The European Parliament,

-   having regard to the request for waiver of the immunity of Frank Vanhecke, submitted, at the request the Dendermonde Public Prosecutor, by the Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Belgium, and announced in plenary sitting on 10 April 2008,

-   having heard Frank Vanhecke in accordance with Rule 7(3) of its Rules of Procedure,

-   having regard to Articles 9 and 10 of the Protocol of 8 April 1965 on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities, and to Article 6(2) of the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage,

-   having regard to the judgments of 12 May 1964 and 10 July 1986(1) of the Court of Justice of the European Communities,

-   having regard to Articles 58 and 59 of the Belgian Constitution,

-   having regard to Rules 6(2) and 7 of its Rules of Procedure,

-   having regard to the report of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A6-0421/2008),

1.  Decides to waive the immunity of Frank Vanhecke;

2.  Instructs its President to forward this decision, and the report of its committee responsible, immediately to the appropriate authority of the Kingdom of Belgium.

(1) Case 101/63 Wagner v Fohrmann and Krier [1964] ECR 195 and Case 149/85 Wybot v Faure and Others [1986] ECR 2391.