Supplementary and amending budget 1/1998

OBJECTIVE: Presentation of a letter amending the preliminary draft supplementary and amending budget 1/98 (Parliament section) of ECU 175 million. SUBSTANCE: This letter of amendment is in response to Parliament's call, in a resolution of 28 May 1998 (A-0175/98) on the budget estimates, for a letter of amendment to the preliminary draft supplementary and amending budget to enable it to pursue, in its building policy, savings measures already embarked upon several years ago, with regard to the acquisition of some of Parliament's buildings (new and old). In order to reduce as far as possible the need to rent several buildings in its three places of work, Parliament has concluded long-term lease agreements with option to purchase (Espace Léopold and the new IPE IV-building in Strasbourg) which entail considerable savings for the Community budget. With regard to Luxembourg, Parliament has begun negotiations with the Luxembourg government with a view to buying its existing buildings. In recent years, Parliament has undertaken early repayment of some agreements in order to speed up repayment in respect of the buildings and reduce the burden of property on future budgets. In order to continue this policy, Parliament calls for measures to be adopted in 1998 to allow it to acquire the Schuman and Tower buildings in Luxembourg and the Belliard building for the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee; these buildings are due to be renovated. As Parliament's budget for 1998 did not include appropriations to meet these needs, it requests an amending letter to increase its 1998 budget appropriations by ECU 175 million, 165 million for acquiring property (continuing early repayments) and 10 million for renovation of the Belliard building. For 1998 the available margin under Heading 5, administrative expenditure, is ECU 187.58 million. �