The EPP together with the three far-right groups ECR, PfE and ESN voted today in the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament against an amendment to the Rules of Procedure that would have accelerated the launch of an independent Ethics Body (13+, 17-, no abstentions). The EPP is thus repeatedly using right-wing majorities to block independent lobby control. The so-called Ethics Body was jointly decided on by eight EU institutions a year ago and should have started its work a long time ago. However, the responsible Vice-President of the European Parliament (EPP) refuses to convene a first meeting. The report rejected today was presented by committee chair Sven Simon (EPP), the EPP had no amendments and rejected it anyway because it wants to block the implementation of the Ethics Body.

Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA), rapporteur for an independent Ethics Body in the European Parliament, comments:

“The European People’s Party is trying any trick to prevent the introduction of independent lobby control. It is telling that the MEPs are making a pact with the extreme right-wing groups in the European Parliament on this project. This not only prevents the lobbying rules in the EU from finally being independently monitored and enforced. With this blockade, the EPP is also preventing the European Parliament from fulfilling its obligations towards the other EU institutions.” 

“Today’s vote does not change the fact that an independent Ethics Body has been established – and that the European Parliament has joined it. There must now finally be a first meeting of the institutions so that it can begin its work. The EPP’s rejection of its own report, which it saw no need to amend, is a particular sham.”