2005 budget: others sections

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Wilfried KUCKELKORN (PES, D) on the guidelines for the sections other than the Commission (including Parliament) for the 2005 budgetary procedure. (Please see the document dated 17/02/04.) With regard to the general framework, Parliament noted the efforts made so far by the institutions to respond to the challenges of the enlargement. The amount of staff in most of the institutions has been increasing rapidly to cater for the needs of the enlargement. Parliament felt that the main bulk of the additional needs related to the enlargement are covered in the 2002-2004 budgets, albeit that a number of measures remain to be taken. With regard to the Parliament section, the European Parliament stated its determination, as the driving force behind the movement to set up a WTO Parliamentary Assembly, to ensure that sufficient appropriations become available to provide for the adequate participation, with the necessary infrastructure, of its delegations in all meetings of or leading up to such an assembly. On information policy and new technologies, Parliament underlined the importance of web-publishing in disseminating information, including Internet broadcasting of plenary sittings. Its Internet site "Europarl" is crucial in bringing the Parliament closer to its electorate. The parliamentary bodies and Parliament's administration should make greater use of videoconferencing, when appropriate. Parliament noted that wireless computer access is already in place in several national parliaments. It pointed out that offering possibilities for remote access to Parliament's network for both Members and staff would increase efficiency and accessibility.