Reaction from Michiel van Hulten, Director of Transparency International EU, to the unfolding European Parliament corruption scandal:
“While this may be the most egregious case of alleged corruption the European Parliament has seen in many years, it is not an isolated incident. Over many decades, the Parliament has allowed a culture of impunity to develop, with a combination of lax financial rules and controls and a complete lack of independent (or indeed any) ethics oversight. In many ways it has become a law unto itself. Every serious attempt to improve accountability is blocked by the Parliament’s ruling Bureau, with the acquiescence of a majority of MEPs. The recent backroom deal approved by the Bureau to appoint a new EP Secretary-General is emblematic of an institution that thinks that ethics and integrity rules should only apply to others. It is time for root and branch reform. As a first step, the European Commission should now publish its long-delayed proposal on the creation of an independent EU ethics body, with powers of investigation and enforcement.”
