52. Recognises the importance of the visitors' scheme in raising awareness of Parliament and its legislative work; notes the recent changes made to the visitor group payment system put in place since 2010 and calls for an evaluation of the new payment system and reimbursement scheme showing the evolution of costs and the degree to which payments reflect the actual costs incurred by the groups; suggests to the Court of Auditors th ...[+++]at it should follow this up and looks forward to the Internal Auditor's remarks on the implementation of the new system;

The reductions and suspensions are those taken into account in the payment system, to which are added in particular the corrections for the non-respect of payment deadlines established in August, September and October 2008.

26. Is confident that the SEPA and the Payment Services Directive should provide solutions for the fragmentation and lack of competition identified by the sector inquiry concerning payment infrastructures; recalls that the first phase of the SEPA entered into force on 28 January 2008 and requires integrated clearing and settlement platforms, operating on the basis of the same rules and technical standards; emphasises that the access criteria to SEPA should be fair and open, and that governance should take into account all stakeholders in the system, not just financial institutions; recalls also that the Payment Services Directive prov ...[+++]ides that there should be no discrimination on access to payments systems other than that necessary to safeguard against risk and protect financial and operational stability; points out that under the principle of neutrality of Community policies, no single method of payment should be favoured over another, and the costs related to the use of the various payments systems should be transparent so that consumers can choose their method of payment in full knowledge of the facts;

26. Is confident that the SEPA and the Payment Services Directive should provide solutions for the fragmentation and lack of competition identified by the sector inquiry concerning payment infrastructures; recalls that the first phase of the SEPA entered into force on 28 January 2008 and requires integrated clearing and settlement platforms, operating on the basis of the same rules and technical standards; emphasises that the access criteria to SEPA should be fair and transparent, and that governance should take into account all stakeholders in the system, not just financial institutions; recalls also that the Payment Services Directi ...[+++]ve provides that there should be no discrimination as regards access to payments systems other than that necessary to safeguard against risk and protect financial and operational stability; points out that under the principle of neutrality of Community policies, no single method of payment should be favoured over another, and the costs related to the use of the various payments systems should be transparent so that consumers can choose their method of payment in full knowledge of the facts;

26. Is confident that the SEPA and the Payment Services Directive should provide solutions for the fragmentation and lack of competition identified by the sector inquiry concerning payment infrastructures; recalls that the first phase of the SEPA entered into force on 28 January 2008 and requires integrated clearing and settlement platforms, operating on the basis of the same rules and technical standards; emphasises that the access criteria to SEPA should be fair and transparent, and that governance should take into account all stakeholders in the system, not just financial institutions; recalls also that the Payment Services Directi ...[+++]ve provides that there should be no discrimination as regards access to payments systems other than that necessary to safeguard against risk and protect financial and operational stability; points out that under the principle of neutrality of Community policies, no single method of payment should be favoured over another, and the costs related to the use of the various payments systems should be transparent so that consumers can choose their method of payment in full knowledge of the facts;

In order not to impair the efficiency of payment systems, the verification requirements for transfers of funds made from an account should be separate from those for transfers of funds not made from an account.