9 Amendments of Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA related to 2020/2133(INI)
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Emphasises that high standards of transparency and integrity in theall EU institutions are essential to enabling citizens to exercise their democratic right to participate in the EU’s decision-making process and thus to enhancing the democratic legitimacy and credibility of the Union while restoring confidence in the European integration process; ; highlights that all EU institutions should abide by high standards of ethics and transparency and calls on all EU institutions to conclude an agreement on establishing a common ethical framework, to reflect these standards; recalls that, in her Political Guidelines for the 2019- 2024 Commission, the President of the Commission stressed that if citizens were to have faith in the EU, its institutions should be open and beyond reproach on ethics, transparency and integrity; recalls that the right to petition provides citizens with the most accessible way to enter into and maintain a direct dialogue with representatives from the EU institutions and thus contributes to improving openness, responsiveness and accountability while bridging the gap between citizens and EU institutions;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that a high level of transparency of the legislative process is essential to enabling citizens to hold their elected representatives and governments accountable; reiterates, therefore, its call on the Council to improve its rules and practices on transparency of its legislative process in line with the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors and the European Ombudsman, which have been overwhelmingly supported by Parliament in its resolution of 17 January 2019 on the Ombudsman’s strategic inquiry OI/2/2017 on the transparency of legislative discussions in the preparatory bodies of the Council of the EU4 , which was based on the joint report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Petitions; _________________ 4 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2019)0045. 4
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Stresses that the current self- regulatory ethical framework has proven insufficient, has led to a fragmented approach and to different ethical standards within the different EU institutions; highlights that in order to restore and maintain high levels of confidence in the EU institutions, all EU institutions must abide by the highest ethical standards; recalls in this respect the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors concerning the establishment and implementation of a common ethical framework for all EU institutions;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Underlines that public officials are not in a position to self-declare themselves out of conflict of interest or to provide self-assessment with regards to respecting ethical standards; highlights that this task should fall under the competence of an independent specialised third party, in the form of an Independent Ethics Body (IEB) for all the EU institutions, agencies, bodies and offices;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the EU institutions should apply the highest ethical standards to prevent any episodes of revolving doors and any conflicts of interests, also with regard to the appointments to senior positions in the EU institutions and agencies; expresses its concern that any such episodes, even if legally admissible, are undermining the overall credibility of the EU institutions and often used by anti- European propaganda as a means of introducing euro-scepticism to the public; calls for the establishment of an Independent Ethics Body for all EU institutions that would overlook the implementation of a future common ethical framework, and have competence over the common rules on the content and publication of declarations of interests, avoidance of conflicts of interest and revolving doors, acceptance of gifts and entertainment, protection of whistle- blowers and victims of harassment, transparency of lobby meetings, public procurement and meeting calendars of senior staff, and use of transparent bank accounts for public funds;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the important role that the European Ombudsman plays in ensuring high standards of transparency and integrity in the EU institutions; calls on its Committee on Constitutional Affairs committee to consider and to take into account the experience provided by the European Ombudsman when reflecting on the possible establishment ofing an independent ethics body; suggests the setting up of an EU interinstitutional working group that is tasked with discussing and formulating recommendations on all aspects related to the subject matter;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers, as the committee most directly engaged with the public opinion and public response to the institutions’ transparency and integrity, that the democratic approach and political responsibility remains the strongest control mechanism in any constitutional democracy, as well as in the EU; stresses the need for further strengthening of the democratic accountability mechanisms at EU level and in this regard encourages the establishment of a common ethical framework for all EU institutions and of an Independent Ethics Body in charge of its implementation.