MEPs can claim first-class rates for journeys to Brussels

MEPs voted against producing travel receipts and publishing their expenses on the internet.

British Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies described the unreformed system as a "continuing public scandal".

Europe's main Christian Democrat group voted against individual reforms saying it wanted more comprehensive changes.

The current system allows MEPs to receive tens of thousands of euros a year in first-class travel payments, on top of their annual salary.

We're using public money. The public have a right to know that it is being used properly Chris Davies Liberal Democrat MEP

They do not have to produce receipts, meaning they can claim the full amount even if they have flown on budget airlines or been given a lift in a car.

Parliamentarians are also entitled to thousands of pounds a month in office expenses, with little scrutiny of how the money is spent.

Reformers are also keen to see the auditing of MEPs contributions to their private pension schemes.

Lithuanian MEP Ona Jukneviciene told BBC Radio's Today programme she had suggested the following reforms:

• travel allowances to be reimbursed based on actual expenditures

• political groups to publish on the internet how much funds have been spent by each of them

• accounts pertaining to voluntary pension schemes to be audited.

Full statute

British MEP Chris Davies told the programme: "What really upsets me is that the European Parliament is growing in authority... yet we allow ourselves to be dragged through the mire by this continuing public scandal.

"We're using public money. The public have a right to know that it is being used properly."

A spokesman for the European People's Party, a Christian Democrat grouping which is the largest in the parliament, told the BBC News website that the party would not vote for expenses reform until it was included in a full statute for members.

This would also include measures to bring salaries for new Eastern European members into line with those from Western Europe.

"Some members receive less than 1,000 euros (�685) a month. This is not acceptable," he said.

"The majority will wait until there is an overall resolution of the problem. We think we are very close to this at the moment."