Des questions « stupides » accélèrent la réforme des règles du Parlement[en] 

A working group on Parliamentary reform is currently dealing with the issue, but its documents are not yet public. A final report of is expected by summer. 

In the meantime, non-attached MEP Mote Ashley has already thrown down the gauntlet, circulating a sarcastic email titled "European Parliament Invited to Castrate Itself". He criticises his British compatriot Richard Corbett from the Socialist group, who has proposed that written questions to the Commission be limited to three a month per MEP. He says this would allow more breathing space to the EU executive, which is required to answer such questions within six weeks. 

Corbett also wants to set certain guidelines so that, at least, questions on issues that have nothing to do with the EU would be inadmissible. 

But limitations or vetoes would be found unacceptable by many MEPs. Several "champions" have asked several hundred questions during their mandate, with non-attached member from UK Robert Kilroy-Silk apparently in the lead. He has put forward more than 1000 questions since he was elected in 2004. 

Speaking to EurActiv, Richard Corbett admitted that his motivations to set some guidelines were partly inspired by Kilroy-Silks’ inquisitiveness. 

One example of the questions asked by Kilroy-Silk, obviously inspired by a famous cover of the TIME magazine, reads: "Does the Commission attribute the death of culture in France to its absorption into the EU?"

Although bizarre questions are not the rule, other examples exist. One MEP has repeatedly asked the Commission to disclose whatever information it holds concerning unconfirmed reports about the death of Osama bin Laden. 

A colleague of his has also asked the European executive if it has plans to issue new directives on so-called "Islamic cars", which have an incorporated GPS allowing direction-finding towards the Mecca. 

One MEP, who was apparently charged excessive fees by a Spanish bank, raised several questions on the subject. While another one wanted to know if the monopoly on cemeteries is conform to EU rules. 

What's more, often, almost identical questions are asked by several MEPs, who obviously ignore or neglect the initiatives of their fellow colleagues. 

Over 2000 written questions have already been put to the Commission by members of the 785-strong European Parliament  since the beginning of 2008. For 2007 their number is over 6000. 

Although the proportion of irrelevant questions does not appear so big, they potentially create an unnecessary workload on the European executive and waste of public money. Commission spokesperson Mark Gray however declined to comment on how serious the problem was.