GUE/NGL MEPs today expressed their regret following the decision of Parliament's President to quash attempts to make visible in attendance statistics when MEPs are on leave in connection with child birth or adoption.

President Schulz said an amendment on the issue to a report on Parliament's Rules of Procedure on the attendance of Members at sittings was “inadmissible”. The modification sought to record the names of Members on maternity, paternity or adoption leave separately in the minutes of each sitting.

“In my view it is discriminatory that MEPs who are becoming parents or who have just become parents can be mistaken for not doing their job when in fact they are on parental leave,” said Swedish MEP Mikael Gustafsson. “I'm very disappointed that President Schulz declared this amendment inadmissible. This text had a good gender perspective and would have improved the report if it had been accepted.”

GUE/NGL Press:

David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09

Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20