Good afternoon.
As I write, another potential corruption scandal is breaking at the heart of the EU institutions. Each one is shocking in its own way, but this one is possibly more so than many, as it involves that bastion of EU officialdom: the College of Europe.
The College of Europe is regarded as the finishing school for the EU diplomatic corps; a feeder school for aspiring young bureaucrats to become the elite of the elite in Europe. Alumni include some of the top officials in the European institutions, past and present.
If the tentacles of alleged fraud have now reached a place that supposedly espouses the ideals of the EU and claims to prepare its students to be high-flying public servants, then it's particularly dismaying. Or maybe, ironically, it's particularly appropriate.
The EU institutions need to seriously get a grip on corruption. There has been much talk but little action. Indeed, only recently, the EU parliament was found to be pushing back robustly against Belgian authorities trying to conduct investigations and speak to witnesses – effectively telling the police to get back in their box and stop causing trouble.
This is not just about isolated incidents. This goes to the heart of the way the EU and its politicians are viewed. Is it any wonder that the public has little trust in the EU and its decision makers, and that, as a result, they seek out 'alternative' solutions?
If, as it looks, it's now blighting an institution that supposedly fosters the future of Europe, then an already disillusioned electorate would be forgiven for thinking there's no hope.
We will have to await the outcome of the investigation and any potential charges, and of course, there may be an innocent explanation for everything. However, if this is the example being set to ambitious potential leaders, then is it any wonder things don't change?
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