EU: institutions and bodies will have “interinstitutional Ethics Body” for rules of conduct and transparency of their members

The EU institutions and bodies will have an “interinstitutional Ethics Body” in charge of developing, updating and interpreting rules of conduct and transparency, applicable to all members of EU institutions and bodies. The College of Commissioners, according to a statement from Brussels, has today approved the interinstitutional agreement laying down the fundamental elements for the establishment of such a body, which will contribute to “fostering a common ethics culture” as well as facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among the institutions. This initiative was conceived in the aftermath of Qatargate, the corruption scandal that involved some MEPs and others. According to the Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, “it has become clear that a common culture of ethics, built through shared common standards” is needed. We need “common standards and cooperation among institutions”, even if our roles and mandates may differ.
Sarah Numico