{"id":6562,"date":"2023-02-23T17:05:47","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T16:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/?post_type=article&#038;p=6562"},"modified":"2023-02-23T17:10:01","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T16:10:01","slug":"allegazzjonijiet-ta-korruzzjoni-il-mpe-jaghmlu-pressjoni-ghal-bidliet-importanti-u-progress-rapidu","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/article\/allegazzjonijiet-ta-korruzzjoni-il-mpe-jaghmlu-pressjoni-ghal-bidliet-importanti-u-progress-rapidu\/","title":{"rendered":"Corruption allegations: MEPs push for ambitious changes and quick progress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6563\" srcset=\"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--1024x683.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--768x512.jpg 768w, http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--1536x1024.jpg 1536w, http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--2048x1365.jpg 2048w, http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/EP-Feature-451--480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Parliament adopted two resolutions on the issue of transparency and integrity in EU decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Strong and immediate reforms are necessary&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following up on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/news\/en\/press-room\/20221212IPR64541\/corruption-scandal-meps-insist-on-reforms-for-transparency-and-accountability\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">measures requested by Parliament in December 2022<\/a>&nbsp;and welcoming the recent&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/news\/en\/press-room\/20230208IPR72802\/group-leaders-endorse-first-steps-of-parliamentary-reform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decision by Parliament\u2019s President and political group leaders<\/a>&nbsp;as a necessary first step, MEPs reiterate that they will show \u201czero tolerance for corruption in any shape and at any level\u201d and insist that Parliament must show \u201cunequivocal unity and unwavering resolve\u201d in this regard.&nbsp; They list areas where further improvements are needed, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>better implementation of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/meps\/en\/about#firstanchor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Code of Conduct<\/a>, including financial sanctions in case of breaches, the introduction of more sanctionable activities, and a ban on any remunerated activities that could create a conflict of interest with an MEP\u2019s mandate;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>an approval process for trips paid by third countries and additional vetting for MEPs\u2019 assistants and Parliament staff working in sensitive policy fields, particularly in foreign affairs, security and defence;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members should be reformed to fill in for the independent EU Ethics Body until it is in place;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>asset declarations by MEPs at the beginning and end of each mandate;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>adequate resources for the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/transparencyregister\/public\/homePage.do\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Transparency Register<\/a>&nbsp; and an obligation for MEPs, but also their staff and Parliament employees&nbsp; to declare work meetings with third country diplomats, where they would have \u201can active role and clear and immediate influence\u201d in Parliament\u2019s work, except where this could put those involved in danger or jeopardise public interest;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>internal rules should be aligned with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/commission.europa.eu\/aid-development-cooperation-fundamental-rights\/your-rights-eu\/protection-whistleblowers_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Whistleblower Directive<\/a>;&nbsp; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the measures taken regarding representatives of Qatar should be extended to those of Morocco.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stringent control of NGO financing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parliament notes that NGOs have allegedly been used as vectors of foreign interference, and urges a review of existing regulations to enhance transparency on their governance, budget, foreign influence and persons of significant control. It underlines that NGOs receiving money from parties who do not have to sign up to the Transparency Register (e.g. third countries) also need to disclose the sources of their funding, and requests that if this information is not disclosed, they should not receive EU public money. It also calls for a comprehensive financial pre-screening before an NGO is listed on the EU transparency register, for any contractual agreements with the Commission to be published, and a clear definition of which NGOs are allowed to register and are eligible to receive EU funding.&nbsp; Nevertheless, it also deplores the use of the corruption scandal \u201cto launch a misguided smearing campaign\u201d against NGOs and spread misinformation on the lack of transparency of their funding, reiterating its unwavering support to civil society organisations that speak up for human rights and the environment in full respect of the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MEPs also want the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/news\/en\/press-room\/20230210IPR74716\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ING2<\/a>&nbsp;Committee and other responsible bodies to revise Parliament\u2019s ethics rules before the summer. The resolution was adopted with 401 votes for, three against, and 133 abstentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>No more delays for the independent ethics body<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parliament reiterates its call for an independent ethics body for the EU institutions, based on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/news\/en\/press-room\/20210910IPR11931\/parliament-calls-for-eu-independent-ethics-body\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MEPs\u2019 proposals of September 2021<\/a>, to restore citizens\u2019 trust. The Commission\u2019s proposal should be submitted by March, and negotiations should conclude by the summer break, MEPs say. This body should clearly distinguish between criminal actions, breaches of institutional rules, and unethical behaviour.&nbsp; It would play a key role in protecting whistleblowers within the EU institutions, while working in a complementary manner with other EU bodies such as the anti-fraud office (OLAF), the Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO), the Ombudsman and the European Court of Auditors. The resolution was adopted with 388 votes for, 72 against, and 76 abstentions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parliament adopted two resolutions on the issue of transparency and integrity in EU decision-making. Strong and immediate reforms are necessary&nbsp; Following up on the&nbsp;measures requested by Parliament in December 2022&nbsp;and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6563,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"spay_email":""},"issuem_issue":[310],"issuem_issue_categories":[8],"issuem_issue_tags":[],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"2.8.8","language":"en","enabled_languages":["mt","en"],"languages":{"mt":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/6562"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6562"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/6562\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6566,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/6562\/revisions\/6566"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue?post=6562"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_categories?post=6562"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_tags?post=6562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}