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QUAESTORS' QUARTERLY
Issue 3
QUAESTORS'
Quarterly
Issue 3
March 2016
Since January 2016 I have the honour of
Bonne lecture ...
chairing the College of Quaestors, taking
over from my colleague Catherine
... and a Happy Spring!
Bearder. I will be continuing the tradition
of a Quaestors Newsletter in the hope of
raising awareness of various decisions and
developments that may affect you or
benefit you in the course of your
parliamentary work.
In addition to dealing with matters raised
by Members in the course of their
IN THIS ISSUE
parliamentary activities, I have set a few
priorities of my own on which I hope to
make some progress. In particular, the car
Special arrangements for Members in
service is being reviewed possibly with a
Strasbourg airport
view to internalise it. This should
Andrey KOVATCHEV
strengthen the security of the service, in
line with the increased security at the
Chair-in-Office, Quaestors
Enrolment of children in after-school
entrances to our buildings.
childcare centres 2016-2017
I will also be requesting a review of the
provision of IT services to Members and
Excuses for absence at plenary sittings
overseeing plans to modernise the
provision of television services in
Members' offices from the current
Reopening of the Sports Centre in
satellite-based service (with limited
Brussels
access to TV channels) to an internet-
based system, to be operational by
January next year.
Update on new catering services
QUAESTORS' QUARTERLY | Issue 3
2
Special arrangements for
Departures
Members in Strasbourg airport
A maximum number of checkpoints and
security staff will be employed for
passport controls for international
flights in order to ensure a steady flow of
A letter will be sent during week 24
passengers. Signposts will clearly
(June) to Members who have enrolled
distinguish between Schengen and non-
their child which will specify whether the
Schengen flights and airport staff will
application has been accepted or
ensure the shortest waiting time for
whether their child has been placed on
Following certain delays experienced by
Members.
the waiting list. This applies also to
Members during the last few plenary
newly registered children in the
sessions at Strasbourg airport as a result
European Schools (even if confirmation
of the passport controls introduced by
of a place in the European school is not
France in the aftermath of the terrorist
sent until 27 April 2016).
attacks in Paris, the Bureau mandated
Ms MORIN-CHARTIER, Quaestor
responsible for the relations with the
The special measures will be subject to a
WHERE TO REGISTER?
local and national authorities in the
continuous assessment in order to
three places of work, to look for
ensure the least possible impact on
Kiddyweb web page.
appropriate solutions.
passengers due to the state of
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/kiddyw
eb
emergency in France.
Note that an ECAS account will need
to be created first.
Enrolment of children in after-
Deadline: 15 April 2016
school childcare centres 2016-
2017
The following has been agreed and
applies as of the March plenary session
KIDDYWEB APPLICATION
and for the whole duration of the state
You can already check/create your
of emergency in France:
Kiddyweb profile and manage your
registration files (encoding,
authorisations etc.).
Arrivals
Members whose children are already
A special fast lane indicated 'Passengers
enrolled in child care and therefore
with assistance' will be put in place for
already have a profile should not
passport controls of passengers related
create a new one.
For those Members with children (aged
with the European institutions and in
4 to 12) attending the European schools,
New registrants need to send the
particular for Members of Parliament.
you can now register them (until 15 April
completed documents (attached) to
On presentation of their badge upon
2016) for afterschool child care for the
the following address:
arrival, Members will be accompanied by
next school year using the online
specially assigned airport staff to this
Kiddyweb web page.
OIB-
fast lane, where Members will be given
GARDERIESPOSTSCOLAIRES@ec.e
priority.
uropa.eu.
QUAESTORS' QUARTERLY | Issue 3
3
The IMMS rules state that the
Members should submit such requests
subsistence allowance shall be reduced
and supporting documents to the
Excuses for absence at plenary
by 50 % for each day on which a Member
Quaestors as soon as possible and at the
sittings
has been absent for more than half of
latest within a maximum of two months
the roll-call votes taken during a part-
from the date on which the period of
session. Furthermore, if a Member is
absence began.
absent for more than 50% of the days
fixed for plenary sessions over the
WANT TO BE EXCUSED FROM
course of a parliamentary year, he/she
PLENARY?
shall also be required to reimburse half
of their annual general expenditure
allowance for that period.
An absence excused by the President on
Is a scan of a medical certificate sent
the above mentioned grounds does not
by email sufficient for being excused
entitle the absent Member to the full
in plenary?
In 2014 the Rules of Procedure were
subsistence allowance for the day of
amended granting Members who did
his/her absence but is not counted as an
not attend a plenary sitting the option to
absence when considering whether a
be excused by the President, under
reimbursement of the general
certain circumstances, and to be
expenditure allowance is required at the
NO! In order for a Member to be
indicated as 'excused' in the Minutes of
end of the year.
officially excused, the original
the plenary sittings. In particular, the
medical certificate confirming the
Minutes include two lists:
dates of absence must be submitted
to the Quaestors Secretariat (Paul
– a list of the Members 'present', for
Henri-Spaak (PHS) 06B030).
those who have signed the attendance
register;
– a list of the Members 'excused', for
those who have been excused from
attending by the President.
What is the deadline for submitting
the supporting documents when
requesting to be excused?
The deadline for submitting
documents is two months from the
moment of absence.
Members wishing to be excused from
attending must submit a request to the
In accordance with Article 31(3) and (4)
Quaestors' secretariat by ordinary or
of the Implementing Measures for the
What happens once I send the
electronic mail and must be
Statute for Members ('IMMS') and under
original medical
accompanied by appropriate supporting
the conditions laid down in these rules
certificate/respective supporting
documents (original medical certificate,
the President may excuse Members
documents?
letter authorising the mission, etc.). A
from attending a plenary sitting on the
request based on an expectation of
following grounds:
childbirth must be accompanied by an
– ill-health,
original medical certificate indicating
Once the Quaestors Secretariat
– serious family circumstances,
the probable date of confinement. A
receives the certificate, an official
– presence elsewhere on mission on
request based on maternity leave must
letter will be sent to the Member
behalf of Parliament,
be accompanied by a copy of the child's
confirming he/she has been excused
– expectation of childbirth,
birth certificate.
and that the relevant Services will be
– maternity leave.
notified accordingly. No further
action is needed from the Member.
QUAESTORS' QUARTERLY | Issue 3
4
Reopening of the Sports
Update on new catering
❷ The space vacated by the sandwich
Centre in Brussels
services
bar will be converted into a
Mediterranean style restaurant serving
hot dishes and a seating area for about
In September 2015 we brought you news
50 persons. Expected opening by
that Parliament's 30 year long
September 2016.
relationship with Sodexho was coming
to an end as a new catering company
❸ Between the two, in the space once
was taking over the management of
occupied by the Post Office, there will
Parliament's canteens, restaurants and
be a new organic/fair trade food corner
bars. It is useful to recall the three main
offering locally-sourced, seasonal,
organic products and a seating area for
The Sports Centre in Brussels reopened
pillars of the new catering strategy -
about 25 people. Expected opening by
on Monday 15th February following the
namely:
end of May 2016.
withdrawal of the management
company that had bid to take over the
running of the facility from the previous
-
No more subsidies to the service
operator.
provider;
Provisionally the sports centre is now
-
Introduction of some elements of
being run in-house with the assistance of
competition and choice in terms of
an accredited sports monitor who also
the offer;
runs the Strasbourg sports centre.
However this means that only a reduced
-
Emphasis on good quality, locally-
service is available for the moment
sourced, seasonal products and
(fitness area, spinning and squash
waste reduction.
courts).
During this initial phase, access will be
temporarily free of charge and limited to
Members, EP staff and accredited
As regards Strasbourg catering, as of 7th
parliamentary assistants.
March, the General Bar on the ground
floor of the LOW building in Strasbourg
is offering a selection of fresh salads and
SPORTS CENTRE IN BRUSSELS
sandwiches for take-away. Work will
OPENING HOURS
also take place over the summer months
on the main canteen in Strasbourg to
redesign the placement of the cash tills
Monday
12.00
20.00
in order to avoid over-crowding at peak
mealtimes on Tuesday and Wednesday
Tuesday
07.30
20.00
Over the coming months new additional
lunchtimes after the votes.
to
food outlets, run by local independent
Thursday
providers, will be added to the current
menus on offer in the cafeteria:
Friday
07.30
15.00
❶ The sandwich bar, currently located
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Closed during Strasbourg sessions
on the 1st floor at the end of the Spinelli
This Newsletter is produced by the
building (section E-F), will move to a
central location next to the newspaper
Secretariat of the Bureau and
kiosque on the ground floor, opposite
Quaestors. For further information
Arrangements will be made for users
the main entrance and offer take-away
on any of the articles in this edition,
who have already paid their
sales only. Expected opening by end of
please contact one of the Quaestors
subscriptions for January and February
May 2016.
responsible or the secretariat at the
to be reimbursed.
following address:
xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx