Transparency International calls for full official investigation of allegations of MEP’s secret payments

In the light of the most recent scandal involving MEPs who are reported having accepted secret payments to alter law or having indicated their willingness to do so, Transparency International (TI) supports a full official investigation of the allegations. TI also calls for a fully-fledged and robust code of conduct for MEPs that goes beyond the current provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament (in particular Art. 9 and Annex I).

This fully fledged code of conduct should include in particular:

• Ethical standards on conflicts of interests
• Detailed and up-to-date reporting requirements, e.g. on organisational memberships and direct or indirect financial interests of MEPs
• The obligation to publish a legislative footprint for reports and amendments tabled
• Special requirements for MEPs who are selected as rapporteurs and shadow-rapporteurs

The code of conduct should be accompanied with a robust supervision and enforcement mechanism. Without such credible measures preventing conflicts of interests and corruption at the EU level, institutions such as the Parliament risk the undermining of European democracy and further loss of trust of EU citizens in their work.

Transparency International is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption.