BRUSSELS, Belgium - March 16, 2009 - Using “Miss” and “Mrs.” has been banned by leaders of the European Union because they are not considered politically correct.

Brussels bureaucrats have decided the words are sexist and issued new guidelines in its bid to create 'gender-neutral' language.

They have sent out a booklet that warns European politicians they must avoid referring to a woman's marital status.

This also means “Madame” and “Mademoiselle”, “Frau” and “Fraulein” and “Senora” and “Senorita” are banned.

Instead of using the standard titles, it is asking MEPs to address women by their names.

And the rules have not stopped there - they also ban MEPs saying “sportsmen” and “statesmen”, advising that “athletes” and “political leaders” should be used instead.

“Man-made” is also taboo - it should be “artificial” or “synthetic”, “firemen” is disallowed and “air hostesses” should be called “flight attendants”.

“Headmasters” and “headmistresses” must be “heads” or “head teachers”, “laymen” becomes “layperson”, and “manageress” or “mayoress” should be “manager” or “mayor”.

“Police officers” must be used instead of “policeman” and “policewoman” unless the officer's sex is relevant.

The only problem words that do not fit into the guidelines are “waiter” and “waitress”, which means MEPs are at least spared one worry when ordering a coffee.

They have reacted with incredulity to the booklet, which has been sent out by the Secretary General of the European Parliament.

Scottish Tory MEP Struan Stevenson described the guidelines as “political correctness gone mad”.

He said. “This is frankly ludicrous. We've seen the EU institutions try to ban the bagpipes and dictate the shape of bananas, but now they seem determined to tell us which words we are entitled to use in our own language. Gender-neutrality is really the last straw. The Thought Police are now on the rampage in the European Parliament. We will soon be told that the use of the words "man" and "woman" have been banned in case they cause offense to those who consider 'gender neutrality' an essential part of life.”

West Midlands Conservative MEP Philip Bradbourn is calling on the Secretary General to reveal who authorized the publication of the booklet and how much it cost.

He described it as “a waste of taxpayers' money and an erosion of the English language as we know it”.

“I will have no part of it. I will continue to use my own language and expressions, which I have used all my life, and will not be instructed by this institution or anyone else in these matters,” said Mr. Bradbourn. “I shall also expect the many translators who sit in the European Parliament to translate accurately the language I use. I find this publication offensive in the extreme. The Parliament, by the publication of this document, is not only bringing itself as an institution into more disrepute than it already suffers, but it is also showing that it has succumbed to the politically correct clap-trap currently in vogue.”