On April 14, 2014, the president of the French centrist party UDI Yves Jego, who wishes to maintain the European Parliament in Strasbourg, symbolically planted a city entrance sign in front of the building where the deputies of the 28 countries meet -

Patrick Hertzog AFP

  • After the cancellation of the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEP Anne Sander asks the French government "to quickly engage in discussions with the European Parliament in order to identify the compensations that should be considered.

    "

  • The displacement for the sixth time of the plenary session in Brussels at the expense of Strasbourg makes the economic world of the city fear a loss of influence, much more harmful than the simple cancellation of a session.

After a new plenary session of the European Parliament moved to Brussels, instead of the one scheduled for Strasbourg in September, the Alsatian capital is seeing red.

Like the color that classifies the Bas-Rhin department for active circulation of the Covid-19 virus, one of the arguments put forward by Brussels to justify this decision.

Because this last-minute cancellation, which almost prefigures that of October, is both a symbolic and economic blow struck once again at Strasbourg, which has not seen MEPs sit there since last February.

Hardly the announcement made, with “regret”, from Brussels by its president David Sassoli, however fervent defender of the Strasbourg seat, that the MEP and quaestor of the European Parliament, the Alsatian Anne Sander challenged the French government.

She asks him "to quickly initiate discussions with the European Parliament in order to identify the compensations that should be considered."

"

"Big events" to bring MEPs back

Financial compensation?

"We must think in terms of the presence of Parliament in Strasbourg, as required by the treaties which provide for 12 weeks of session", recalls Anne Sander.

In the viewer of the MEP, the mini-sessions, numerous and which always take place in Brussels, but also the sessions of group committees, constituencies, or even to reestablish Friday during sessions in Strasbourg.

"I do not see why we could not think for example of a rebalancing of the 2021 calendar, to put it back flat and reorganize, considers the elected European.

These are examples, but anyway, we have to work on compensation, on the organization of big events to bring in the MEPs in addition to what was planned.

"

A session "canceled we can understand, moved, no"

Reproaches shared by Pierre Siegel, president of the hotel branch of the Group of hoteliers, restaurateurs and retailers of Bas-Rhin.

“What annoys me is not the direct losses of this session but the message that Europe sends to Strasbourg and to France by openly flouting international treaties.

It's serious, he plague.

Remember that the session is not canceled but moved to Brussels while the health situation is identical, or even worse than in Strasbourg.

That it is canceled we can understand.

Moved, no.

"

A reshaping of the calendar which could be timely for hoteliers, restaurants, shopkeepers and more generally the tourist sector of the Strasbourg agglomeration.

Even if the direct impact of parliamentary sessions represents around 15% of annual turnover in the hotel industry, Pierre Siegel fears above all a snowball effect and seeing companies, head offices and other European institutions turn away little in little Strasbourg.

Our European Parliament dossier

“They have their headquarters there because it's the European capital.

Their presence generates activity all year round, which, in the end, generates much more economic benefits for Strasbourg, continues Pierre Siegel.

This role of Strasbourg as European capital has a much greater impact than the 4,000 or 5,000 people who come to Strasbourg three days a month.

Losing a session, given the catastrophic year that we pass, will not change much, it will be no matter what.

The real risk is that this harms the influence of the city.

Strasbourg's reputation and international influence are at stake.

The real risk is there.

"

Politics

Coronavirus: The European Parliament will return to Strasbourg when the health situation allows

Economy

EU: European Parliament threatens to block the budget proposed by the 27

  • Covid 19

  • Brussels

  • Coronavirus

  • Strasbourg

  • European Parliament