The European Commission said on Monday 11 July that it had written to Neelie Kroes to shed light on the lobbying activities that the former European Commissioner for Competition and the Digital Sector allegedly carried out in favour of Uber with Dutch political leaders during the 24-month ‘cooling off period’ following the end of her mandate, in apparent contradiction with the code of conduct for European Commissioners.
The EU institution did not, however, disclose the content of the letter or the timeframe required for a response from Ms Kroes to the allegations published last weekend as part of the ‘Uber Files’ journalistic investigation.
These revelations raise the question of the establishment of a European ethics committee, promised in 2019 by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The European Parliament, under the guidance of Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, Germany), decided its position on the contours and competences of such an entity in autumn 2021 (see EUROPE 12792/9). But the Commission presented a minimalist vision on the issue in the spring (see EUROPE 12925/19).
The Council of the EU shares the Commission’s view that the institutional balance and “the decision-making autonomy of each institution” of the EU should be respected when establishing the body. “The attribution of competences to each institution as well as their respective roles and particularities, as established in the Treaties, must be respected. In this respect, the Council highlights that its Member States are bound by their respective national rules on ethical standards”, it said in a letter to Ms von der Leyen.
On Monday, the Commission’s spokesperson’s service was unable to say when the EU institution would share its proposal.
See the Council’s letter: https://aeur.eu/f/2kp (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)