “dynamic interpretation” of the Treaties required
This Opinion of the ECJ’s Advocate General on the case brought by France and Luxembourg against MEPs’ decision to merge two October sessions into one week in Strasbourg, published on 6 September, does not bind the Court, which is not expected to give judgment for some time. Crucially, it says “The absence of an express rule combined with the natural development of the Parliament’s role makes it necessary to carry out a dynamic interpretation of the protocols [of the Treaties] …Consequently the analysis must be more global and it is not only the duration [of the sessions], stricto sensu, which is decisive … but rather the global coherence of the calendars”.
The Advocate General advises that the entirety of the calendars must be examined, including the frequency and duration of the 12 sessions. He notes that a break in the rhythm and regularity of the sessions does not necessarily constitute a violation of the Treaty. Such a break can be justified, and has been in the past, though on balance he was not convinced that sufficient justifications had been offered in this particular case. This offers hope that future decisions may also be justifiable, in line with the massive new oversight and legislative responsibilities of the European Parliament under the Lisbon Treaty, and the economic climate.
The Opinion of the Advocate-General is available in all EU languages.
8. Report on EP Budget 2013 brings biggest ever majority in favour of a Single Seat
On 4 July the biggest-ever majority of MEPs (432 – 218) voted in favour of a single seat in the La Via report: “Believes that the EU, not least in the context of the austerity policies being implemented in the Member States, must show responsibility and take immediate, concrete measures to establish a single seat for Parliament”.
Since the first open vote in Parliament in June 2011 (Garriga report on the EU’s Multi-annual Financial Framework) produced the first absolute majority of MEPs (373 – 285) for a single seat, MEPs have voted consistently for a single seat.