Publication date:
Monday, May 30, 2011
A report by Corporate Europe Observatory in cooperation with LobbyControl, with additional research by Spinwatch shows that 35 per cent of MEPs from across 13 member states have second jobs or paid outside financial interests. While not all of these jobs provoke concerns about conflicts of interests, it is possible that up to 14 per cent of MEPs surveyed do have second paid jobs which have the potential to bring about a conflict of interest.
Executive summary / policy recommendations:
The working group in the European Parliament being chaired by Jerzy Buzek MEP which is looking
at developing a code of conduct for MEPs is urged to consider these issues and to implement the
following measures:
- A ban on all paid second jobs held by MEPs which require them to act on personal or others' interests, including where there is the lobbying of any European institution or agency;
- The mandatory declaration by MEPs of all additional earnings including the amount, where it comes from and what it is for;
- A cap on the additional earnings of MEPs;
- The introduction of well-resourced and effective processes to monitor and enforce these rules, which should involve independent expertise.
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