24. Calls for the Bureau to consider its role in the Parliament specifically with regard to its democratic accountability, whereby the lack of consultation on the part of the Bureau with those affected by its decisions before they are taken is often criticised; calls on the Bureau better to provide for full consultation with all affected actors and urges that this be institutionalised in the Bureau’s procedures and that its decision-making procedures be transparent to Members and the public on a continual basis;

14. Has decided to transfer EUR 1 million from Chapter 103 ("Enlargement reserve") to Item 2000 ("Rent and annual lease payments") for the rent of the Montoyer 70 building to provide additional office space on a transitional basis until the D4 and D5 buildings projects have been completed, and to transfer EUR 2.8 million to the same item for the rent of the IPE III building in Strasbourg; has also decided to transfer EUR 5.6 million to Article 206 ("Acquisition of immovable property") for the financing of the Atrium II Building in Brussels; notes that the Bureau has taken a decision, in principle, to build two new conference rooms next ...[+++] to the LOW Building in Strasbourg and that an exploratory mandate has been approved; instructs its Bureau to consult the Committee on Budgets before any legally binding decisions are taken; notes, however, that no impact is expected on the 2003 budget from the Strasbourg measures;

Thus, legal advice remains subject to the obligation of professional secrecy unless the legal counsellor is taking part in money laundering activities, the legal advice is provided for money laundering purposes, or the lawyer knows that the client is seeking legal advice for money laundering purposes" (new recital 16).

Today we have officials from the Privy Council Office. We are joined by Ms. Kathy O'Hara, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Machinery of Government; Mr. Dan McDougall, Director of Operations, Legislation and House Planning; Mr. Patrick Hill, Acting Assistant Secretary, Machinery of Government; Mr. Marc O'Sullivan, Acting Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet; Mr. James Stringham, Legal Counsel, Office of the Counsel to the Clerk of the Privy Council; and Mr. Marc Chénier, Counsel, Legislation and House Planning, Privy Council Office.

In the area of foreign lawyers, long insistence by the EU on liberalisation of the existing legal situation has borne fruit; foreign legal consultants in Japan may now use their home firm name (be it with a Japanese addition saying "foreign legal consultant"), and the requirements for prior experience have been reduced.

They are Ms Diane Trudeau from the Commission des services juridiques of Montreal, Mr. Mario Gervais, Bureau d'aide juridique of Longueuil and Mr. Benoît Gingras of the Bureau d'aide juridique of Quebec.