European Parliament's power over budget under attack

A substantial number of EU governments would like to curb the power of the European Parliament over the EU budget, it emerged during talks on the EU Constitution in Naples.

The UK, France, Sweden, Ireland and the Netherlands are among the several states that have backed the unilateral proposals made by EU finance ministers recently.

Under these proposals, the European Parliament would lose its power over Europe's purse, and decisions on the financial perspectives, which set the sp...