open letters

[Update] Lessons from Dalli scandal: Commission needs stronger ethics and transparency rules around lobbying + Commission answer

Publication date: 
Monday, November 5, 2012
Author: 
Steering committee of ALTER-EU

The Commission has released so little information in the three weeks since the scandal around the resignation of John Dalli, the former EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, broke, that it has - in effect - raised more questions than it has provided answers.

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50 organsations and international experts respond to Commission spokesperson's "nutty NGO's" attack

Publication date: 
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Author: 
50 civil society groups and international freedom of information experts.

A Commission spokesperson is quoted as referring in vehement and exaggerated terms to information requests made by “nutty NGOs”, claiming that “they think it's funny to waste officials' time” by making access to information requests.

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Letter to European Parliament's Budget Committee: MEPs should reject lifting reserve on expert groups budget (English and French version attached)

Publication date: 
Monday, May 7, 2012
Author: 
Yiorgos Vassalos

On 8 May, the Budget Committee will vote on the European Commission's request to lift the reserve of two million Euros for meetings for expert groups. (Transfer of Appropriations No DEC 05/2012) The European Commission is requesting that this reserve is lifted without any of the conditions set by the European Parliament being fulfilled [...].

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Letter to European Parliament's Legal Affairs committee ahead of 'Staff Regulations' vote

Publication date: 
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Author: 
Vicky Cann

The Staff Regulations contain the ethics rules which govern 55,000 or more officials who work across the EU institutions. ALTER-EU considers that the current process to reform the Staff Regulations provides an opportunity to improve these ethics rules, especially those that relate to conflicts of interest during and after EU staff work for the EU.

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Revolving Doors: ALTER-EU letter about Budgetary Control committee's vote on Staff Regulations

Publication date: 
Friday, March 16, 2012
Author: 
Vicky Cann

The Staff Regulations contain the ethics rules which govern 55,000 or more officials who work across the EU institutions. ALTER-EU considers that the current process to reform the Staff Regulations provides an opportunity to improve these ethics rules, especially those that relate to conflicts of interest during and after EU staff work for the EU.

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Firm action to regulate ‘revolving door’ between European institutions and lobby industry needed

Publication date: 
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Author: 
ALTER-EU, EuroCoop, Transparency International Brussels office, Solidar, EURODAD, EPSU

When EU institution staff members leave public service and become lobbyists, conflicts of interest may arise that can damage the integrity of the public policy-making process and the reputation of the European institutions.

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Open letter to President and Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament about implementation of the new code of conduct

Publication date: 
Monday, January 23, 2012
Author: 
ALTER-EU

The importance of effective implementation of the code, including clear definitions, became evident last week when a news medium reported that the CEO of the Finnish Chamber of Commerce intended to take the seat as MEP from March 1st, without giving up the job as chair of the lobby group.

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Letter to Mr Nociar, head of Cabinet of Commissioner Šefčovič on 'revolving door' issues

Publication date: 
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Author: 
Olivier Hoedeman on behalf of ALTER-EU's steering committee

In an earlier letter Mr Nociar has stated that the Commission “already ensures far-reaching transparency in the application of Article 16 of the Staff Regulations”. How is this so? It seems to us there is very little transparency on this issue, let alone proactive transparency.

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Open letter to and response from Health Commissionner Mr Dalli regarding new details revolving door case former head of EMA Mr Lönngren

Publication date: 
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Author: 
HAI-E, Formindep, ALTER-EU

Following correspondence with Dr Lönngren our press statement of 19 Dec 2011 has been updated. Evidence suggests Dr Lönngren’s post employment activities with private pharmaceutical industry were arranged whilst being employed by EMA. His consultancy, Pharma Executive Consulting Ltd, was incorporated 2 months before he left EMA.

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Open letter to and response from European Medicines Agency director: Staff Regulations ought to be reviewed and tightened

Publication date: 
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Author: 
HAI-E, Formindep, ALTER-EU

Following correspondence with Dr Lönngren, our press statement of 19 December 2011 has now been amended and is available on ALTER-EU's website and via the link in this letter. Questions regarding the application of the Staff Regulations concerning employees who take part in an outside activity, intend to leave or leave the service at the EMA.

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