WRITTEN QUESTION E-1540/02 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Commissioners making party political speeches in national election campaigns.
Date: 2002-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commissioner, election campaign, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, political morality, public statement

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/133

(2002/C 309 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1540/02

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 June 2002)

Subject: Commissioners making party political speeches in national election campaigns

The EU Commission’s chief spokesman has said that although Commissioners do not campaign in national
issues during national
elections this does not prevent them from making speeches on party political
election campaigns.

This sounds like sophistry. Since Commissioners are paid by and irredeemably linked with the very
the EU, which must be a central subject of democratic debate during national election
institution,
campaigning, and are supposed in the definition of their jobs to be politically impartial, how can they
possibly justify speaking on party political platforms in national election campaigns? What
is the
Commission’s actual position on this matter?

Should the Commission, in the light of the de Palacio affair, not be especially wary of involving itself in
politics as openly as it now appears to be doing?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 2002)

As the Commission has had frequent occasion to reiterate in reply to written and oral questions by
Members of Parliament (1), the Members of the Commission are politicians carrying out a political function,
who, while honouring the obligations imposed by this function, remain free to express their personal
opinions quite independently and on their own responsibility.

The Code of Conduct adopted by the Commission on 18 September 1999 specifically states that
Commissioners may be active members of political parties or trade unions, provided this does not
compromise their availability for service in the Commission.

(1) E-2459/99, E-2600/99 and E-2628/99, OJ C 225 E, 8.8.2000, p. 139; E-0539/02, see page 26.

(2002/C 309 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1541/02

by Joke Swiebel (PSE) and Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Council

(3 June 2002)

Subject: ILGA international and consultative status at ECOSOC, behaviour of Spain

1.
Can the Council confirm that on 30 April 2002, all EU Members of the ECOSOC of the UN (and all
associated countries present) (cid:1) excluding Spain (cid:1) voted in favour of the application of the International
Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) for consultative status at the UN?

2.
Can the Council confirm and repeat that it is the position of all Member States that discrimination on
the basis of sexual orientation shall be prohibited (Charter of Fundamental Rights, Article 21), and that this
principle guides all actions of the EU and its Member States, also at international fora?

3. Would the Council agree that all Member States might be expected to support the Union’s foreign
policy (Article 11(2) TEU)? Can the Presidency be expected to promote coherence and cohesion of EU
action within the UN and to express the position of the Union (Article 18(2))? Could the Council explain
why in the present case these principles have not been followed?