The code of conduct of the European Commissioners, revised following events such as the revolving-door career move of former Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, to Goldman Sachs, entered into force on Thursday 1 February.
This code of conduct, which extends the cooling-off period from 18 months to two years for former European Commissioners and to three years for former Commission Presidents, was announced in September 2017 by the President of the European institution, Jean-Claude Juncker, in his speech on the state of the Union (see EUROPE 11863). It was submitted to the European Parliament for consultation.
In a letter to Juncker dated 23 January and published by Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA, Germany), the President of the Parliament, Antonio Tajani, welcomes the steps forward in the remodelled code of conduct, but considers that a cooling-off period of three years is desirable for all Commissioners.
The new code defines the notion of conflict of interests for the first time. If former Commissioners intend to take a job in areas related to their former portfolios, they will first have to consult a new independent ethics committee, which will be authorised to make recommendations or issue public reprimands.
Every year, the Commissioners will have to update their declarations of financial interests. Any investment above €10,000 must be declared. Any asset they own that could give rise to a conflict of interests may, by request of the Commission President, be placed into a blind trust.
Furthermore, every two months from the end of February onwards, the Commission will publish each Commissioner's travel expenses. The Budget Commissioner, then responsible for the Digital Economy, Günther Oettinger, came under fire at the end of 2016 for having accepted a lift on board the private jet of a German businessman reported to have close links to Moscow (see EUROPE 11670).
EP2019. One provision of the revised code authorises Commissioners to stand for the European elections - but without taking leave - and, therefore, to be eligible for selection as their political family's Spitzenkandidat.
The Commissioner for Growth, Jyrki Katainen, had felt that it was “quite odd” that Commissioners could not stand in the European elections when ministers can do so for national elections.
This provision will be applicable once the Parliament has approved it, as it will do on Wednesday 7 February in a vote on the revised framework agreement between Parliament and the Commission.
The code of conduct is accessible at: http://bit.ly/2noO0uB (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)