Transparency International EU Deputy Director Nick Aiossa on Thursday 26 January called on the European Parliament to go further than President Roberta Metsola’s internal reform proposals to address the shortcomings highlighted by Qatargate (see EUROPE 13098/8).
“The President’s 14 objectives are a step in the right direction, but not enough”, he told a hearing of the Parliament’s Special Committee on Foreign Interference on ‘Recent cases of foreign interference in the European Parliament - allegations of corruption’.
Mr Aiossa denounced the lack of ethics in Parliament, recalling that it had twice refused, by a political decision of the Bureau, to participate in a Transparency International study on integrity and flaws.
For the Deputy Director, there are shortcomings regarding the declarations of the MEPs. “They have difficulty grasping the problem of ethics. They make late declarations of travel and gifts and do not take responsibility by pointing the finger at their assistants”, he explained, adding that the declaration was the “sole responsibility of the MEP”.
“The sanctions regime in Parliament is very limited. Some MEPs violate ethical rules and are not sanctioned”, he denounced, adding that these sanctions were the responsibility of the President of Parliament. As a result, according to the Deputy Director, “MEPs do not feel they have to follow any rules”.
Mr Aiossa also denounced general expenses, used by MEPs without having to provide receipts, or travel paid for by third parties when MEPs have a travel allowance.
The Deputy Director suggested that Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) could work to improve ethics and that the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) could sanction MEPs, rather than the Parliament President.
He also called for better protection for whistleblowers within the institution, whether they are parliamentary assistants or civil servants, explaining that they are poorly protected. He recalled that three whistleblowers who were parliamentary assistants had been dismissed in 2016.
Regarding third parties, Mr Aiossa considered that there should be a “mandatory registration in the transparency register” of companies, NGOs and third country representatives. In this way, “all risks would be mitigated”, he explained.
French journalist Christian Chesnot, who has written several books on Qatar, also stressed the need to look at NGOs, which could also be used by third countries to influence. “It is not illegal”, he said, adding that it was necessary to remain vigilant. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)