The Committee agreed its position on the budgets of the EP and the other institutions (outside the general budget - Commission).
In the resolution by Vincenzo VIOLA (PPE, I), the committee confirms the austerity approach and, in general terms, the policy of a freeze on staff numbers. All the institutions are invited to adopt the necessary internal rules to ensure the correct execution of their budgets for the year 2000.
The draft EP budget submitted for adoption in plenary totals EUR 923.77 m. The committee calls on the political authorities, in the run-up to the implementation of the Treaty of Amsterdam, to submit proposals by the end of 1998 for the rationalisation of the structures and competences of the committees, with a view to reducing the number of parliamentary bodies and concentrating Parliament's work on legislative and budgetary matters. The plenary will be asked to take a position on this.
Still to be resolved is the problem of Members' travel and subsistence allowances. The committee is awaiting the proposals for new rules on this from the Bureau, which are due to be forwarded to it on 19 October in Strasbourg. It will then integrate them into the budget for adoption in plenary.
On the matter of property policy, the resolution confirms that the Belliard I and II buildings will now be occupied by the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.�