This week I took part in a three sided meeting (called an unofficial trialogue) on the AIFM or Hedge Fund Directive.  It was the first face to face exchange of views between the Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The principal parties were Jean Paul Gauzes, the AIFM rapporteur, that is the...

It's becoming a familiar sight in our newspapers now, and is even creeping through into television and radio. I'm talking about the circus of opinion that comes in the aftermath of controversial comment where people from all walks of life impart their wisdom on who should be sacked, who should quit,...

The hearings that take place before the European Parliament decides to approve the 2008 EU expenditure (a process known as disharge procedure)  have continued this week.  Commissioner Semeta - the one I questioned on the European Public Prosecutor- came to tell us how he will be fixing things...

Yesterday morning the report on the draft AIFM ( Alternative Investment Fund Manager) directive was debated at the ECON (Economy and Monetary affairs) committee where I am substitute member. As I am shadow rapporteur for my group I went there to defend the eleven amendments to the report that I had...

You would have had to have had your head in the sand to not know how unpopular EU Common Fisheries Policy has been over the years. Well tomorrow in Brussels I will be tackling the Commission on the latest potential amendment to policy, which drags the every day hobby fisherman into the battle of the...

On Monday at the opening of the plenary session I proposed that the agenda for the week be changed to include a debate and resolution on the "land grab" problem in Spain. I had already put forward my request to the Conference of Presidents (Presidents of political groups + President of the...

Back in September the Director General of the EU Antifraud Office, Mr. Franz Brüner, came to the Budgetary Control Committee to present his annual report. In a general response to queries from the members he said that OLAF structure and operations were difficult to explain at that meeting and that he...

The mismanagement of money is in and out of the press like most hardworking people's money is in and out of their bank accounts. If it's not MPs expenses it's Council cuts, bankers' bonuses or the BBC. The South Wales Echo reported today that BBC Wales has commissioned a bronze statue of late Welsh...

The week before the last one I spoke at Worthing College to a group of Public Service students invited by Mr Colin Illsley. It is difficult for me to speak about the EU without referring to my experience as former Chief Accountant so I decided I had to start the speech by telling them who I was and...

Well we don't know yet, we'll have to wait and see, but it has been at least a tragi-comedy.It is such if we don't have to bail them out, but if we do, public mood over here deserves to change with regards to the EU.We can smile, or perhaps breathe a sigh of relief, as we have always staunchly rejected...

The week is off to a flying start with the latest EU news being that prisoners must be given the right to vote or our spring election is "illegal". The UK is one of the only countries in the EU that denies prisoners the right to vote - a fact that may surprise many Brits. Jack Straw is said to be considering...

Budget committee agrees to increase the parliamentary assistance allowance in €1,500 ( £1,300). A long debate took place at Parliament's Budget Committee last week about how to cover the €1,500 increase on parliamentary assistance for the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. The discussion was not...

Our right to choose how many hours a week we work is under threat from the European Union again. Debate over the 48 hour week has been going on for more than a decade. In Britain we have retained an opt-out which allows individuals to choose if they wish to work longer hours. However, the prospective...

This past week the hearings of commissioners on the discharge for 2008 accounts took place at the Budgetary Control Committee meetings. The discharge is the procedure by which the European Parliament approves the EU annual accounts and the implementation of the EU budget (that is, the proper use...

The week before last when Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg, to present his ambitious programme for the Spanish presidency I warned him about starting a campaign to stop EU subsidies to Spain unless he intervenes to stop the confiscation of expatriate...

News that the Welsh assembly vote next week could enable AMs to "trigger" the process for a referendum on further powers should come as no surprise.But reports that the Assembly would not necessarily get the 40 votes it needs are somewhat surprising. Talk that both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats...