WRITTEN QUESTION E-2600/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Participation by Commissioners in direct political action by the parties or electoral coalitions to which they belong.
Date: 2000-01-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, President of the Commission, election campaign, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, political figure, political morality

C 225 E/138

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

(2000/C 225 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2459/99

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE), Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE),
Mario Mauro (PPE-DE), Stefano Zappal(cid:224) (PPE-DE), Raffaele Fitto (PPE-DE),
Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE), Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE) and Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE)
to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Incompatibility between the role of President of

the Commission and election campaigning

activities

On 15 November 1999 the Italian newspaper (cid:145)Il Messaggero(cid:146) published an article stating that the President
of the Commission, Romano Prodi, had personally taken part in the election campaign to support a certain
Mr Parisi, who is standing in the parliamentary elections for the 12th constituency (Bologna), which are set
to take place on 28 November.

Should this information be confirmed, does the President of the Commission not consider that this kind of
behaviour is in breach of the Treaty on European Union, and in particular of Article 213(2) (ex Article
157), according to which:
the
Community, be completely independent in the performance of their duties. In the performance of these
duties, they shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government or from any other body. They
shall refrain from any action incompatible with their duties. Each Member State undertakes to respect this
principle and not to seek to influence the Members of the Commission in the performance of their tasks(cid:146)?

the Commission shall,

(cid:145)the Members of

in the general

interest of

(2000/C 225 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2600/99

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 January 2000)

Subject: Participation by Commissioners in direct political action by the parties or electoral coalitions to

which they belong

In the past, Commissioners such as Neil Kinnock, Jacques Delors and Emma Bonino have played an active
role, while in office, in election campaigns and other political activities organised by the political parties to
which they belonged. On 26 November 1999 Romano Prodi, president of the Commission, took part in
the closing rally of Arturo Parisi(cid:146)s election campaign in Bologna, appearing on the dais and in effect
declaring his support for the candidate, as reported by the Italian press agencies Ansa, And Kronos, Dire
and Agi and on 27 November 1999 by various newspapers, starting with Resto del Carlino, which is
published in Bologna and distributed throughout the Emilia and Romagna regions.

Could the Commission state whether it considers that Commissioners should refrain, while in office, from
taking part in direct political action and electoral campaigns organised by their own parties or electoral
coalitions? Does it also agree that, by refraining from participating in direct political action organised by
the parties to which they belong, Members of the Commission would uphold their role as representatives
of all the citizens of the European Union?

(2000/C 225 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2628/99

by Francesco Speroni (TDI), Umberto Bossi (TDI) and Gian Gobbo (TDI)
to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Participation of the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, in the Italian election campaign

On Friday, 26 November 1999, the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, participated in the final
meeting of the election campaign of the Olive Tree (centre-left) candidate for the Chamber of Deputies by-
election.