WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2000)

Subject: World Cup tickets

Further to the reply to my Written Question E-2342/99(1), would the Commission kindly indicate which Commission officials received World Cup football tickets, whether gifts of such nature must be declared, what the conditions are for staff accepting gifts and whether it intends to change working practice in this area?

(1) OJ C 225 E, 8.8.2000, p. 109.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2000)

The Commission does not have a general record of which officials were provided with tickets, whether paid for or free of charge, for the football World Cup. However, the Honourable Member is referred to the answer to Written Question E-2342/99 in respect of officials working in the Competition Directorate General.

The general rules relevant to gifts to officials working in all EU Institutions are in Article 11 of the Staff Regulations which state that officials shall not without permission of the appointing authority accept from any source outside the Institution any decorationmldr favour, gift or payment of any kind whatevermldr.

The Commission's internal rules (delivered to the Commission staff on 19 February 1996 with Administrative Notice No 926) set out criteria for publications, speeches and gifts. They make clear that officials should discourage the offering of gifts, but provide, inter alia, that staff may be allowed to accept gifts worth less than Ecu/Euro 250. They further state that trips or weekends away organised by a third party can only be allowed if the attendance of the official is in the Commission's interest.

However, it is clear that not all invitations meetings or events, which may include meals, should be regarded as gifts or favours within the meaning of Article 11. Meetings, events and other informal contacts between senior officials and industry, Member States or third countries often include invitations. Such contacts may well be relevant to the fulfilment of officials' tasks. Moreover, within reasonable limits, they may also be considered as part of the representational duties of senior officials.

The Commission therefore does not believe that acceptance of invitations to football matches or similar events necessarily constitutes a breach of the rules or automatically risks compromising the independence or integrity of officials. Clearly, if evidence was provided that an attempt had been made on any occasion to compromise the integrity or independence of an official, or that an official's obligation of duty had been breached as a consequence of the provision of tickets or hospitality, the appropriate action would be taken.

So far as changes in working practices are concerned: In the Action Plan which was adopted as part of the Reform Strategy White Paper on 1 March 2000, the Commission announced that it would codify and simplify the texts implementing the Staff Regulations in order to ensure transparency and fairness in their application. The Commission intends to review its guidelines in this context. Since the Staff Regulations apply to all EU Institutions the Commission believes that there should be common rules to assist officials and their superiors in dealing with cases such as the one referred to by the Honourable Member. It will therefore present new draft guidelines to the Heads of Administration with a view to reaching an inter-institutional agreement.