Plaid MEP Jill Evans has welcomed the latest step forward in the campaign to end the European Parliament's practice of having two meeting places.

Although most MEPs, staff and offices are based in Brussels, the Parliament also meets in Strasbourg for 4 days a month at huge cost to the taxpayer and the environment.

In a renewed effort to end this, a petition with over a million signatures is this week being presented to the European Parliament. The online petition - www.oneseat.eu - is backed by Ms Evans, a member of the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform (CPR).

Ms Evans commented:

"The monthly move to Strasbourg is a waste of money, energy and resources. Over a million people agree with us. This demonstrates the enormous strength of feeling over this issue and European governments have to pay attention.

"As politicians we are working to combat climate change. It's been estimated that in one year the moving back and fore to Strasbourg emits around 20,000 tonnes of CO2 and costs more than £150million.

"This is totally unacceptable and must stop. As it was a condition written into the treaty, only member state governments can change this and we will keep lobbying them until they do."

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See www.oneseat.eu for more information. The petition has collected 1.2 million signatures and is being considered by the European Parliament's petitions committee this week.

Despite opposition from the European Parliament, governments are refusing to change the current arrangement which is written into the EU Treaties and staunchly defended by France. Such a Treaty provision can only be changed with the unanimous agreement of all EU member states.