On the evening of Monday 16 June, EU co-legislators failed to reach agreement on the new anti-corruption directive (see EUROPE 13660/12).
Negotiations must continue, however, and a new trilogue under the Polish Presidency was not ruled out on 17 June.
Dutch MEP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle (Renew Europe) regretted that “the negotiations did not yet succeed” but this was “not because of the Polish presidency”.
According to Politico, Germany, along with Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, would have led the charge against compulsory harmonisation of the definition and penalties for offences relating to ‘abuse of functions’ (the performance or omission to perform an act, contrary to the law, by a public official in the exercise of his functions with the aim of obtaining an undue advantage for himself or for another person or entity).
According to one source, the absence of an agreement stalled on this point.
“We call on member states to reconsider their position and make every effort to reach a good agreement in the coming days”, said Ms García Hermida-van der Walle.
“Led by Italy, a minority of Member States, including Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, last night prevented an agreement on the European anti-corruption directive by opposing the inclusion of the crime of abuse of office. This was a red line for Parliament, which has already accepted many compromises”, warned French shadow rapporteur, Chloé Ridel (S&D). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)