6 Amendments of Katalin CSEH related to 2020/2133(INI)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that transparency, accountability and integrity are key components in promoting ethics principles within the EU, and are essential to protect the EU budget from fraud and corruption and to maintain democratic legitimacy as well as public trust in the EU; recalls that corruption has serious financial consequences and constitutes a serious threat to democracy, the rule of law and public investment; recalls that conflicts of interest can significantly damage the EU’s financial interests and decision-making processes, and should therefore be prevented and condemned;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the European Court of Auditors (ECA) identified serious weaknesses in this regard in its 2019 audit on the ethical frameworks of the EU institutions, which concludes that improvements need to be made through harmonisation, awareness raising and strengthening of EU ethics rules; shares the ECA’s concerns about the absence of a common EU ethical framework governing the work of Member States’ representatives in the Council, the lack of overall strategies on ethics in the Parliament and the Council, the unreliable procedures for verifying declarations of interest, the limited scrutiny of these declarations and the incomplete policies in other areas concerning the existing ethical frameworks;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that the high level of fragmentation in the ethics legal framework and the lack of oversight have prevented the proper implementation of codes of conduct in EU institutions; believes that the current self-regulatory approach is not fit for purpose and cannot guarantee integrity; highlights that public officials are not in a position to self-assess ethical situations or conflicts of interest, and that this assessment should fall under the remit of an independent specialised third party; underlines the need to enhance the integrity of the EU institutions and restore public trust;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the creation of an Independent Ethics Body (IEB) common to all EU institutions; welcomes the fact that the Commission has made it a priority, and is committed to supporting the IEB’s effort to establish a common ethical framework at EU level; calls on all EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies to support and contribute to the establishment of the future common ethical framework of the EU; encourages the extension of the competences of the IEB as to cover all EU agencies, offices, bodies and other EU structures;
Amendment 17 #
5. Sees high potential for the EU institutions to transfer administrative decision-making competences to the IEB based on a new harmonised ethics framework that it will establish, which should include 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 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines that the IEB should be in charge of prevention, monitoring, investigation and enforcement of the common ethical framework for the protection of the EU’s financial interests; highlights that the IEB should be able to take disciplinary measures and impose financial sanctions, and not only issue recommendations, in order to avoid abuse of the EU budget linked to unethical behaviour;