Duff attacks Tory hypocrisy over euro fraud measures

12.00.00am GMT Mon 8th Nov 1999

Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Andrew Duff is leading effort to reach agreement on the setting up of the European Union's Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

In the wake of the crisis in the spring which led to the resignation of the European Commission, the Commission and Council agreed with the Parliament a set of rules to establish such an independent body. However, the Parliament has so far failed to ratify its share of the agreement

In Strasbourg two weeks ago, the Christian Democrats, including the British Tories, blocked ratification. They are trying to get more privileges to protect the position of Euro-MPs.

Andrew Duff MEP says:

"The Tory approach will hardly instill public confidence in the European Parliament.

"Given what they were saying in the election campaign, their attitude is also thoroughly hypocritical.

"Members of the European Parliament should be subject to exactly the same rules as their officials.

"Parliamentary privilege should apply only in so far as sources of information about fraud should be protected in the course of an official parliamentary enquiry.

"Otherwise MEPs should not be able to hide from the normal work of the proposed Anti-Fraud Office.

"If the Commission and Council can agree to these rules, why not the Parliament?"

A new attempt will be made to unblock OLAF this week.