The Parliament is to appeal to members to refrain from travelling business class in an effort to cut the cost of the members’ travel allowances. Currently, the cost of the travel allowance is €77 million with members’ salaries amounting to €67 million. The parliament reimburses MEPs for travel expenses to and from their home member state from Brussels as well as the costs of travelling to plenary sessions in Strasbourg once a month.

The measure aims to cut the cost of the travel allowance by €3 million euros. Some argue that that the measure doesn’t go far enough as the Parliament’s 2011 budget is set to exceed the self imposed limit of 20% of Heading V for the first time. There have been calls to enter discussions aimed at increasing the parliament’s self imposed budget ceiling to 22% of heading V due to the new duties the parliament is taking on as a result of the Lisbon Treaty.

Critics argue that no increase in the budget ceiling is needed, citing the Parliament’s past success in remaining under the 20% ceiling even during the enlargement of the EU to 27 member states. In addition, they cite the fact that a 22% ceiling for the 2011 budget would require €160 million euros extra whereas the margin available to all institutions is only €109 million meaning the Parliament cannot simply increase its ceiling without taking the budgetary needs of other EU institutions into account.

One source suggested that the best way to keep the Parliament’s budget under control would be to negotiate prices with European airlines in order to obtain significant discounts in much the same way travel agencies do. Others suggest the implementation of an EU run train service between Strasbourg and Brussels that would ferry members between the two parliaments, a measure that was implemented by the French Presidency of the EU for the duration of its administration.

However, there seems to be a lack of political will to keep the Parliament’s budget lean as evidenced by there being no change in the rules regarding MEPs travel budgets instead relying on the kindness of members’ hearts to refrain from flying business class whenever possible.