The European People’s Party (EPP), with support from far-right parties, blocked the implementation of an independent ethics body for EU institutions in the European Parliament on Wednesday.
A majority vote of 17 to 13 rejected amendments aimed at setting up this interinstitutional body agreed upon last year to establish common ethical standards and increase transparency within EU institutions.
Despite being the largest political group in the assembly, the EPP insists it supports strengthening ethical standards. However, it opposes creating a new external body to regulate the European Parliament’s internal operations.
In a statement, the EPP argued that such a body could violate the presumption of innocence and publicly stigmatise political officials.
Instead, the conservative party suggests bolstering the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), alongside national judicial systems.
'Total contradiction'
The second-largest political group, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), condemned the vote, accusing the EPP of securing it with far-right backing. "Conservatives are quick to demand NGO transparency but detest the idea when it applies to them," they stated.
The Liberal and Centrist group Renew, who advocated for the ethics body alongside the Greens, criticised the EPP for being “in total contradiction” to its commitments following scandals like Qatargate and issues regarding conflicts of interest.
S&D, Renew, the Greens, and the Left coalition had formed an alternative majority at the end of the previous legislative term to bypass the EPP’s refusal to approve the ethics body.
This week, they wrote to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, also from the EPP, urging her to "take necessary measures to ensure our institution fully meets its commitments without delay."
