Pressure from the ECR Group has helped win support for limiting the increase in next year's European Parliament budget and reducing the proportion consumed by administrative costs.

MEPs today approved a report by British ECR MEP Richard Ashworth which recommends pegging the 2018 budget to €1.95 billion, a rise of 2.3 per cent, down from the 3.3 per cent proposed by Parliament Secretary General Klaus Welle and representing an €18.4 million saving. 

As a proportion of the EU's administration budget, the Parliament's share amounts to 18.9 per cent,  the smallest for 15 years.

Mr Ashworth welcomed the downward trend.

He said: "Of course I would like to see the budget reduced even further but this is an encouraging move, particularly as extra resources are required to improve physical security at the Parliament and to address cyber security.

"I hope this direction of travel continues and that the Parliament's spending become more focused and efficient."

Other measures backed by MEPs include a call for plans to phase out the monthly move of the Parliament from Brussels to Strasbourg, which costs up to €204 million a year. In addition, Mr Ashworth recommends further controls on European political parties and foundations to ensure that taxpayer funds are spent in accordance with laws.

The final budget will be put before MEPs for approval later this year.

Ends

Contact Robert Taylor
Head of Media, Conservative MEPs
robert.taylor@europarl.europa.eu
Mobile +32 498 984 760

The ECR was created to take the EU in a new direction, according to the principles of our founding Prague Declaration. It is the third largest group in the European Parliament with 74 MEPs from 18 EU states.

For more information on the ECR, watch our promotional video at http://youtu.be/F5syQt1JuQI or visit our website: www.ecrgroup.eu