In a resolution adopted on Thursday 16 February by a large majority (388 votes in favour, 72 against and 76 abstentions) (see EUROPE 13122/8), the European Parliament urges the European Commission to establish, “before the end of March 2023”, an EU ethics body with the aim of concluding negotiations on its competences and functioning “before the summer break”.
According to MEPs, the future ethics body could initially concern only the European Parliament and the Commission, while remaining open to all EU institutions and bodies. It should have the right to launch investigations on its own initiative or on the basis of information received from third parties, but its recommendations would not be binding.
The joint draft resolution has been expanded somewhat. According to MEPs, the future body should have the possibility to check the veracity of declarations of financial interests, but also, according to an adopted amendment contributed by The Left group (268 votes in favour, 252 against, 19 abstentions), of those related to “assets”.
‘Side jobs’. MEPs call for a harmonised ‘cooling-off period’ between the EU institutions, to delay the revolving door for people who have held senior positions. Another important amendment (308 votes in favour, 213 against, 20 abstentions) by The Left was added to this paragraph. It requires “prohibiting Members of the European Parliament from engaging in additional paid activities or employment on behalf of organisations or persons falling within the scope of the transparency register”.
The MEPs who voted against the amendment were mainly from the EPP and Renew Europe groups. “This is something that will make a big difference”, predicted one parliamentary source, wondering if the MEPs had even understood what they were voting for. To be applicable, the European Parliament’s internal regulation still needs to be amended.
It should also be noted that two amendments by the EPP group, targeting the activities of NGOs, were also adopted. One of them notes that “in the ‘Qatargate’ affair, non-governmental organisations were allegedly used as a vehicle for foreign interference in European democracy”, and “urges the revision of existing rules with the aim of increasing the transparency and accountability of interest representatives in their interactions with MEPs”.
See the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/5cy
On Thursday, the Parliament also adopted a second resolution on internal reforms to strengthen ethics and integrity, following the December resolution adopted after the Qatargate scandal broke out (see EUROPE 13085/20). In particular, it calls for an approval process for travel paid for by third countries and the obligation for MEPs to make asset declarations at the beginning and end of each mandate.
Furthermore, the European Parliament is of the opinion that the measures taken with regard to the representatives of Qatar should be extended to those of Morocco.
See the second resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/5d8 (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)