PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

PE-7/BUR/PV/2014-3

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

����

�

����

��

�

B U R E A U

MINUTES

of the meeting of

10-03-2014

Louise Weiss Building - Room R1.1

- - -

Strasbourg

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 2/32

EN

BUREAU

MINUTES

of the meeting of Monday, 10 March 2014 from 18:30 to 20:30 hours

Louise Weiss Building - Room R1.1

Strasbourg

CONTENTS

Page

1. Adoption of draft agenda .................................................................................................. 7

2. Adoption of Minutes of the Bureau meeting of 24 February 2014................................... 8

3. Communications by the President..................................................................................... 9

3.1. Complaints about Parliament's election information campaign ........................................ 9

3.2. Alleged misuse of Parliament funds by a political group ................................................. 9

3.3. Study of health conditions in Strasbourg........................................................................ 10

4. House of European History - Development of the permanent exhibition and other visitors' services - Note from the Secretary-General ...................................................... 11

5. Parliament's 2015 budget - decision on results from the conciliation meeting - Note from the Secretary-General............................................................................................. 13

6. Staff matters - complaint of staff member - Note from the Secretary-General............... 17

7. Specialised Financial Irregularities Panel (ISIF) - Renewal of internal membership - Note from the Secretary-General .................................................................................... 18

8. Processing of the papers of Members and former Members, for deposition in the Historical Archives - Note from the Secretary-General.................................................. 19

9. Citizen's Prize 2014 - Proposal for alternative schedule - Note from the Secretary-General............................................................................................................................ 20

10. Request from the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly for authorisation to modify its Rules of Procedure - Letter from Mr SALAFRANCA, Co-Chair of EuroLat ........................................................................................................................... 21

11. Request from the Committee on Petitions for authorisation of a derogation from the restrictions laid down in Article 14(1) of the Code of Conduct on Multilingualism

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

3/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

concerning the final report on the fact-finding visit to Greece from 18 to 20 September 2013 - Letter from Ms MAZZONI, Chair of the Committee concerned ...... 22

12. Request from the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy for authorisation for one Member to accompany out-of-quota, pursuant to Article 4(1)(b) of the applicable Rules, the committee delegation to Italy from 26 to 28 March 2014 - Letter from Ms SARTORI, Chair of the Committee concerned..................................... 23

13. Request from the Committee on Foreign Affairs to send a delegation to Mexico from 23 to 25 March 2014 - Letter from Mr BROK, Chair of the Committee concerned ........................................................................................................................ 24

14. Request from the Subcommittee on Security and Defence to replace its planned visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Somalia by a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Djibouti from 23 to 27 March 2014 - Letter from Mr DANJEAN, Chair of the Subcommittee concerned ................................................................................................ 26

15. Request from the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade to authorise a joint public hearing on 'The EU's response to Russian foreign and trade policies towards the countries of the Eastern Partnership' on 17 March 2014 in Brussels - Letter from Mr BROK and Mr MOREIRA, Chairs of the Committees concerned.................................................................................................... 27

16. Request from the Committee on Regional Development to authorise a public hearing on 'Partnership Agreements: where are we now?' on 19 March 2014 in Brussels - Letter from Ms HÜBNER, Chair of the Committee concerned..................... 28

17. Request from the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs to authorise a public hearing on 'Debt redemption fund and eurobills' on 1 April 2014 in Brussels - Letter from Ms BOWLES Chair of the Committee concerned....................................... 29

18. Urgent matters and any other business ........................................................................... 30

18.1. Women in the European Parliament ............................................................................... 30

18.2. End of Parliamentary term.............................................................................................. 30

19. Items for information ...................................................................................................... 31

20. Date and place of next meeting....................................................................................... 32

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 4/32

EN

BUREAU

MINUTES

of the meeting of Monday, 24 10 March 2014

Strasbourg

Mr Martin SCHULZ, President of the European Parliament, opened the meeting at 18.35 hours.

Present

Mr Martin SCHULZ, President*

Vice-Presidents Excused Mr PITTELLA Mr PAPASTAMKOS Mr MARTÍNEZ* Mr ALVARO Ms PODIMATA Mr WIELAND Mr VIDAL-QUADRAS* Mr PROTASIEWICZ Ms ANGELILLI Mr KARAS Mr McMILLAN-SCOTT* Ms DURANT* Mr VLASÁK Mr SURJÁN

Quaestors Excused Ms LULLING* Mr HIGGINS* Ms GERINGER DE OEDENBERG Mr LIBERADZKI Mr MAŠTÁLKA

Also Present Mr WELLE, Secretary-General*

* present for Item 6 in camera

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

5/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

Invited for item 4 Mr PÖTTERING, Former President of the European Parliament, Chair of the Board of

Trustees of the House of European History Mr RØMER, Special Advisor on the House of European History List of officials present at the meeting: Private Office of the President Mr WINKLER* Mr KAISER Ms MARTINEZ IGLESIAS Ms STRASSER Mr FREEDMAN Ms CASALES LOPEZ Private Office of the Secretary-General Mr MANGOLD* Ms LUEDDECKE Secretariat DG Presidency (PRES) Ms RATTI*/ Ms JIMENEZ LOZANO DG Internal Policies (IPOL) Ms VITREY DG External Policies (EXPO) Mr AGUIRIANO DG Parliamentary Research Services (EPRS) Mr TEASDALE DG Information (COMM) Ms LAHOUSSE/ Mr DUCH-GUILLOT/ Mr

CLARK**/ Ms VOVK VAN GAAL**/ Ms MORK**/ Mr EVERS**/ Ms ITZEL**

DG Personnel (PERS) Mr QUITIN* DG Infrastructure and Logistics (INLO) Mr STRATIGAKIS/ Mr LACROIX

DG Translation (TRAD) Ms PITT

DG Interpretation and Conferences (INTE) Ms COSMIDOU DG Finance (FINS) Mr VANHAEREN/ Mr GUILLEN ZANON/ Mr

KLETHI/ Mr REIJNDERS DG Innovation, Technical Support (ITEC) Mr VILELLA DG Security (SAFE) Mr CAROZZA Legal Service Mr DREXLER, Jurisconsult*/ Mr PASSOS Conference of President's Secretariat Mr HILLER Director for the Relations with Political Groups

Mr SCHWETZ

* present for Item 6 in camera ** present only for Item 4

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 6/32

EN

Political group secretariats, Mr EVISON (EPP) Mr HORNAK (S&D) Mr BOUTER (ALDE) Mr DENKINGER (Greens/EFA) Mr WOODARD (ECR) Mr RAECK (GUE/NGL) Ms LAIKAUF (EFD) Mr BUGALHO (Non-attached Members) Vice-Presidents' and Quaestors' assistants Mr CARDELLA Mr PITTELLA's assistant Mr GUERRA REINA Mr MARTÍNEZ's assistant Ms ZANELLA Ms PODIMATA's assistant Ms LAHOUSSE JUAREZ Mr VIDAL-QUADRAS's assistant Mr CHATZIFOTIS Mr PAPASTAMKOS's assistant Mr LOMBARDO Ms ANGELILLI's assistant Ms PRAINSACK Mr KARAS's assistant Mr VALETTE Ms DURANT's assistant Ms BAUER Mr ALVARO's assistant Ms GIPPERT Mr WIELAND's assistant Ms MAJEWSKA Mr PROTASIEWICZ's assistant Mr PÁPÁI Mr SURJÁN's assistant Ms THOMA Ms LULLING's assistant Ms KEARNEY Mr HIGGINS's assistant Ms ZIELINSKA Ms GERINGER de OEDENBERG's assistant Mr VOGT Mr LIBERADZKI's assistant Ms ŘEHOŘOVÁ Mr MAŠTÁLKA's assistant Mr TZIORKAS*, Mr ADLER, Mr QUARANTA and Mr CALINOGLOU acted as secretary to the meeting.

* present for Item 6 in camera

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

7/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

1. Adoption of draft agenda

The Bureau,

- noted the draft agenda (PE 528.959/BUR) thus modified and adopted it as shown in

these minutes.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 8/32

EN

2. Adoption of Minutes of the Bureau meeting of 24 February 2014

The Bureau,

- heard Ms DURANT and Mr PITTELLA, Vice-Presidents, ask that the request they

made during the exchange of views on Item 4, to exempt staff of the political groups

from the prospected annual reduction of 1 % over five years, be duly reflected in the

minutes;

- heard Mr VIDAL-QUADRAS stress that the inclusion of these comments are

important for the EPP Group as well;

- endorsed the suggested modification and approved the Minutes of the Bureau meeting

of 24 February 2014 held in Strasbourg (PE 528.866/BUR).

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

9/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

3. Communications by the President

3.1. Complaints about Parliament's election information campaign

The Bureau,

- heard the President inform Members of two complaints from two Spanish political

parties about the implementation of Parliament's election information campaign:

• one from the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE), about the ReACT event held

in Madrid on 20 February 2014, since only one Member, representing one political

party, had been present at the event, and the title "Employment, let's improve the

situation" could be interpreted as an endorsement of the economic and social policies

of the current Spanish government with the consequence that the political neutrality

of Parliament's campaign had been compromised,

• and the other, from Unión Progreso y Democracia, about the alleged fact that a

majority of events held in Spain in connection with the election information campaign

took place in Catalonia, leading to a geographically unbalanced distribution of events;

- heard the President announce that he had asked the Jurisconsult to examine the

complaints and that he would communicate his findings at the next meeting.

3.2. Alleged misuse of Parliament funds by a political group

The Bureau,

- heard the President announce that he had received a letter, dated 8 March 2014, from Mr

McMILLAN-SCOTT, Vice-President, regarding a report in "The Times" dated 8 March

2014, alleging the illegal use of funds paid from the Parliament to the EFD Group to

finance salaries paid to London-based staff of the United Kingdom Independence Party

(UKIP), based on evidence from a whistle-blower/confidential source;

- heard the President inform Members that he had asked the responsible services to

conduct an internal investigation and, depending on its outcome, he might consider

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 10/32

EN

referring the matter to the European Union's Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF noting that he

would keep the Members of the Bureau informed of the proceedings;

3.3. Study of health conditions in Strasbourg

The Bureau,

- heard the President inform Members and in particular Mr McMILLAN-SCOTT, Vice-

President, that in response to the latter’s request for a study of the medical effects on

Parliament's Members and staff directly attributable to the meetings in Strasbourg, the

case has been studied and a reply letter would be submitted to him in the course of this

week.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

11/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

A. DECISIONS/EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

4. House of European History - Development of the permanent exhibition and other visitors'

services - Note from the Secretary-General

The Bureau,

- took note of a note dated 26 February 2014, from the Secretary-General, on the

above-mentioned subject (PE 528.954/BUR);

- heard Mr PÖTTERING, Former President of the European Parliament and Chair of

the Board of Trustees of the House of European History, inform that after intensive

work in the last years the project was now in the final phases, since the rebuilding of

the House was expected to be concluded by the end of 2014, while the contents of the

exhibition were expected to be ready by the end of 2015, expressing thanks to the

Bureau and to the President for their support, and to the Project Team for their work;

- heard Ms VOVK VAN GAAL, Academic Project Leader for the House of European

History in DG COMM, present the current state of play in the development of the

narrative to be featured in the permanent exhibition at the House of European History

and the possibilities for temporary exhibitions which could be foreseen;

- observed a video presentation by Ms VOVK VAN GAAL, on the narrative of the

permanent exhibition at the House of European History, recalling that while the

narrative would focus on the period after the Second World War, the exhibition

would also bring about a better understanding of the origins of European ideas and

values and put possible future developments into perspective;

- took note of the hand-out entitled “House of European History - Permanent

Exhibition Design” distributed in the meeting;

- held a broad exchange of views with the participation of the President, Ms DURANT,

Mr McMILLAN-SCOTT, Mr MARTÍNEZ, Mr VLASÁK, Mr SURJÁN and Mr

KARAS, Vice-Presidents, and Ms GERINGER de OEDENBERG, Mr HIGGINS and

Mr LIBERADZKI, Quaestors, underlining inter alia:

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 12/32

EN

• the excellent quality of the work by the Project Team and the successful final

design proposal as observed in the presentation,

• the unique opportunity to provide Europeans with a House that would

document a joint perspective on the roots, the recent European history and the

European Union's ambitious undertaking in successfully harnessing the

destructive forces inherent in all nation states at all times,

• the importance of placing a strong focus on the future in the narrative,

• the regrettable fact that it had not been possible to open the House in time for

the European elections,

• the need to cooperate closely with national, regional and local authorities in

Belgium and the importance of ensuring added value through temporary

exhibitions with items from a broad range of other historical museums,

• the consideration to integrate into the House also the various parts of the Berlin

wall, which are now dispersed in the wider area of the Parliament buildings;

• the need for a successful inter linkage of the project with the Parlamentarium

both content wise and from a logistical perspective,

• some concerns regarding the budgetary situation in times of financial crisis and

austerity and the necessity to involve the European Commission as a close

partner;

- noted an enthusiastic support for the project from an overwhelming majority of

Members;

- took note of the state of play of the development of visitor offers and approved the

final design of the permanent exhibition.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

13/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

5. Parliament's 2015 budget - decision on results from the conciliation meeting - Note from the

Secretary-General

The Bureau,

- took note of a note dated 27 February 2014, from the Secretary-General, on the

Preliminary Draft Estimates for the Financial Year 2015 after three rounds of

Conciliation (PE 528.965/BUR and annexes);

- heard the Secretary-General reiterate that the provision of more office space to

Members would allow to comply with Belgian Regulation by a limitation of two

staffers maximum being physically present in one office and present the main

elements of the above-mentioned note and inform Members on the state of play of

conciliation, focusing in particular on the additional cost reductions (as compared to

the first draft of 24 February), which had been proposed by the Vice-Presidents to the

BUDG Committee delegation and would lead to additional cuts in the 2015 budget of

EUR 19 Million;

- heard the Secretary-General explain the rational of the cuts proposed: EUR 4,000,000

for interpretation expenditure thanks to structural changes of the working rhythm of

Parliament, where by starting afternoon sessions at 14.30 instead of 15.00

considerable gains can be achieved as interpreters' teams can be scheduled more

effectively and 5% meeting time can be gained without any additional cost; EUR

500,000 thanks to the application of language profiles for Amendments at Committee

stage; EUR 9,000,000 for investments for the construction of the KAD building,

whereas this envelope will have to be renegotiated in the framework of the reading of

the 2015 budget in order to keep interest payments for eventual credits as low as

possible; EUR 900,000 for Security surveillance in Luxembourg, thanks to reviewing

the needs for the administrative buildings in Luxembourg; EUR 500,000 for internal

meetings thanks to ceasing the coffee service in meetings which is possible thanks to

positive conclusions of the pilot period of coffee machines in front of meeting rooms;

EUR 600,000 of the line for Political Groups where in a post-electoral year the

information budget can remain at the 2014 election year level; EUR 3,500,000 for

local parliamentary assistance due to the fact that 2015 is the first year of the

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 14/32

EN

legislature and the employment level of local assistants is supposed not to reach

immediately 100%;

- heard the Secretary-General further explain that the adoption of the proposed cuts

would limit the increase of the budget to only 2.7% against the 2014 budget and

express his regret that in the third round of negotiations, on 26 February 2014, even

though further proposals were put forward which would have led to a final increase

of only 2.2% against the 2014 budget, these were still not acceptable to the BUDG

Committee delegation;

- heard the Secretary-General conclude that the Vice-Presidents hence felt the need to

interrupt the conciliation and to report back to the Bureau, as the counterpart had

clearly shown no willingness to reach any meaningful compromise, and invite the

Bureau to adopt the proposed increase of 2.7% against 2014, as detailed in the afore-

mentioned note of 27 February 2014;

- heard Mr PITTELLA, Vice-President with primary responsibility for Parliament's

budget, express his deep concern that the reiterated conciliation efforts with the

Committee on Budgets had so far been unable to yield a meaningful agreement

although differences between the two sides were rather of formal than substantial

nature; further regret that the excellent preparatory work in the joint Bureau-BUDG

working group had now fallen hostage to short-term political opportunism by the

BUDG Committee delegation; invite the Members of the Bureau to endorse an

extension of the negotiating mandate in order to try to successfully conclude this

conciliation procedure;

- heard Mr VIDAL-QUADRAS, Vice-President with secondary responsibility for

Parliament's budget, further underline the frustration experienced in the conciliation

meetings, as the BUDG Committee delegation not only refused to make any

concessions towards a reasonable compromise, but even refused to differentiate

between prospected functional costs and prospected investment expenditures such as

the ones related to the KAD building, which would imply substantial savings in

financial costs (EUR 7.8 Million in interest payments) if budgeted in 2015 rather than

later; finally call on the President to exercise his political authority with the

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

15/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

Committee on Budgets in order to persuade their delegation members to a more

reasonable negotiating approach;

- held an extensive exchange of views on the state of play of conciliation with the

participation of Mr SURJÁN, Ms DURANT, Mr KARAS, Mr VLASÁK, Vice-

Presidents, Ms GERINGER DE OEDENBERG, Quaestor, and the President, in

which Members voiced their overall disappointment for the intransigence showed by

the BUDG Committee delegation, questioned the EP's unique practice of submitting

the approval of its functional expenses to a general political debate and reiterated the

call to adopt a budget that fully preserves Parliament's ability to act and legislate;

- heard Ms DURANT, Vice-President, express reservations regarding the proposed

cuts in the budget allocated to political groups;

- heard the President remark that over the past decades the EP's administrative

expenditures had always been set at 20% of its budget, while current levels are

already below this threshold and would not even be adapted to inflation if the

intransigent line of the BUDG Committee was adopted, and stress the need to return

to the 20% rule for administrative expenses;

- heard the President further reassure that he would contact the Chair and coordinators

of the Committee on Budgets as well as the Group Chairs in order to raise their

awareness to their share of responsibility in leading sensible negotiations aiming at a

result which has to respect Parliament's dignity and safeguard its full functionality;

- took note of the state of play of conciliation and approved unanimously the extension

of the negotiation mandate for the conciliation with the Committee on Budgets, based

on the note from the Secretary-General and his contribution at the meeting, and in

particular to set the preliminary draft estimates at EUR 1.803.929.122, a figure which

represents a 2.7 % increase over 2014;

- instructed its negotiating team composed of Mr PITTELLA and Mr VIDAL-

QUADRAS, Vice-Presidents respectively with primary and secondary responsibility

for Parliament's budget, with the participation of the Secretary-General, to meet the

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 16/32

EN

delegation of the Committee on Budgets for a further round of conciliation talks

aiming at reaching an agreement and to report to the Bureau in due course.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

17/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

From 20.08 hours in camera 6. Staff matters - complaint of staff member - Note from the Secretary-General

The Bureau, meeting in camera,

- heard the President present an individual complaint lodged by a former official

concerning the filling of the post of Parliament’s Jurisconsult (PE 528.964/BUR);

- heard the President propose to the Bureau to reject the complaint as unfounded;

- agreed unanimously with the proposal from the President.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 18/32

EN

B. DECISIONS WITHOUT DEBATE

7. Specialised Financial Irregularities Panel (ISIF) - Renewal of internal membership - Note from

the Secretary-General

The Bureau, without debate,

- took note of a note dated 7 February 2014, from the Secretary-General, on the above-

mentioned subject (PE 528.890/BUR);

- approved the renewal of the nomination of European Parliament's internal members to

the Specialised Financial Irregularities Panel for a two-year period from 1 May 2014

to 30 April 2016 inclusive.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

19/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

8. Processing of the papers of Members and former Members, for deposition in the Historical

Archives - Note from the Secretary-General

The Bureau, without debate,

- took note of a note dated 26 February 2014 from the Secretary-General on the above-

mentioned subject (PE 528.958/BUR and annex);

- approved the proposed elimination of the annual ‘call for interest’ and associated

deadlines, so enabling Members and former Members to seek the processing of their

papers at any time during the year;

- approved the draft decision annexed to this note, for this purpose;

- invited the Secretary-General to implement these new provisions.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 20/32

EN

9. Citizen's Prize 2014 - Proposal for alternative schedule - Note from the Secretary-General

The Bureau, without debate,

- took note of a note dated 26 February 2014 from the Secretary-General on the above-

mentioned subject (PE 528.956/BUR and annex);

- took note of the proposal;

- approved the revised schedule for the European Citizen's Prize 2014.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

21/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

10. Request from the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly for authorisation to modify its

Rules of Procedure - Letter from Mr SALAFRANCA, Co-Chair of EuroLat

This item was postponed pending a recommendation from the Conference of Presidents.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 22/32

EN

11. Request from the Committee on Petitions for authorisation of a derogation from the restrictions

laid down in Article 14(1) of the Code of Conduct on Multilingualism concerning the final

report on the fact-finding visit to Greece from 18 to 20 September 2013 - Letter from Ms

MAZZONI, Chair of the Committee concerned

The Bureau, without debate,

- took note of a letter dated 24 February 2014 from Ms MAZZONI, Chair of the

Petitions Committee, on the above mentioned subject (PE 525.102/BUR and financial

statement);

- noted the request from the Committee on Petitions for a derogation from Article 14 of

the Code of Conduct on Multilingualism adopted by the Bureau on 17 November

2008, in order to exceed the limit for 2014 for the number of pages to be translated

for the Committee on Petitions by 9 pages;

- noted that the requested derogation, if granted, would allow the translation of the

final report from the Committee's fact-finding visit to Greece on 18-20 September

2013 into the language of the host country and petitioners (Greek) and the languages

of the members of the delegation (Croatian, German and Spanish);

- noted the financial statement for the translation of 9 pages into the four requested

languages (setting the cost at EUR 926);

- on an entirely exceptional basis and without setting a precedent, granted the request

from the Committee on Petitions, in view of the need for a substantial document from

the fact finding visit in question and the reasonable cost of the 9 supplementary pages

to be translated into four languages.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

23/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

Committee delegations within the EU and applicant countries

12. Request from the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy for authorisation for one

Member to accompany out-of-quota, pursuant to Article 4(1)(b) of the applicable Rules, the

committee delegation to Italy from 26 to 28 March 2014 - Letter from Ms SARTORI, Chair of

the Committee concerned

The Bureau, without debate,

- took note of a letter dated 20 February 2014, from Ms SARTORI, Chair of the

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, requesting authorisation for Ms Judith

MERKIES, Committee member elected in The Netherlands, to join the Committee

delegation to Italy, scheduled for 26-28 March 2014, as an accompanying Member,

pursuant to Article 4(1)(b) of the applicable Rules (PE 528.937/BUR and annex);

- noted the availability of appropriations of Ms MERKIES under the provisions of

Article 22(1) of the Implementing Measures for the Statute for Members of the

European Parliament;

- granted the authorisation requested;

- noted furthermore, that the list of participants (including the Chair, travelling out-of-

quota pursuant to Article 2(3) of the applicable Rules, and four accompanying

Members) consists of ten Members, six of whom belong to one Group and four to

another;

- invited the Committee to take due account of the provisions of Article 4(1) of the

applicable Rules.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 24/32

EN

Committee delegations outside the EU and applicant countries

13. Request from the Committee on Foreign Affairs to send a delegation to Mexico from 23 to 25

March 2014 - Letter from Mr BROK, Chair of the Committee concerned

The Bureau, with debate,

- noted a letter dated 11 February 2014, from Mr BROK, Chair of the Committee on

Foreign Affairs, requesting authorisation to send a six-member delegation along with

the Chair travelling out-of-quota, to Mexico from 23 to 26 March 2014 (including

journey times - a period mostly set aside for external parliamentary activities) and

indicating that the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary

Committee would be invited to join the mission, in conformity with Article 9(1) of

the applicable Rules (PE 528.907/CPG, annex and financial statement);

- noted an email of 6 March 2014 from Mr SWOBODA, Chair of the S&D Group, to

the President supporting the delegation visit to Mexico (PE 528.907/BUR/COMPL);

- recalled that the Committee had not put forward a programme of delegations for the

January - March 2014 period, opting instead to seek authorisation for specific

delegations, as appropriate;

- recalled moreover that the programme of activities by standing delegations and Inter-

parliamentary Assemblies for the first half of 2014 includes the 17th EU-Mexico Joint

Parliamentary Committee meeting to be held on Parliament's premises in Strasbourg,

from 15 to 17 April 2014, i.e. approximately two weeks after the proposed mission of

the AFET Committee, and noted that, because of this, on 27 February 2014 the

Conference of Presidents issued a recommendation declining to endorse the mission

at this juncture and inviting the members of the AFET Committee to participate in the

above-mentioned meeting in Strasbourg instead;

- heard Mr MARTÍNEZ, Vice-President, refer to the email from Mr SWOBODA and

specify that if the EPP Group would maintain its support for the AFET request, his

Group could support the request as well;

- heard the President propose that the AFET request be authorised;

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

25/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

- decided to authorise the delegation visit to Mexico, it being understood that it will

forward to the President the final programme and list of participants in good time

prior to the delegation's departure, in accordance with Article 10 of the applicable

Rules.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 26/32

EN

14. Request from the Subcommittee on Security and Defence to replace its planned visit to Addis

Ababa, Ethiopia, and Somalia by a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Djibouti from 23 to 27

March 2014 - Letter from Mr DANJEAN, Chair of the Subcommittee concerned

The Bureau, without debate,

- took note of a letter dated 19 February 2014, from Mr DANJEAN, Chair of the

Subcommittee on Security and Defence, requesting authorisation to replace the

planned visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Somalia by a visit to Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia, and Djibouti from 23 to 27 March 2014, including journey times, a period

set aside for external parliamentary activities (PE 528.929/CPG, annexes and

financial statement);

- noted that a visit to Somalia and Ethiopia was included in the draft programme for

travel by committee delegations outside Parliament's three places of work during the

first quarter of 2014;

- recalled that, at its meeting of 9 December 2013, the Bureau noted that the SEDE

Subcommittee's request to travel to Somalia and Ethiopia was conditional on a

positive security assessment of the situation on the ground, prior to the departure of

the delegation and stressed that, should, for any reason, the Subcommittee wish to

replace Somalia by any of its neighbouring countries, a specific request for

authorisation must be submitted to that effect;

- noted that the Subcommittee's proposal to replace Somalia with Djibouti is based on

grounds of security and logistics;

- noted the Country Security Assessments established by Parliament's services;

- noted the recommendation issued by the Conference of Presidents on 6 March 2014,

endorsing the visit as planned, provided that the security situation there allows the

visit to go ahead;

- followed the recommendation of the Conference of Presidents, it being understood

that the Subcommittee's quota for travel outside the European Union and the

applicant countries is respected.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

27/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

Public Hearings

15. Request from the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade to

authorise a joint public hearing on 'The EU's response to Russian foreign and trade policies

towards the countries of the Eastern Partnership' on 17 March 2014 in Brussels - Letter from

Mr BROK and Mr MOREIRA, Chairs of the Committees concerned

The Bureau, without debate,

- noted a letter dated 11 February 2014 co-signed by Mr BROK, Chair of the

Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Mr MOREIRA, Chair of the Committee on

Foreign Trade, on the above-mentioned subject (PE 528.932/BUR and annex);

- took note of the request for authorisation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and

the Committee on Foreign Trade, to hold a joint AFET/INTA public hearing on "The

EU's response to Russian foreign and trade policies towards the countries of the

Eastern Partnership" on 17 March 2014 in Brussels;

- noted that the requested joint hearing does not feature in the 2014 programme of

public hearings adopted by the Bureau on 18 November 2013 and therefore an

individual authorisation by the Bureau is necessary, in accordance with Article 3 of

the relevant Rules;

- noted that the hearing is scheduled to take place on a date and time set aside for a

meeting of the Committees concerned and that three invited guests will require

reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses, with two guests to be reimbursed

from INTA's and one guest from AFET's annual quota, respectively;

- granted the authorisation requested, it being understood that the Committees

concerned shall notify the President prior to the joint public hearing of all relevant

information, in particular the final programme and the names and capacities of the

invited experts, as required by Article 4 of the applicable rules, and that both

Committees will remain within their 2014 quota of sixteen paid guests.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 28/32

EN

16. Request from the Committee on Regional Development to authorise a public hearing on

'Partnership Agreements: where are we now?' on 19 March 2014 in Brussels - Letter from Ms

HÜBNER, Chair of the Committee concerned

The Bureau, without debate,

- noted a letter dated 26 February 2014 from Mr LEHNE, Chair of the Conference of

Committee Chairs, and a letter dated 19 February 2014 from Ms HÜBNER, Chair of

the Committee on Regional Development, requesting authorisation to hold a public

hearing entitled "Partnership Agreements: where are we now?" on 19 March 2014 in

Brussels (PE 528.936/BUR and annex);

- noted that the requested hearing does not feature in the 2014 programme of public

hearings adopted by the Bureau on 18 November 2013 and therefore an individual

authorisation by the Bureau is necessary, in accordance with Article 3 of the relevant

Rules;

- noted that the Conference of Committee Chairs considered the request, without

debate, at its meeting on 25 February 2014 and no objections were raised concerning

the competence of the REGI Committee;

- noted that the hearing is scheduled to take place on a date and time set aside for a

meeting of the Committee concerned and that six invited guests will require

reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses, to be covered from the REGI

Committee's annual quota;

- granted the authorisation requested, it being understood that the Committee

concerned shall notify the President prior to the public hearing of all relevant

information, in particular the final programme and the names and capacities of the

invited experts, as required by Article 4 of the applicable rules, and that the

Committee will remain within its 2014 quota of sixteen paid guests.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

29/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

17. Request from the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs to authorise a public hearing

on 'Debt redemption fund and eurobills' on 1 April 2014 in Brussels - Letter from Ms

BOWLES Chair of the Committee concerned

The Bureau, without debate,

- noted a letter dated 19 February 2014 from Ms BOWLES, Chair of the Committee on

Economic and Monetary Affairs, requesting authorisation to hold a public hearing on

"Debt redemption fund and eurobills" on 1 April 2014 in Brussels (PE 528.931/BUR

and annex);

- noted that the requested hearing does not feature in the 2014 programme of public

hearings adopted by the Bureau on 18 November 2013 and therefore an individual

authorisation by the Bureau is necessary, in accordance with Article 3 of the relevant

Rules;

- noted that the hearing is scheduled to take place on a date and time set aside for a

meeting of the ECON Committee and that reimbursement of travel and subsistence

expenses for any of the seven invited experts, if required, will be counted against the

ECON Committee's annual quota;

- granted the authorisation requested, it being understood that the Committee

concerned shall notify the President prior to the public hearing of all relevant

information, in particular the final programme and the names and capacities of the

invited experts, as required by Article 4 of the applicable rules, and that the ECON

Committee will remain within its 2014 quota of sixteen paid guests.

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 30/32

EN

18. Urgent matters and any other business

18.1. Women in the European Parliament

The Bureau,

- heard Ms ANGELILLI, Vice-President and Chair of the High-level Group on Gender

Equality and Diversity, present on the occasion of the International Women’s day a

brochure prepared by the Directorate-General for Personnel, entitled "Women in the

European Parliament - International Women's Day, 8 March 2014" (PE

529.900/BUR), and highlight the important progress already made in gender equality

in the European Parliament administration while noting that increased efforts

concerning female staff in middle management positions were still required;

18.2. End of Parliamentary term

The Bureau,

- heard Mr MAŠTÁLKA, Chair-in-office of the Quaestors, report that he had been

mandated by the Quaestors to present to the Bureau an issue related to the fact that,

due to the forward-bringing of the date of the European elections and subsequently of

the earlier constitution of the new Parliament, outgoing Members would not complete

a full five-year term, and that the accrual of pensions would consequently be based on

four years and eleven months, raising financial questions; informed the President that

he would send him a letter on this regard with the request to meet him in person in

order to better explain the matter and also include this issue on the agenda of a future

Bureau meeting;

- heard Ms GERINGER DE OEDENBERG, Quaestor, further underline that this issue

was of great importance to Members who feel that the impossibility of the

administration to base the calculation of pension accruals on the full five years was

against the spirit of the Statute, as pension claims would be negatively affected even

though a full Parliamentary term was served;

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

31/32 PE 528.961/BUR/rev

EN

19. Items for information

The Bureau,

- noted the following documents:

Interinstitutional mail

External mail

Internal mail

- a note dated 26 February 2014, from the Secretary-General on Eastman – House of

European History – Information on the state of play of the building project as at 15

January 2014 (PE 528.955/BUR);

- a note dated 26 February 2014, from the Secretary-General on Brussels - Professional

Training Centre - Replacement of the Montoyer 63 Building (PE 528.963/BUR);

PV BUR. 10.03.2014

PE 528.961/BUR/rev 32/32

EN

20. Date and place of next meeting

The Bureau,

- decided to hold its next meeting on Wednesday, 2 April 2014, from 18:00 to 20:00

hours, in Room 6B001 in the Paul-Henri SPAAK Building in Brussels.

*

* *

The meeting closed at 20.09 hours.

*

* *