Brussels, 06/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 5 March, the European Commission adopted a communication on promoting professional ethics within the institution. In the light of the conclusions of the working group set up in 2007, European Administration Commissioner Siim Kallas has identified several measures that should be taken to help aquaint Commission officials with the prinicples and basic standards that should guide them in carrying out their duties, and the limits not to be exceeded.
A “statement of principles of proferssional ethics” was presneted and could be adopted by the College of Commissioners in its definitive form. The text sets out the standards and expectations which underpin the obligations incumbent on all offiicals (and other agents) to whom the statute applies. It is written in general terms to cover all situations.
The Commission will create a web site on ethical issues, bringing together relevant sources of information (civil service law, guidelines on financial responsibility, administrative information on the use of computers, etc).
DG Administration will be called on to adapt its various tranining programmes to make the study of ethical issues obligatory for some posts (e.g. for officials with financial responsibilities). Every DG will have to appoint an ethics contact. This person will be the first point of contact for all ethical questions, both for units and their staff members. Ethics contact persons will deal with requests from staff in complete confidence.
Potential conflicts of interest. There simply being a situation in which there is a possible conflict of interest creates a situation where there is a danger. The problem has to be settled diligently and
with full respect for the statute by the official concerned or his/her superiors.
The following mesures will help staff faced with these various situations: - an aide mémoire will be created and published on the internet to help officials recognise conflicts of interest, real or potential, and determine at what moment and how they will notify these situations to their hierarchies (including conflicts of interest resulting from links with personnel or family relations, the exercise of external activities or mandates or shares owned in certain companies); DG Administration will formally register personnel data that includes favours granted, presents and personal invitations. Following consultation of personnel representatives and the other services, this situation will be adopted by the Commission in 2009; given the experience acquired since setting up the new statute in 2004, DG Administration will update the Commission's existing decision on external activities and mandates, especially for reviewing the distinction between commercial and other activities, the definition of “external activity” and “public office”, as well as provisions applicable to retired officials. The Commission's communication explains that, “it will be necessary to examine whether formal conditional authorisations should be introduced”. This update will improve legal security and increase coherency in cases where the vested appointing authority is the DG responsible for recruitment. Decisions that are taken will therefore better reflect the principles of equal treatment and proportionality. This decision will be adopted by the Commission in 2009.
The Commission communication explains that this process aims to create ownership and responsibility and does not intend to create instruments that could mistakenly be perceived as new discipline rules.