Voluntary pension fund

In the framework of the vote on the budget discharge of the European parliament (Casaca report) today, MEPs will also vote a new provision introduced by Green MEP Bart Staes aiming at excluding any use of public money to compensate the losses in the controversial voluntary pension fund. Commenting on the upcoming vote, Daniel Cohn-Bendit  and Monica Frassoni, Co-presidents of the Greens/EFA group, said:

"The Greens are the only political group to consistently oppose the European Parliament voluntary pension fund and have an official position against it today. Our amendment, adopted by the budget control committee and now part of the Casaca report (1), aims at excluding the direct and indirect use of taxpayers' money to compensate losses of the pension fund. In current times, in which many citizens have lost huge parts of their savings and pension rights due to the financial crisis, it is unacceptable that their political representatives enjoy such privileges.

The Greens call upon the presidency of the European parliament to immediately take action following the adoption of paragraph 105 of the Casaca report and take all necessary administrative measures to exclude any use of Parliament's budget to cover the deficit of the fund. The EP Presidency must also ensure that after the new members statute enters in force in July, no new entrants will be accepted for the fund. In line with the adopted transparency polices of the Union, the Parliament's Bureau is requested to urgently see that the list of the members of the voluntary pensions scheme is published without delay as paragraph 109 of the Casaca report - also introduced by the Greens - stipulates (2).

It should be remembered that when Members leave the fund, as several are doing under the glare of the media spotlight, they recuperate their one third contribution plus a benefit. The European Parliament's two thirds contribution however remains in the fund. These funds must be recorded as a debt from the fund to the Parliament.

The Greens will take the initiative to request that the President of parliament asks the legal services to look into the possibilities to go to court on mismanagement of public funds by the responsible persons in the pension fund."

Notes to editors:

(1) paragraph 105 of the budget discharge report: "Notes the intention to negotiate a convention between Parliament and the fund; points out that under no circumstances will Parliament in the prevailing economic situation provide extra money from the budget to cover the fund's deficit, as it did in the past, and that if it has to guarantee pension rights, Parliament should have full control over the fund and its investment policies;"

(2) paragraph 109 of the budget discharge report: "Notes that at its meeting of 22 October 2007, the Bureau decided not to comply with a recommendation by the European Ombudsman (complaint 655/2006/(SAB)ID) that Parliament should give access to the list of members of the voluntary pension scheme, notwithstanding a positive opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor; calls on the Bureau to reconsider its position and to publish the list in accordance with the advice of Parliament's Legal Service and in line with the transparency policy of the Union so as to make public all final beneficiaries of European funding;"

Press Service of the Greens/EFA Group
in the European Parliament

Chris Coakley,
Press Officer,
The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament
Tel: Brussels +32 2 2841667 / Strasburg +33 3 88174375
Mobile: +32-477-44-38-42
Fax: 0032 2 2844944
email: ccoakley@europarl.europa.eu