On 1 December, the European Parliament approved its first-ever Code of Conduct for MEPs. This code will enter into force in January 2012 and aims to make the MEPs’ mandate as transparent as possible.
The Code of Conduct was developed by a Working Group commissioned by the Conference of Presidents, then later sent to the Constitutional Affairs Committee which added some adjustments and clarifications where necessary.
Some measures include that MEPs have the duty to declare any appointments as company board members, any paid work such as writing and lecturing amounting to more than €5,000 – and gifts valued at more than €150 must be refused.
Punitive measures for those that breach the code include the forfeiture of the MEP allowance for up to 10 days and the loss of elected positions – such as rapporteur roles – within the EP. An advisory committee will also be created to provide MEPs with detailed guidance and oversee any procedures relating to breaches of the rules.
Civil Society reactions
head of Transparency International’s EU liaison office Jana Mittermaier said it was unfortunate that the reforms did not include a “cooling off” provision, to prevent outgoing MEPs moving straight into lobbying jobs once their terms in office expired. The code also failed to include a ban on second jobs or an obligation for politicians to keep a “legislative footprint” record of all significant meetings with individuals and organisations. ” The code needs to be accompanied by a strong monitoring procedure to verify financial declarations, clear operating procedures for investigations and strong sanctions,” said Mittermaier. “Otherwise it remains an empty shell. Moreover, a regular review of the code will be important to ensure that its provisions are not abused or watered down.”
Paul de Clerck, spokesperson for ALTER-EU said: “The ball is squarely in the court of MEPs when it comes to working within the new code, and they will need to do their homework to comply with the new rules. The code’s reference to MEPs not receiving external payments to influence parliamentary activities should mean that MEPs with secondary jobs in the lobbying or consultancy fields should quit such jobs. Members will also have to maintain a far more detailed and thorough declaration of their outside financial interests and any conflicts of interest must be ruled out.”
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