Claude Moraes

Claude Moraes, MEP

Claude Moraes (born 22 October 1965) is a British MEP for London from the Labour Party.

Affiliations

• Vice-Chairman, Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula
• Member, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
• Substitute, Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with India

Former Affiliations

• Member, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
• Member, Delegation for relations with South Africa
• Substitute, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the Gulf States, including Yemen

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

• Transparency on Allowances:

Detailed information on my expenses and allowances will be regularly updated on my website: www.claudemoraes.net

• Staffing, Allowances and Audit:

In line with Article 14 of European Parliament rules and EPLP good practice 'Principles of Employment', I employ a Constituency Manager and a Caseworker in London, and a Senior Parliamentary Researcher and an Assistant in Brussels. Jointly, with all Labour MEPs, I also employ a member of staff based in London, who is line managed by the EPLP General Secretary. My paying agents are an independent firm of Chartered Accountants qualified to carry out payroll and payment of tax, NI , social security etc. I have never contracted or employed family members.

My general expenditure allowance is used in line with Article 13 of the European Parliament rules and EPLP rules on the use of this allowance. My constituency office is rented from Islington South and Finsbury Constituency Labour Party at a commercial, market rate in common with their other tenants. The CLP declare my rental income in their Annual Accounts filed with the Electoral Commission.

The expenditure of Labour MEPs' allowances is reviewed in an audit process carried out by an independent, registered auditor who provides the EPLP with a signed letter confirming that all allowances have been spent in accordance with European Parliament and EPLP rules. For EPLP rules see: http://www.eurolabour.org.uk/topics/2465.html .

• Personal:

I am an unpaid current or past patron/ council member of the following charities/ organisations: Naz Project, CLEG, Education Action International, Boundary Community School, the Refugee Therapy Centre, Liberty, Toynbee Hall, Bart's and London NHS Trust.

I am a member of UNITE, UNISON, and the Co-operative Party.

I am President of the European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup and Co-President of the Intergroup on Ageing and Older People. Both all-party groups are run by NGO secretariats, with no staff or resources given to my office. I make a regular declaration in line with the European Parliament rules on Intergroups.

Former Declaration of Financial Interests

Paid Functions or Activities:

• Very occasional fees for media appearances or printed articles.

Further Information:

Personal:

• I am an unpaid current or past patron/ council member of the following charities/ organisations: Naz Project, CLEG, Education Action International, Boundary Community School, the Refugee Therapy Centre, Liberty, Toynbee Hall, Bart's and London NHS Trust. Member of UNITE, UNISON, and the Co-operative Party.
• I am President of the European Parliament Intergroup,Anti-Racism and Diversity and Co-President of the Intergroup, Ageing and Older People. Both all-party groups are run by NGO secretariats, with no staff or resources given to my office. I make a regular declaration in line with the European Parliament rules on Intergroups.

Staffing, Allowances and Audit:

• In line with Article 14 of European Parliament rules and EPLP good practice 'Principles of Employment', I employ a member of staff as a Constituency Manager in London, a member of staff as a Senior Parliamentary Researcher, and an assistant in Brussels.
• Jointly, with all Labour MEPs, I also employ a member of staff based in London, who is line managed by the EPLP General Secretary. My paying agents are independent and qualified to carry out payroll and payment of tax, NI , social security etc. I have never contracted or employed family members.
• My general expenditure allowance is used in line with Article 13 of the European Parliament rules and EPLP rules on the use of this allowance. My constituency office is rented from Islington South and Finsbury Constituency Labour Party at a commercial, market rate in common with their other tenants. The CLP declare my rental income in their Annual Accounts filed with the Electoral Commission.
• The expenditure of Labour MEPs' allowances is reviewed in an audit process carried out by an independent, registered auditor who provides the EPLP with a signed letter confirming that all allowances have been spent in accordance with European Parliament and EPLP rules. For EPLP rules see: http://www.eurolabour.org.uk/topics/2465.html .

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted in favour of the directive on "establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy" (A5-0027/2000). The directive covers all water management aspects in order to achieve a 'good status' of all waters by 2015.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants" (A5-0063/2000). The amendment allows setting less ambitious national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which would result in more damage to human health and the environment.
• Voted in favour of the Commission White Paper on "Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy" (A5-0356/2001). The amendment helps avoid the necessary precautionary approach towards some chemical substances that are not proven to be completely safe.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (A5-0100/2002). The amendment sets higher reuse and recycling rates for IT and telecommunication equipment. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the report on "Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network" (A5-0135/2002). The Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) is a network of so-called 'transport corridors' through Europe. This amendment calls for a full Strategic Environmental Assessment of these transport corridors and calls on the Commission to improve methods for analysing the environmental and economic impact of the TEN-T.
• Voted in favour of the regulation concerning "traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms" (A5-0229/2002). The amendment allows customers the right to choose GM free food.
• Voted in favour of the report towards a "thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides" (A5-0061/2003). The amendment proposes to ban or severely restrict use of pesticides in areas around sources of drinking water and nature protected zones.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage" (A5-0145/2003). According to the amendment, polluters have to pay for environmental clean-up, and it supports an EU-wide regime which makes polluters liable for the damage they cause to wildlife, water and land.
• Voted against the directive on restructuring the "Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity" (A5-0302/2003). The amendment aims at giving tax benefits to environmentally friendly sources of energy, which would make them cheaper and more competitive to conventional (more polluting) sources of energy. It also gives tax benefits to environmentally friendly uses of energy for transport, for instance trains. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the amendment on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession (A5-0105/2004). The report objects to extending the life of the nuclear power stations in Bulgaria.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• LLB (English and Scots Law), Dundee University (1988).
• M.Sc. (Government and Administrative Law), London University (1989).
• Postgraduate study in international law, London School of Economics (1991).
• Adviser to Dr John Reid MP and Paul Boateng MP, House of Commons (1987-1989).
• National Policy Officer,TUC and Representative to the ETUC (1989-1992).
• Director, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (1992-1998).
• Commissioner, Commission for Racial Equality (1998-1999).
• Chief Executive, Immigrants' Aid Trust (1993-1998).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1999).
• First Vice-Chairman of the Delegation for relations with South Africa (1999-2004).
• Council member, Liberty (NCCL) (1997-2004).
• Co-author of 'Social Work and Minorities in the EU' (1994.
• Co-author of 'The Politics of Migration' (2003).
• Co-author of Perspectives on Migration (2004).
• Co-author of articles on justice and home affairs, EU issues in journals and newspapers. FRSA (1998).
• President of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup (2004 - ).
• Co-President of the Intergroup on Ageing (2004 - ).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

13G342

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45553

Fax:

+32 (0)2 28 49553

Email:

claude.moraes AT europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.claudemoraes.net

This article is part of the MEPedia project of Spinwatch.

Resources

• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Claude Moraes, 13 January 2009, accessed 05 February 2009.
• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Claude Moraes, 24 June 2009, accessed 03 November 2009.
• European Parliament, [MEP Directory: Claude Moraes], accessed 05 February 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 02 February 2009.