Transparency and Members' financial interests (Annex I of the EP Rules of Procedure)

In adopting the report by Mr Jean-Thomas NORDMANN (ELDR, F) on transparency and the financial interests of Members of the European Parliament, the EP amended Annex I of its rules of procedure together with Article 9. The new measures were largely based on the conclusions of the COT working group which was set up by the Conference of Presidents the previous January and which recommended that at the time of election each MEP should personally make known the precise details relating to: - his or her professional activities and any other office or paid activity; - support in the form of finance, material or personnel provided by third parties, which is in addition to the resources which the European Parliament provides to an MEP within the scope of his or her political mandate. In this case the identity of the donor must be made known. Members banned themselves from receiving any other gift or donation in the exercise of their mandate. These declarations must be published annually and Members must be personally responsible for them. The register of declarations must also be open to the public. The Bureau of the European Parliament may periodically draw up a list of particulars which, in its opinion, have to be declared in the register. On the subject of financial declarations, the report states that in anticipation of a set of common rules for MEPs, which will replace the various national regulations currently in force, Members of the European Parliament shall be subject to the obligations which are prescribed to them under the legislation of the Member State in which they were elected. �