The Commission’s EU Ethics body is toothless and does not meet EU citizens' expectations

Today, the European Parliament held a debate on the European Commission's proposal to set up an inter-institutional ethics body. This proposal is out of step with current requirements in terms of transparency and ethics. With no independence, no power of investigation and no capacity to recommend sanctions, the body proposed by the Commission is toothless and does not meet Renew Europe’s expectations or those of EU citizens.

Stéphane Séjourné, President of Renew Europe, declared:

"The Commission's proposal is characterised by its emptiness. It is a farce in which my group, which has been calling for an independent EU Ethics body since 2019, will not participate. I hear the Commission telling us that we must have a body before the elections. Above all, we must have an independent body with investigative powers, however long it takes. EU citizens don't want a toy that plays with transparency, they want a strong, independent body that protects and guarantees ethics’ rules".

Gilles Boyer (L’Europe Ensemble, France), Renew Europe MEP and our shadow on the resolutions calling for an independent EU Ethics body added:

"The Commission’s proposal remains far from our ambition. With the Commission’s EU Ethics body, the EU institutions would remain their own judge, whereas in our view, the independence of this body is a prerequisite. Without investigative powers, the Commission's EU Ethics body would be no more than a fictitious body. Without higher ambition, we cannot hope to restore the EU citizens’ trust in our institutions."