Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper), The European Commission has come under fire over its plans for an ‘EU Ethics Body’.
The EC says that with the establishment of the Ethics Body there will, for the first time, be common standards for the ethical conduct of members and a formal mechanism for coordination and exchange of views on ethical requirements among institutions.
An EC spokesman said, “Thanks to these changes, EU politicians will be subject to common, clear, transparent, and comprehensible standards.”
The Greens/EFA Group say they have long been calling for an independent EU Ethics Body that would handle issues of corruption, conflicts of interest, and breaches of ethics in the EU institutions.
Daniel Freund, Greens/EFA Group MEP, and European Parliament Rapporteur on the need for an EU Ethics Body, noted, “This proposal the Commission has put forward today is for a body that is not independent, will not have investigatory powers and will not be able to sanction breaches of ethics rules. The Commission has come out with something that is totally underwhelming, underpowered, and uninspired after dragging its feet for years.
“We urgently need a truly independent body that will be able to police potential issues of conflicts of interest, corruption, and mismanagement across the EU institutions. This is essential for trust in politics and ensuring that decisions are being made in the interest of citizens.
“The Qatargate scandal shows that self-regulation by politicians and officials simply does not work. This proposal doubles down on the idea that institutions should self-regulate, which will not be enough to rebuild trust in the EU. We will not stop fighting for greater accountability and integrity at the EU level,” he added.
Elsewhere, the EPP Group welcomed the long-awaited Commission proposal on the Independent Ethics Body but warns that such a body is no spell to prevent all abuses.
“The Commission’s proposal reflects the debate in the Parliament and is therefore appropriate. However, we should note that an ethics body would not have prevented abuses like Qatargate. There is a real risk of the politicisation of an authority that governs ethics and not legal standards”, warned Sven Simon MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on Constitutional Affairs.
Other concerns regarding the scope of the panel remain alive, in particular on the power to investigate and punish officials. This practice is reminiscent of recent evolutions in some Member States, he said.“We strongly caution against a Polish-style disciplinary chamber for MEPs. The core problem that was revealed during Qatargate, namely unchecked influence through NGOs and other actors, is not addressed through the proposal”, Simon stressed.
