Court of Auditors: most revolving doors from EU agencies to lobbying go unchecked
Today (Thu 27.10.), the European Court of Auditors published an audit, warning that most revolving doors from agencies into future jobs including lobbying go unchecked. This is true for 96 percent of board members and for the staff in half of all agencies. Unchecked revolving doors mean that companies and even third countries like Russia and China can ‘buy’ former EU staff, with all their knowledge and networks. The Court of Auditors audit found:
- only 20 of 40 agencies examined jobs of former senior staff
- of 44 agencies, only 9 have any rules for board members, only 4 assessed related cases
- of 659 departing board members, only 25 (4%) were assessed on possible conflicts of interest in their new roles
- agencies do not actively monitor compliance of (former) staff with their obligations not to lobby old colleagues
The audit report urges EU agencies:
- to introduce conflicts of interest and revolving doors rules for board members
- to strengthen internal controls and ensure compliance including by seeking independent external help
- to actively monitor professional activities of active and former senior staff for 2 years to detect revolving doors as foreseen in the EU staff regulations
MEP Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA), the European Parliament’s rapporteur for an independent EU Ethics Body, comments:
“Unchecked revolving doors pose a security risk and challenge citizen’s trust in EU institutions. They allow multinationals, Russia or China to buy internal EU decision making knowledge. The EU Commission must put an end to this. It is unacceptable that EU agencies do not check all former board members and senior staff for possible conflicts of interest in their new jobs. Proper rules and proper monitoring must be in place. Ursula von der Leyen must finally deliver on her promise for an independent EU ethics body to help all institutions and agencies to prevent conflicts of interest.”
—-
The Court of Auditors (ECA) report of today 27 October 2022: https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=62271
(see page 50-59 in the report in EN)
Parliament’s position for an EU Ethics Body, adopted on 16 September 2021:
https://danielfreund.eu/european-parliament-supports-eu-ethics-body/?lang=en
the EU Ombudswoman’s warning: the revolving door spins out of control, 18 May 2022:
https://danielfreund.eu/ombudsman-revolving-door-out-of-control/?lang=en
our analysis of the Commission’s written reply to the EP position, 12 April 2022: https://danielfreund.eu/commission-reaction-to-eu-ethics-body/?lang=en
Unchecked revolving doors pose a security risk and challenge citizen’s trust in EU institutions. They allow multinationals, Russia or China to buy internal EU decision making knowledge. The EU Commission must put an end to this.
