79. Welcomes the fall in the estimated operating costs stemming from the requirement to maintain several places of work from EUR 203 000 000 for 2002 to EUR 155 000 000 for 2007; stresses that this represents a reduction of almost 24 % over the five-year period; calls on its administration to continue the rationalisation process; stresses that the requirement to maintain several places of work is laid down in the Treaties; believes that optimal coordination must be achieved between these places of work; emphasises that citizens d ...[+++]o not understand why Parliament must maintain three work places;

80. Welcomes the fall in the estimated operating costs stemming from the requirement to maintain several places of work from EUR 203 000 000 for 2002 to EUR 155 000 000 for 2007; stresses that this represents a reduction of almost 24 % over the five-year period; calls on its administration to continue the rationalisation process; stresses that the requirement to maintain several places of work is laid down in the Treaties; believes that optimal coordination must be achieved between these places of work; emphasises that citizens d ...[+++]o not understand why Parliament must maintain three work places;

47. Notes that the detailed analysis of the costs of Parliament's three places of work was sent to the European Convention on 16 October 2002; notes that the annual cost of maintaining the three places of work is estimated at EUR 169 million, including EUR 120 million for the infrastructure (EUR 60 million rent of 300 000 square meter meeting rooms, offices and technical areas, EUR 18 million ancillary costs (water, gas, electricity, insurance, maintenance of technical installations, security) EUR 42 million for technical equipment, fitting-out and furnishing of premises), EUR 40 million for extra staff and missions (employment of super ...[+++]numerary staff - EUR 22 million; mission expenses - EUR 18 million) and EUR 9 million for miscellaneous and other costs (telephone subscriptions, charges for telephone and telematic communications, insurance cover for telephone, IT, audiovisual equipment, office supplies, handling operations involving 15 lorries transporting cupboards and tin trunks full of documents);

46. Notes that the detailed analysis of the costs of Parliament’s three places of work was sent to the Convention on the Future of Europe on 16 October 2002; notes that the annual cost of maintaining the three places of work is estimated at €169 million, including €120 million for the infrastructure ( €60 million rent of 300.000 square meter meeting rooms, offices and technical areas, €18 million ancillary costs (water, gas, electricity, insurance, maintenance of technical installations, security) €42 million for technical equipment, fitting-out and furnishing of premises), €40 million for extra staff and missions (employment of supernu ...[+++]merary staff €22 million mission expenses € 18 million) and €9 million for miscellaneous and other costs (telephone subscriptions, charges for telephone and telematic communications, insurance cover for telephone, IT, audiovisual equipment, office supplies, handling operations involving 15 lorries transporting cupboards and tin trunks full of documents);

7. For the purposes of the tendering security, the primary requirements within the meaning of Article 20 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85 shall be that tenders not be withdrawn after the closing date for their submission and that a security to ensure export and/or a performance guarantee be lodged.

- Guaranteeing continued minimum service standards on any given route. When opening markets to competition it is often necessary in the transport sector to ensure that service standards do not fall, as companies may sacrifice quality and regularity for cost reduction.