Brussels, 11/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament should have its investigatory powers extended to include the right to conduct on-the-spot inspections, summon witnesses to testify under oath, access relevant documents and request experts' advice, says a proposal adopted by the constitutional affairs committee on Tuesday 11 October.
MEPs say that Parliament's currently limited investigatory powers should be strengthened to enable it to look into alleged contraventions or maladministration of Community law. With the adoption (by 16 votes to one, with no abstentions) of the report by David Martin (S&D, UK), the committee calls on the Council and the Commission to give their consent to a series of changes in Parliament's current right of inquiry.
A committee of inquiry should be able, within the limits of its remit, to conduct on-the-spot investigations and receive help, when needed, from national authorities, say committee MEPs. They also propose that the constitutional affairs committee should have the right to ask any person to provide relevant documents, in full compliance with national rules on seizure of objects. Any EU citizen should be able to be summoned to testify at the request of the committee. Witnesses could be asked to speak under oath, but would retain the right to refuse. Travel and accommodation expenses of witnesses would be reimbursed by Parliament within existing ceilings. EU and member states' officials may also be called before the committee of inquiry, MEPs propose, and the committee would be able to ask the advice of experts during its investigations.
Sanctions against groundless refusal and perjury. The proposed regulation would oblige member states to punish, in accordance with their national rules, those who refuse without justification to provide documents or to testify, and likewise those who give false evidence or bribe witnesses. The text also introduces a complaints procedure, allowing a person to submit a written objection to a decision taken by the committee of inquiry for any alleged violation of EU or national law.
The proposed regulation needs Commission and Council consent before it can come into force. The regulation would then be immediately and directly applicable in all EU countries.
Since 1995, Parliament has set up three committees of inquiry to investigate: - VAT and customs duties fraud in the Community Transit System (1997); - the handling of mad cow disease (BSE) (1997) and; - the financial debacle at the Equitable Life Assurance Society. To establish a committee of inquiry, a quarter of all MEPs have to vote in favour. Committees of inquiry cannot investigate matters in which the alleged facts were being examined by a court. (LC/transl.rt)