Success as MEPs vote for integrity overhaul in essential step following Qatargate

Today, MEPs have just voted in favour of a series of measures designed at improving the integrity standards inside the European Parliament, following the Qatargate scandal. The measures include new rules on asset declarations, lobby meetings, conflicts of interest, and the revolving door.

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP, Greens/EFA negotiator in the Constitutional Affairs Committee, comments: 

“It is essential that we improve the integrity standards inside the Parliament. Today’s vote is a welcome first step in fixing a system that has for too long contained too many blindspots. Thanks to our efforts we have managed to introduce mandatory asset declarations, meaning that all MEPs will need to declare their assets and liabilities at the beginning and end of the mandate. 

“The Greens/EFA Group have long called for stronger rules to protect the integrity of this House and to ensure that every decision taken here is in the interest of those we represent and not outside interests. Unfortunately, the EPP and far right have managed to ensure that the Advisory Committee will be made up only of MEPs policing themselves, instead of external experts.  

“Today’s vote cannot be the moment we close the book on improving integrity, accountability and ethics standards in our institutions, but the start. There is still a lot of work to be done, on whistleblowing and on enforcement, including on sanctions for those who break the rules. We must go the extra mile to ensure that the EU institutions are the global gold standard for integrity and accountability. Anything less would be selling European citizens short on the democratic standards they deserve.”