The letter is sent to the MEPs to ask for reaction to the Kaili scandal and asks for better safeguards against unethical ways of influencing EU policy making
Civil Society organisations ALTER-EU, Transparency International EU and The Good Lobby are deeply concerned about the corruption and lobbying scandal around vice President Eva Kaili and ask for a clear, strong and immediate political response.
Parliament now has to make sure it defends the democratic process against undue influence of authoritarian regimes like Qatar, but also against other actors that exert their influence in problematic ways. This means more than fighting corruption. It means establishing safeguards against unethical ways of influencing EU policy-making in order to re-affirm the integrity of the institutions.
The organisations therefore call for comprehensive overhaul of transparency and ethics rules, with strong measures including
1. a fast-track and thorough investigation of the scandal. For that purpose, Parliament should install a special investigation committee
2. strengthening the Parliament‘s ethics rules, including for revolving door moves and second jobs,
3. improving lobby transparency rules, especially the quality of the transparency register,
4. disclosing all MEP lobby meetings to improve the early warning system for undue influence.
