MEPS VOTE FOR STATUTE FOR PARLIAMENTARY ASSISTANTS.

Sitting in plenary session in Strasbourg on March 11, the European Parliament approved the report by Klaus-Heiner Lehne (EPP, Germany) on the proposal for a Regulation establishing a specific Statute for MEPs' assistants. The MEPs ironed out a number of incongruities in the text adopted by its Legal Affairs Committee on February 24. In particular, it rejected an amendment tabled by Dimitri Tatsos (PES, Greece) undermining the general tenor of the proposal by granting the Council the right to regulate all aspects of the regime according to existing staff regulations for EU auxiliary agents. Opposed by a majority of EPP members, the legislative resolution signals the victory of the position adopted by the Socialists. An amendment introduced at the behest of Evelyne Gebhardt (PES, Germany) calls on the Member States, national governments, which will have the final say on this issue (simple consultation procedure), to leave Parliament itself to settle precise rules regarding conditions of employment...