MEPs refuse to leave the Brussels 'gravy train'
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Your support makes all the difference.MEPs have rejected a compromise plan to reform their pay and perks, dealing a severe blow to prospects of the European Parliament shedding its "gravy train" image before the EU expands in 2004.
The move was also a personal blow to the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, who has called for reform since 1999 and whose proposal was defeated yesterday.
MEPs from the 15 EU countries earn the same salary as national MPs, creating large disparities in earnings between, for example, affluent Austrians and poorly-paid Spaniards and Greeks.
Many MEPs compensate by abusing the system of travel expenses, which allows them to claim for full-price air fares without providing proof of what they paid. They take cheaper flights and pocket the difference.
Under the deal proposed by Mr Cox, MEPs would earn a basic salary of about €8,500 a month – equivalent at current exchange rates to about £62,000 a year. Most MEPs favour harmonised salaries but would not promise yesterday to clean up their expenses regime.
Mr Cox, who had hoped to use a new resolution as the basis to negotiate a new deal on pay with European Union leaders, said he was still "confident that further progress can be made very soon".
But Gary Titley, Labour leader in the European Parliament, said: "MEPs are dragged into disrepute by an expenses system which has no place in a modern EU. The lack of transparency in the system undermines the valuable work MEPs do representing their country and constituents."
Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament, said the MEPs who blocked reform showed "a lack of respect for the reputation of the European Parliament".
Lord Inglewood, the Conservative spokesman for legal and constitutional affairs in the European Parliament, described the vote as a "missed opportunity".
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