In July, just in time for the summer holidays, the European court of auditors published a comprehensive report on the enormous potential savings for EU taxpayers if the European parliament met permanently in Brussels.
Hopefully European leaders had a copy of the report in their holiday in tray, for it is unlikely they will have perused any other document this summer offering such immediate and obvious potential gains for European citizens.
These are benefits which MEPs of all nationalities and from all sides of parliament have long argued for.
The headline numbers are startling; moving all sittings from Strasbourg to Brussels could save taxpayers €114m per year, with a one-off windfall payment of €616m from the successful sale of the vast complex of buildings in Strasbourg.
If the Strasbourg sessions were ended within the next year, we could lower the burden on the public purse by €1bn by the end of this parliamentary term, no small achievement to put before voters in the 2019 elections.
"That these reductions in public expenditure have been calculated by the court of auditors, recognised by all sides of the Strasbourg debate as an independent and reliable source, immensely strengthens the case for a single seat"
Less headline-grabbing, but still notable, the court’s report also found that further reductions could be made by transferring staff based in Luxembourg to Brussels
That these reductions in public expenditure have been calculated by the court of auditors, recognised by all sides of the Strasbourg debate as an independent and reliable source, immensely strengthens the case for a single seat.
The environmental and the monetary savings possible by ending the monthly commute to Strasbourg are too large to be ignored by governments. At a time when much of the Eurozone's economy continues to stagnate and budget deficits remain at record levels, there is no excuse for not grasping this opportunity to end a farce that bewilders the public and undermines the credibility of the European institutions.
To take one example of the ridiculousness of the current situation, how can we justify to hard-working taxpayers spending €34m per year just on hotels, food and transport to Strasbourg?
The court of auditors report was produced at the request of a European parliament resolution of November 2013. MEPs have consistently been at the forefront of the demand for a single seat; we know from first-hand experience what a waste of money and working time it is for all 751 MEPs and 3000 staff to move from their usual place of work in Brussels to Strasbourg every month.
"We must build on the momentum generated by the court of auditors report to take the campaign forward, and ensure the eighth European parliament legislature is the last to perform the travelling circus"
Last November, MEPs voted overwhelmingly by 483 votes to 141 to demand the right for parliament to be able to choose its own place of work.
The 'single seat' campaign run by MEPs from across the political groups has worked tirelessly over the last five years to advocate for change, and the single seat steering group meets again on 17 September to discuss the way forward.
We must build on the momentum generated by the court of auditors report to take the campaign forward, and ensure the eighth European parliament legislature is the last to perform the travelling circus.