News Releases
Showing: December 2011
Here you can find an archive of all the news items that have been on this website as well as any comments, polls or surveys.
New Conservative MEP confirmed
Posted,12/29/2011 5:00:00 PM
Anthea McIntyre was officially named today as the new Conservative MEP for the West Midlands.
Update of public procurement rules "prepares the ground" for a simpler bidding process
Posted,12/21/2011 1:00:00 PM
Proposed new rules on public procurement announced today (Tuesday) are a significant step towards increased competitiveness in Europe and easier bidding, especially for smaller companies, a senior MEP has said. Commenting on plans for a modernisation of EU public procurement rules, announced by Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier, Malcolm Harbour MEP said: "We will continue to work with the commission because we want to see bidding for public contracts made as simple as possible for smaller businesses, while still making sure there is transparency, fairness and value for money. But this is a helpful start." Mr Harbour, European Conservatives and Reformists group spokesman on the Single Market, said the proposals represented "a timely effort to ensure the sound expenditure of taxpayer money and give a much needed boost to European competitiveness by easing access for small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthening innovation.
ECJ ruling on asylum seeker returns: time to get tough with Greece
Posted,12/21/2011 1:00:00 PM
The European Court of Justice's (ECJ) ruling today that the UK cannot return asylum seekers to Greece owing to its inadequate asylum system should act as a wake up call to the European Commission to come down on Greece's failure to live up to its obligations, Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Conservative home affairs spokesman, said today.
Now EU bullies demand end to British rebate
Posted,12/20/2011 4:00:00 PM
Senior EU figures are out to end Britain's hard-won European Union rebate as an act of vengeance for David Cameron's wielding of the UK veto at Friday's Summit.
Action not words: drop the FTT
Posted,12/20/2011 4:00:00 PM
Martin Callanan MEP, the Conservative leader in the European Parliament and Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, has welcomed German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle's comments that there is "no hidden agenda against the City of London".
Foster demands: Let the maritime agency concentrate on safety
Posted,12/15/2011 1:00:00 PM
Changes to the role of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) could prove costly and dilute efforts to drive up safety standards at sea, MEPs have been warned.
Karim urges: Scrap this costly and bureaucratic plan
Posted,12/14/2011 6:00:00 PM
Sajjad Karim MEP today calls for the EU to come to its senses and dismiss proposals which would increase bureaucratic costs for small businesses.
Callanan condemns £200m EU propaganda plan
Posted,12/14/2011 5:00:00 PM
Plans to spend more than £200 million promoting "better understanding of the EU" were unveiled by the European Commission today.
European Parliament goes on a buildings spending spree
Posted,12/14/2011 9:00:00 AM
Despite the eurozone crisis and austerity budgets in countries across the continent, a European Parliament committee has approved a massive spending spree on property - to create more office space for MEPs and staff.The parliament's Budget Committee voted through a spending package of more than €140 million, to cover the building of one brand new office block close to the Parliament chamber in Brussels and the purchase of another.A further €16 million will be spent to buy and renovate a building near the Strasbourg Parliament which currently belongs to the Council of Europe.Conservative MEPs, who voted against the plans, condemned them as wasteful and inappropriate.Leader Martin Callanan, Conservative MEP for North East England, said: "I am continually amazed at the extent to which MEPs from some parties will think of themselves ahead of the people they should be serving."The euro is on a life support machine, the whole of the continent is in crisis, and some MEPs are getting on with what they do best - making their own lives more comfortable."In times like these, this is the last thing we should be doing."The biggest project approved by the Budget Committee involves the so called Trebel building, close to the existing Parliament buildings in the European Quarter of Brussels. An existing office block would be bought and then demolished to make way for a purpose-built complex with 30,000 square metres of office space at a total cost of €125 million.The Trebel project would involve an initial outlay of €15 million, but other payments would be staggered and the parliament will not finish paying until 2027. Said Mr Callanan: "Only in Brussels would you find such a wasteful and inappropriate farce."
Now more than ever is the time to break down trade barriers
Posted,12/14/2011 9:00:00 AM
The current crisis affords the EU with a golden opportunity to lead the world in breaking down all barriers to trade, including non-tariff barriers, Robert Sturdy MEP, said today after his report on the subject was overwhelmingly backed by the European Parliament.