Grumbling as some MEPs continue to employ family members

The European Parliament's top official has admitted that around 20 MEPs continue the practice of employing family members as parliamentary assistants, an issue that has upset a number of their colleagues.

Formerly more widespread, the practice was forbidden under a new assistants' statute which came into effect with the start of the current parliamentary term in July 2009. However a temporary exception, or 'derogation', to the rule allows re-elected MEPs who previously employed family ...