French concern about MEPs’ workload is touching

The French government has officially announced it’s taking the European Parliament to the European Court of Justice over its decision, last week, to reduce the number of weeks it meets in Strasbourg every year. Read the statement issued today (15 March) by the French government (in French) here.

In the statement France says that, following the entry into effect of the Lisbon Treaty, the Parliament has more powers than ever, and that holding two plenary sessions during the same week will undermine its ability to do its job effectively.

It’s touching of the French government to care about MEPs’ ability to cope with the additional stress caused by their new powers. Most MEPs of course would argue that it is the fact that they have to trek to Strasbourg once a month from their base in Brussels that makes it harder to do their work.