EP Rules of Procedure: strengthening integrity, independence and accountability

The European Parliament decided by 505 votes to 93, with 52 abstentions, to make amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure with a view to strengthening integrity, independence and accountability.

The main changes are as follows:

Unofficial groupings

Unofficial groupings should be fully transparent in their actions. They should not engage in any activities which might result in confusion with the official activities of Parliament or of its bodies. In particular, they should not use the name or the logo of Parliament. They should  declare, by the end of the following month, any support, including in cash or in kind.

Interest representatives may only participate in unofficial grouping activities organised on Parliament’s premises, for instance by attending meetings or events of the unofficial grouping, by offering support to it, or by co-hosting its events, if they are entered in the transparency register.

Penalties

More severe sanctions are provided for in the event of a breach of the code of conduct. Once the sanction is final, it will be announced by the Chair at a plenary session.

The penalty imposed should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. The penalty may consist of one or more of the following measures: (i) prohibition of the Member from representing the Parliament on an interparliamentary delegation, inter-parliamentary conference or any interinstitutional forum, for up to one year; (ii) in the case of a breach of confidentiality, a limitation in the rights to access confidential or classified information for up to one year; (iii) forfeiture of entitlement to the daily subsistence allowance for a period of between two and sixty days.

The penalty imposed should be published prominently on Parliament's website and on the Member’s online page on Parliament’s website.

Conflict of interest

It is stated that a conflict of interest exists where the exercise of the mandate of a Member of the European Parliament in the public interest may be improperly influenced for reasons involving his or her family, emotional life, economic interest or any other direct or indirect private interest. Members should make every reasonable effort to detect conflicts of interest.

In addition to the expanded definition of conflicts of interest, amendments introduced better rules on relevant public declarations, and decision-making powers for competent bodies on whether Members with conflicts of interest should hold specific positions.

Declaration of private interests

Members of the European Parliament should submit a declaration of private interests to the President by the end of the first part-session after elections to the European Parliament (or within 30 calendar days of taking up office with the Parliament in the course of a parliamentary term).

The declaration of private interests should specify that any remunerated activity undertaken alongside the exercise of the Member’s office, including the name of the entity as well as the field and the nature of the activity, where the total remuneration of all the Member's outside activities exceeds EUR 5 000 gross in a calendar year.

If it generates income, Members should indicate for each separate item the respective amount of that income and, where relevant, its periodicity.

Declaration of assets

Members should declare their assets and liabilities at the beginning and end of every term of office. The Bureau should lay down the list of categories of assets and liabilities to be declared and should draw up the form for the declaration.

Stronger rules have been introduced on accepting gifts and declaring travel/subsistence costs paid by third parties, as a Member as well as a representative of Parliament.

Any gifts with an approximate value of more than EUR 150 presented to a Member when he or she is representing Parliament in an official capacity should be handed over to the President.

Publication of meetings

Members should only meet interest representatives that are entered in the transparency register. They should publish online all scheduled meetings relating to parliamentary business: (a) with interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register; or (b) with representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies.

Former Members

Amendment introduced stricter rules on ‘revolving doors’, introducing a ban on Members from engaging with former Members who have left Parliament in the previous six months - complementary to the ban on such activities for former Members for the same period.

Advisory committee on the conduct of members

The Advisory Committee should be composed of eight current Members of the European Parliament, appointed by the President at the beginning of his or her term of office, taking due account of the Members' experience and of political and gender balance. It should proactively monitor compliance by Members with this Code of Conduct and its implementing measures. It should signal to the President any possible breaches of those provisions. Alleged breaches of this Code of Conduct may be signalled directly to the Advisory Committee, which may assess them and advise the President on possible action to be taken.