A4-0044/94

Decision on the verification of credentials

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage,

-having regard to Rules 7, 8 and 9 and Annex I of its Rules of Procedure,

-required to verify the credentials of Members elected in the June 1994 elections,

-having regard to the official notifications by the competent authorities of the Member States of the results of the elections to the European Parliament,

-having regard to the appeals and disputes referred to it concerning the validity of the election of some Members of the European Parliament (see Annex 2 to this Decision),

-having regard to the report of the Committee on the Rules of Procedure, the Verification of Credentials and Immunities (A4-0044/94),

A.whereas Article 6(1) of the Act of 20 September 1976 clearly states which offices are incompatible with the office of Member of the European Parliament,

B.whereas, under Rule 9 and Annex I of the Rules of Procedure, Members are required to make a detailed declaration of their professional activities and list any other paid functions or activities,

C.deploring the fact that, contrary to the EC Treaty and the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament, no uniform electoral procedure has yet been adopted for the election of Members of the European Parliament and that it is therefore still necessary to use widely differing national electoral procedures, some of which allow:

-candidates to be fielded when they already hold offices incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament (in particular, an office in a Member State's government);

-persons to renounce their seat in the European Parliament, even before the results of the election have been declared, thereby enabling the unelected candidates next in line to replace them;

-candidates to stand and be elected in more than one constituency, with the result that they later have to renounce a seat and consequently be replaced by the unelected candidates next in line;

-the use of expedients which at times do not appear entirely consistent with the will of the people as expressed through their votes,

D.whereas the disputes referred to it concerning the election of some Members stem solely from national electoral laws,

E.whereas in certain disputes there is talk of possible tampering with or manipulation of the results,

F.whereas some disputes relate to the failure to allow party names to be recognized in law,

G.whereas all Members of the European Parliament should be elected by means of procedures that are above criticism and reflect the genuine will of the people,

1.Declares valid, subject to the legal decisions reached by the competent authorities in Member States where an electoral result has been challenged, the mandate of those Members of the European Parliament whose election results have been notified by the competent national authorities, who have declared that they hold no offices incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament (pursuant to Article 6(1) of the Act of 20 September 1976) and who have made the declaration referred to in Annex I of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure (see Annex 1 to this Decision);

2.Reiterates its request that the Member State authorities responsible for notifying the European Parliament of the names of the candidates elected should forward at the same time the names of any substitutes together with their ranking in accordance with the results of the vote, as stipulated in Rule 7(2) of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure;

3.Calls on the competent authorities of the Member States to complete without delay their examination of the appeals lodged with them concerning the validity of the election of some Members;

4.Hopes that, pending the entry into force of a uniform electoral procedure, the national electoral laws relating to the election of Members of the European Parliament will enable the wishes of the electorate to be clearly reflected in the composition of the European Parliament;

5.Instructs its President to forward this decision to the relevant national authorities and the parliaments of the Member States.

ANNEX 1

List of Members whose election has been officially notified to the European Parliament by the national authorities and who satisfy the obligations set out in Article 6 of the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage and in Rule 9 of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure

as at 25 October 1994

B E L G I U M

Verification completed

AELVOET, Magda G.H.

ANDRÉ-LÉONARD, Anne

CHANTERIE, Raphaël M.G.

DE CLERCQ, Willy C.E.H.

DE COENE, Philippe

DEPREZ, Gérard M.J.

DESAMA, Claude J.-M.J.

DILLEN, Karel C.C.

DURY, Raymonde, M.E.A.

GOL, Jean

GROSCH, Mathieu J.H.

HAPPART, José H.G.

HERMAN, Fernard J.J.

KESTELIJN-SIERENS, Marie-Paule

MARTENS, Wilfried A.E.

NEYTS-UYTTEBROECK, Anne-Marie C.J.

SPAAK, Antoinette

THYSSEN, Marianne L.P.

TINDEMANS, Leo C.

VANDEMEULEBROUCKE, Jaak H.-A.

VANHECKE, Franck

VAN LANCKER, Anne E.M.

WILLOCKX, Frederik A.A.

D E N M A R K

Verification completed

BLAK, Freddy

BONDE, Jens-Peter

DYBKJÆR, Lone

GYLDENKILDE, Lilli

HAARDER, Bertel

HANSEN, Eva Kjer

JENSEN, Kirsten M.

JENSEN, Lis

KOFOED, Niels Anker

KRARUP, Ole

KRISTOFFERSEN, Frode

RIIS-J RGENSEN, Karin

ROVSING, Christian Foldberg

SANDBÆK, Ulla M.

SCHLÜTER, Poul

SINDAL, Niels

G E R M A N Y

Verification completed

ALBER, Siegbert

BARDONG, Otto

BEREND, Rolf

BLOCH VON BLOTTNITZ, Undine-Uta

BÖGE, Reimer

BOTZ, Gerhard

BROK, Elmar

COHN-BENDIT, Daniel Marc

FERBER, Markus

FLORENZ, Karl-Heinz

FRIEDRICH, Ingo

FUNK, Honor

GEBHARDT, Evelyne

GLANTE, Norbert

GLASE, Anne-Karin

GOEPEL, Lutz

GÖRLACH, Willi

GOMOLKA, Alfred

GRÖNER, Lissy

GÜNTHER, Maren

von HABSBURG, Otto

HÄNSCH, Klaus

HAUG, Jutta

HEINISCH, Renate

HOFF, Magdalene

HOPPENSTEDT, Karsten Friedrich

JARZEMBOWSKI, Georg

JOENS, Karin

JUNKER, Karin

KEPPELHOFF-WIECHERT, Hedwig

KINDERMANN, Heinz

KITTELMANN, Peter

KLASS, Christa Barbara

KOCH, Dieter-Lebrecht

KONRAD, Christoph

KREHL, Constanza

KREISSL-DÖRFLER, Wolfgang

KUCKELKORN, Wilfried

KUHN, Annemarie

KUHNE, Helmut

LANGE, Bernd

LANGEN, Werner

LANGENHAGEN, Brigitte

LEHNE, Klaus-Heiner

LENZ, Marlene

LIESE, Hans-Peter

LINKOHR, Rolf

LÜTTGE, Günter

MALANGRE, Kurt

MANN, Erika

MANN, Thomas

MAYER, Xaver

MENRAD, Winfried

MOMBAUR, Peter-Michael

MOSIEK-URBAHN, Marlies

MÜLLER, Edith

NASSAUER, Hartmut

PACK, Doris

PETER, Helwin

PIECYK, Wilhelm Ernst

POETTERING, Hans-Gert

POSSELT, Bernd

QUISTHOUDT-ROWOHL, Godelieve

RANDZIO-PLATH, Christa

RAPKAY, Bernhard

REHDER, Klaus

RINSCHE, Günter

ROTH, Claudia

ROTH-BEHRENDT, Dagmar

ROTHLEY, Willi

SAKELLARIOU, Jannis

SALISCH, Heinke

SAMLAND, Detlev

SCHIEDERMEIER, Edgar Josef

SCHLEICHER, Ursula

SCHMID, Gerhard

SCHMIDBAUER, Barbara

SCHNELLHARDT, Horst

SCHRÖDER, Jürgen

SCHROEDTER, Elisabeth

SCHULZ, Martin

SCHWAIGER, Konrad Karl

SOLTWEDEL-SCHÄFER, Irene

STOCKMANN, Ulrich

TANNERT, Christof

TELKÄMPER, Wilfried

THEATO, Diemut R.

TILLICH, Stanislaw

ULLMANN, Wolfgang

WALTER, Ralf

WEILER, Barbara

WEMHEUER, Rosmarie

von WOGAU, Karl

WOLF, Friedrich Otto

ZIMMERMANN, Wilmya

G R E E C E

Verification completed

ALAVANOS, Alexandros

ANASTASSOPOULOS, Georgios

ARGYROS, Stylianos

AVGERINOS, Paraskevas

CHRISTODOULOU, Efthymios

DASKALAKI, Katerina

DIMITRAKOPOULOS, Georgios

EPHREMIDIS, Vassilis

HATZIDAKIS, Konstantinos

KAKLAMANIS, Nikitas

KATIFORIS, Georgios

KLIRONOMOS, Konstantinos

KOKKOLA, Angela

LAMBRAKI, Irini

LAMBRIAS, Panayotis

MOUSKOURI, Nana

PANAGOPOULOS, Stylianos

PAPAKYRIAZIS, Nikolaos

PAPAYANNAKIS, Mihail

PAPOUTSIS, Christos

ROUBATIS, Ioannis

SARLIS, Pavlos

THEONAS, Ioannis

TRAKATELLIS, Antonios

TSATSOS, Dimitrios

S P A I N

Verification completed

AÑOVEROS TRIAS DE BES, Julio

APARICIO SANCHEZ, Pedro

ARAMBURU DEL RIO, María Jesús

AREITIO TOLEDO, Javier

ARIAS CAÑETE, Miguel

BARON CRESPO, Enrique

BENNASAR TOUS, Francisca

CABEZON ALONSO, Jesús

CAMPOY ZUECO, Luis

CARNERO GONZALEZ, Carlos

COLINO SALAMANCA, Juan Luis

COLOM I NAVAL, Joan

DE LA MERCED MONGE, Mercedes

DIEZ DE RIVERA ICAZA, Carmen

DÜHRKOP DÜHRKOP, Bárbara

ESCUDERO LOPEZ, José Antonio

ESTEBAN MARTIN, Laura Elena

ESTEVAN BOLEA, María Teresa

FABRA VALLES, Juan Manuel

FERNANDEZ ALBOR, Gerardo

FERNANDEZ MARTIN, Fernando

FERRER I CASALS, Concepció

FRAGA ESTEVEZ, María del Carmen

FRUTOS GAMA, Manuela

GALEOTE QUECEDO, José Gerardo

GARCIA ARIAS, Ludivina

GARCIA-MARGALLO MARFIL, José Manuel

GARRIGA POLLEDO, Salvador

GASOLIBA I BÖHM, Carles-Alfred

GIL-ROBLES GIL-DELGADO, José María

GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, Laura

GONZALEZ TRIVIÑO, Antonio

GUTIERREZ DIAZ, Antoni

IMAZ SAN MIGUEL, Josu Jon

IZQUIERDO COLLADO, Juan de Dios

IZQUIERDO ROJO, María

JOVE PERES, Salvador

MARSET CAMPOS, Pedro

MATUTES JUAN, Abel

MEDINA ORTEGA, Manuel

MENDEZ DE VIGO, Iñigo

MENDILUCE PEREIRO, José María

MIRANDA DE LAGE, Ana

MORAN LOPEZ, Fernando

PALACIO VALLELERSUNDI, Ana Isabel

PEREZ ROYO, Fernando

PONS GRAU, Josep Enrique

REDONDO JIMENEZ, Encarnación

ROBLES PIQUER, Carlos

SALAFRANCA SANCHEZ-NEYRA, José

SANCHEZ GARCIA, Isidoro

SANZ FERNANDEZ, Francisco Javier

SAUQUILLO PEREZ DEL ARCO, Francisca

SIERRA GONZALEZ, Angela del Carmen

SISO CRUELLAS, Joaquín

SORNOSA MARTINEZ, María

TERRON I CUSI, Ana

VALDIVIELSO DE CUE, Jaime

VALLVE I RIBERA, Joan Maria

VALVERDE LOPEZ, José Luis

VARELA SUANZES-CARPEGNA, Daniel

VERDE I ALDEA, Josep

VILLALOBOS TALERO, Celia

F R A N C E

Verification completed

d'ABOVILLE, Gérard

AINARDI, Sylviane H.

ALDO, Blaise

BAGGIONI, Jean

BARTHET-MAYER, Christiane

BAUDIS, Dominique

BAZIN, Jean-Pierre

BEBEAR, Jean-Pierre

BERES, Pervenche

BERNARD-REYMOND, Pierre

BERNARDINI, François

BERTHU, Georges

BLOT, Yvan M.

BOURLANGES, Jean Louis

BREDIN, Frédérique

de BREMOND d'ARS, Georges

CABROL, Christian

CARRERE D'ENCAUSSE, Hélène

CASTAGNEDE, Bernard

CAUDRON, Gérard J.J.

CHESA, Raymond

COT, Jean-Pierre

DARRAS, Danièle

DARY, Michel

DECOURRIERE, Francis

DONNAY, Jacques

ELMALAN, Mireille C.

FABRE-AUBRESPY, Hervé

FONTAINE, Nicole

GALLAND, Yves A.R.

de GAULLE, Charles

GOLDSMITH, Jimmy

GOLLNISCH, Bruno J.-J.M.

GROSSETETE, Françoise

GUIGOU, Elisabeth

GUINEBERTIERE, Armelle

HERMANGE, Marie-Thérèse

HERSANT, Robert E.V.

HERZOG, Philippe A.R.

JACOB, Christian

JEAN-PIERRE, Thierry

KOUCHNER, Bernard

LAIGNEL, André

LALUMIERE, Catherine

LANG, Carl

LANG, Jack

LE GALLOU, Jean-Yves

LE PEN, Jean-Marie

LEPERRE-VERRIER, Odile

LE RACHINEL, Fernand

LINDEPERG, Michèle

MAMERE, Noël

MARTIN, Philippe

MARTINEZ, Jean-Claude

MEGRET, Bruno A.A.

MOREAU, Gisèle

MOSCOVICI, Pierre

PAILLER, Aline

PASTY, Jean-Claude

PERY, Nicole

PIQUET, René-Emile

des PLACES, Edouard

POISSON, Anne-Christine

POMPIDOU, Alain

PRADIER, Pierre

RAFFARIN, Jean-Pierre

ROCARD, Michel

de ROSE, Marie-France

SAINJON, André

SAINT-PIERRE, Dominique

SCHAFFNER, Anne-Marie

SEILLIER, Françoise

SOUCHET, Dominique

STASI, Bernard

STIRBOIS, Marie-France

STRIBY, Frédéric

TAPIE, Bernard

TAUBIRA-DELANON, Christiane

TRAUTMANN, Catherine

VERWAERDE, Yves

de VILLIERS, Philippe

WURTZ, Francis

I R E L A N D

Verification completed

AHERN, Nuala

ANDREWS, Niall

BANOTTI, Mary

COLLINS, Gerard

COX, Patrick

CROWLEY, Brian

CUSHNAHAN, John Walls

FITZSIMONS, James

GALLAGHER, Pat the Cope

GILLIS, Alan

HYLAND, Liam

KILLILEA, Mark

McKENNA, Patricia

MALONE, Bernie

I T A L Y

Verification completed

AGLIETTA, Maria Adelaide

AMADEO, Amedeo

ANGELILLI, Roberta

ARRONI, Aldo

AUGIAS, Corrado

AZZOLINI, Claudio

BALDARELLI, Francesco

BALDI, Monica Stefania

BALDINI, Valerio

BARZANTI, Roberto

BELLERE, Spalato

BERTINOTTI, Fausto

BIANCO, Gerardo

BONIPERTI, Gian Piero

BONTEMPI, Rinaldo

BOSSI, Umberto

BURTONE, Giovanni

CACCAVALE, Ernesto

CALIGARIS, Luigi

CARNITI, Pierre

CASINI, Pierferdinando

CASTAGNETTI, Pierluigi

CASTELLINA, Luciana

CELLAI, Marco

COLAJANNI, Luigi Alberto

COLLI, Ombretta

COLOMBO SVEVO, Maria Paola

D'ANDREA, Giampaolo

DANESIN, Alessandro

DE GIOVANNI, Biagio

DELL'ALBA, Gianfranco

DE LUCA, Stefano

DI PRIMA, Pietro Antonio

EBNER, Michael

FANTUZZI, Giulio

FARASSINO, Giuseppe

FASSA, Raimondo

FILIPPI, Livio

FINI, Gianfranco

FLORIO, Luigi

FONTANA, Alessandro

FORMENTINI, Marco

GAROSCI, Riccardo

GHILARDOTTI, Fiorella

GRAZIANI, Antonio

IMBENI, Renzo

LA MALFA, Giorgio

LANGER, Alexander

LEOPARDI, Giacomo

LIGABUE, Giancarlo

MALERBA, Franco

MANISCO, Lucio

MANZELLA, Andrea

MARIN, Marilena

MARINUCCI, Elena

MARRA, Alfonso Luigi

MEZZAROMA, Roberto

MONTESANO, Enrico

MORETTI, Luigi

MUSCARDINI, Cristiana

MUSUMECI, Sebastiano

NENCINI, Riccardo

ORLANDO, Leoluca

PANNELLA, Marco

PARIGI, Gastone

PARODI, Eolo

PETTINARI, Luciano

PODESTA, Guido

RAUTI, Guiseppe

RIPA DI MEANA, Carlo

RUFFOLO, Giorgio

SANTINI, Giacomo

SCAPAGNINI, Umberto

SECCHI, Carlo

SEGNI, Mariotto

SPECIALE, Roberto

TAJANI, Antonio

TATARELLA, Salvatore

TODINI, Luisa

TRIZZA, Antonella

VECCHI, Luciano

VICECONTE, Guido

VINCI, Luigi

L U X E M B O U R G

Verification completed

FAYOT, Ben

LULLING, Astrid

REDING, Viviane

SCHLECHTER, Marcel

WEBER, Jup

WURTH-POLFER, Lydie *

* Resigned with effect from 16 October 1994

T H E N E T H E R L A N D S

Verification completed

d'ANCONA, Hedy

BERTENS, Jan Willem

van BLADEL, Leonie

BLOKLAND, J.

BOOGERD-QUAAK, Johanna L.A.

BRINKHORST, Laurens Jan

CASTRICUM, Frits

DANKERT, Pieter

de VRIES, Gijs M.

van DIJK, Nel B.M.

EISMA, Doeke

JANSSEN van RAAY, James L.

LARIVE, Jessica E.S.

MAIJ-WEGGEN, Johanna

METTEN, Alman

MULDER, Jan

OOMEN-RUIJTEN, Ria G.H.C.

OOSTLANDER, Arie M.

PEIJS, Karla M.H.

PEX, P.L.M.

PLOOIJ-VAN GORSEL, P.C.

PRONK, Bartho

van PUTTEN, Maartje J.A.

SONNEVELD, Jan

van VELZEN, W.G.

van VELZEN, Willem J.

van der WAAL, Leen

WIEBENGA, J.G.C.

WIERSMA, Jan Marinus

WIJSENBEEK, Florus A.

P O R T U G A L

Verification completed

APOLINARIO, José

BARROS MOURA, José

CAMPOS, António

CAPUCHO, António

COSTA NEVES, Carlos

CUNHA, Arlindo

DE MELO, Eurico

DE SA', Luis *

GIR O PEREIRA, José

LAGE, Carlos

LUCAS PIRES, Francisco António

MARINHO, Luis

MENDONÇA, Jorge

MIRANDA, Joaquim

MONTEIRO, Manuel

NEVES, Carlos

PIMENTA, Carlos

PORTO, Manuel

RIBEIRO, Sérgio

RIBEIRO MONIZ, Fernando

ROSADO FERNANDES, Raul

SOARES, Jo o

TORRES CUOTO, José Manuel

TORRES MARQUES, Helena

VAZ DA SILVA, Helena

VITORINO, António

* Resigned on 27 September 1994

U N I T E D K I N G D O M

Verification completed

ADAM, Gordon J.

BALFE, Richard A.

BILLINGHAM, Angela Theodora

BOWE, David Robert

CASSIDY, Bryan M.D.

CHICHESTER, Giles

COATES, Kenneth

COLLINS, Kenneth D.

CORRIE, John

CRAMPTON, Peter Duncan

CRAWLEY, Christine M.

CUNNINGHAM, T.A.

DAVID, Wayne

DONNELLY, Alan John

DONNELLY, Brendan

ELLES, James E.M.

ELLIOTT, Michael N.

EVANS, Robert J.E.

EWING, Winifred M.

FALCONER, Alexander C.

FORD, James Glyn

GREEN, Pauline

HALLAM David John Alfred

HARDSTAFF, Veronica

HARRISON, Lyndon H.A.

HENDRICK, Mark

HINDLEY, Michael J.

HOWITT, Richard

HUGHES, Stephen

JACKSON, Caroline F.

KELLETT-BOWMAN, Edward T.

KERR, Hugh

KINNOCK, Glenys E.

LOMAS, Alfred

McINTOSH, Anne Caroline B.

McMAHON, Hugh R.

McMILLAN-SCOTT, Edward H.C.

McNALLY, Eryl Margaret

MACARTNEY, William John Allan

MARTIN, David W.

MATHER, Graham

MEGAHY, Thomas

MILLER, Bill

MOORHOUSE, James

MORGAN, Mair Eluned

MORRIS, David R.

MURPHY, Simon

NEEDLE, Clive John

NEWENS, Arthur Stanley

NEWMAN, Edward

NICHOLSON, James

ODDY, Christine Margaret

PAISLEY, Ian R.K.

PERRY, Roy

PLUMB, The Lord

POLLACK, Anita Jean

PROVAN, James L.C.

READ, Imelda Mary

SEAL, Barry H.

SIMPSON, Brian

SKINNER, Peter William

SMITH, Alex

SPENCER, Thomas N.B.

SPIERS, Shaun Mark

STEVENS, John C.C.

STEWART, Kenneth A.

STEWART-CLARK, Jack

STURDY, Robert

TAPPIN, Michael

TEVERSON, Robin

THOMAS, David Edward

TITLEY, Gary

TOMLINSON, John E.

TONGUE, Carole

TRUSCOTT, Peter

WADDINGTON, Susan A.

WATSON, Graham

WATTS, Mark

WEST, Norman

WHITEHEAD, Philip

WILSON, Anthony Joseph

WYNN, Terence

ANNEX 2

SUMMARY OF DISPUTES REFERRED TO PARLIAMENT

1.GERMANY

In his letters dated 12 June, 27 June, 20 July, 12 August and 18 August 1994, Mr Weber challenges the election of the German Members of the European Parliament for the following reasons:

-basic electoral principles, democratic principles and general principles of law have been violated,

-as the result of a postal strike, the ballot papers did not reach the election committees in time,

-in the Federal Republic of Germany freedom of information is restricted,

-the Federal authorities amended the electoral law and regulations relating to the parties after the date of the election was announced,

-he believes, 'public opinion has, quite simply, been manipulated'.

2.UNITED KINGDOM

Devon and East Plymouth

In a letter dated 23 June 1994 to the President of Parliament, Mr A.J.I. Young says that, in the Devon and East Plymouth constituency, a 'Literal Democrat' candidate was placed above the Liberal Democrat candidate on the ballot paper and he believes that many voters voted for the 'Literal Democrat' by mistake.

In a letter of 18 July 1994 to the President of Parliament, Mr de Vries, Mr Teverson and Mr Watson say Mr Giles Chichester's entitlement to a seat in the European Parliament for the Devon and East Plymouth constituency has been questioned, the case is pending before the courts, and verification of Mr Chichester's credentials should be postponed.

In a letter of 19 September 1994 to the President of Parliament, Mr Hugo Barton challenges the Devon and East Plymouth election on the grounds that the electors who wished to vote for the 'Liberal Democrat' would have been confused by the reference to a 'Literal Democrat' on the ballot-paper.

In a letter dated 19 September 1994 to the President of Parliament, Mr F. Davis challenges the Devon and East Plymouth election on account of the confusion to voters arising from the spellings 'Literal Democrat' and 'Liberal Democrat', identical except for one letter.

Essex North and Suffolk South

In his letters of 14 and 27 June 1994 to the President of Parliament, Mr A.C.D. Mitchell questions whether the elections in England, Scotland, and Wales - and specifically the election of Miss Anne McIntosh as the Member for Essex North and Suffolk South - can be considered valid, as they were not carried out on the basis of proportional representation.

3.DENMARK

In a letter of 2 July 1994 to the chairman of the Committee on the Rules of Procedure, the Verification of Credentials and Immunities, Mr Andersen questions the eligibility of the Danish Members representing the Social- Democratic Party, the Conservative Party, and the Radical Liberal Party on the grounds that these parties supported the introduction of a tax which the Court of Justice of the European Communities has declared incompatible with Community law (Case C-200/90).

4.GREECE

In a letter of 12 July 1994 to the Committee on the Rules of Procedure, the Verification of Credentials and Immunities, Mr Tsourkas challenges the election of Mrs Lambraki and Mr Hatzidakis. He asks for confirmation that the principle of freedom to exercise the right to vote is violated in his country where voting is compulsory, and calls for the results of the elections held on 12 June 1994 to appoint Greece's representatives to the European Parliament to be declared invalid.

5.ITALY

In a letter of 3 June 1994, Mr Ripa Di Meana lodged a petition with Parliament concerning certain rules governing the European elections in Italy.

By letter of 1 August 1994 from Mrs Rosy Bindi, this petition was forwarded to the Committee on the Rules of Procedure, the Verification of Credentials and Immunities.

In his petition Mr Ripa Di Meana states that:

-respect for pluralism and access to information is not fully guaranteed in Italy;

-Community and international legislation and principles in this field are violated;

-the candidacy in the European elections of Italy's current prime minister is an infringement of Community law.

He calls for :

-a committee of inquiry to be set up to examine infringements of Community law,

-action to be taken to clarify the rules governing incompatibility.

6.FRANCE

In a letter dated 14 October 1994 to the President of Parliament, Mr Fabre-Aubrespy disputes Mr Bernardini's right to sit in Parliament on the grounds that he, Mr Bernardini, held a non-elective public office - Director of the Fos-sur-Mer/Istres/Miramas New Urban District Authority (département of Bouches-du-Rhône) - at the time of his election.