Debate: Establishment of the EU Ethics Body
Date: TUESDAY, 13 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Věra Jourová
Language: EN

It is not true that the ethics body I am proposing will be a coordinating body or a consultation body. No, it will be the standard setter. It cannot be independent body. There will be representatives of nine institutions who will be at the same time responsible for making commitments. So the ethics body will together set the standards and the representatives of each institution well then will go back home to their institution and will be responsible for application, for taking the standards and embedding the standards into the internal rules of each institution. And this will be legally binding. So it is not true that the body will not have any competence regarding the enforcement of the rules. I said at the beginning that I foresee this body to work in synergy with the internal structures in each institution who deal with disciplinary breaches and the ethics issues. And so when I hear in this House the strong calls for outsourcing of the investigations and sanctions outside Parliament, I have to say I took to take it on board. I am thinking about it a lot. What's the reason ? Because in my in my previous experience, whenever I wanted to outsource something, it was always the case when I didn’t have enough capacities or professional experience or simply something missing in my institution. When I decide to outsource it, if I have everything in place, I cannot outsource or I should not outsource. So that’s why I was surprised when I heard such strong calls. Because the question is, does it show that in the European Parliament there are structures which are not doing the job, which are not fulfilling the task? That’s a question mark. It’s for you to answer. But at the at the beginning I said that the ethics body should work in synergy with the institutional bodies who have the duties. Now each institution has to do the job and there are structures in each of the institutions to do that. And why I am a bit surprised because I was representing the Commission in quite uneasy discussions and negotiations on the transparency register, on the lobbyist register, and I heard very often the comments of the negotiations from the European Parliament that we have to be very careful about the freedom of the mandate of the member of Parliament, the member who received direct power from the voters and which has to be respected, and at the same time the immunities. So that’s why I ask myself and I also ask you, how come that you want to outsource the such work, which is a kind of intrusive investigations of individual cases and sanctions. These are very strong powers. So how come that you want to outsource it? But we will have enough space to discuss that and I will receive more answers from your side, because on 3 July, we should have the first political meeting with other institutions. We will be sitting nine around the table and here comes maybe the reason why it took so long, because I needed time to consult with all the institutions and the result which I am proposing today, or which I proposed last week at the College, was the result of very, very intense and long consultations with all other nine institutions. And from all nine institutions I heard the same thing. We do not agree with the ethics body, which should have the investigative or sanctioning competence. So it’s not just the Commission behind that, but this is the result of what I heard from other institutions. And I came on this basis to the conclusion what will be feasible and operational body. That is my goal, to establish something which will be meaningful, operational and legally sound. So again, if you want the legal analysis why we cannot go further, of course I can offer that.  One added value has not been mentioned here. We want the standards agreed by the ethics body to be very broadly communicated to the general public, because I believe that the people may be confused. We have so many important institutions and no common standards. I think that it must be confusing. It must be disappointing for the citizens and the lack of clarity on what are the rules, I think is one of the factors which causes the decrease of trust. And I can tell you whatever. Whatever survey we see and our own observations, the decrease of trust in institutions, not only EU institutions, but democratic institutions. I see three reasons abuse of power, corruption and undeserved privileges. And this is exactly what the ethics body will do. Setting the high standards, being very clear, using clear language. Gifts, forget it. Forget financing from private party. Either you are in the job or you go privately. Then there shouldn’t be any third party to pay. Gifts, why? Why should I get any gifts? So maybe it might, if we set the standards in a very clear way, the citizens will understand better what we are doing and what are the limits. And of course, ethics is, first of all, the issue for each of us, it’s individual responsibility and there is no ethics body which will guarantee that there will be no individual failures.  So honourable Members, I am very determined to work together with you and other institutions which should be the establishers of this body. I am ready for modifications or improvements, but I have to insist that the body should be, and I will repeat myself – sorry, I am too long, – but operational, legally sound and meaningful. So I am determined to defend such model and I am looking forward to further cooperation.