MEP Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA, French) proposed on Tuesday 20 December a series of measures to avoid new scandals such as the one of alleged corruption linked to Qatar.
This affair “is not only a serious matter that brings the European Parliament into disrepute. It is also a case that demonstrates the need to establish proper control in Parliament and, more broadly, in our European institutions”, she believes.
As far as Parliament is concerned, the ongoing legislative work related to Qatar has been suspended, as well as the Qatari access badges. Parliament will set up a Vice-Presidency dedicated to integrity and anti-corruption, extend the transparency register to representatives of third countries and set up a parliamentary committee of inquiry into the influence of lobbies and third countries, she recalled.
“But Parliament will have to carry out deeper reforms”, according to the MEP, such as “strengthening our internal control rules and revising the code of conduct for MEPs regarding their employment outside Parliament and their declarations of financial interests”.
Ms Rivasi called for common rules to effectively protect whistleblowers and for the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to be given more resources and independence.
“Let us severely sanction, with deductions from their salaries for example, failures to declare the interests of elected officials, senior civil servants and experts appointed by the Member States”, explains Ms Rivasi.
She advocates a “veritable” ethics body, independent and with investigative and sanctioning powers, covering Parliament, EU Council and Commission. The latter has proposed an advisory ethical body, but “without any supervisory or binding powers”, regrets the MEP.
She questions the compatibility of the business activities of Heiko von der Leyen, the husband of the Commission President. The biotech firm Orgenesis, of which he is the Scientific Director, is alleged to have received EU funding. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)