Dispute over gifts threatens MEPs’ credibility

Date: 11/07/1996

By Rory Watson

FEARS are growing that proposals to shed more light on MEPs' outside business activities and their dealings with lobbyists could be sabotaged by a last-minute dispute over gifts.

The credibility of the European Parliament will be at stake when the proposals are put to the vote next week after an earlier attempt to change the rules ended in ignominy in January.

But a question-mark has been thrown over hopes of winning approval for the new rules just days before the vote, with German Christian Democrat MEPs preparing to break an agreement endorsed by almost all political group leaders to allow the twin sets of rules to be adopted unchanged in Strasbourg next week. They plan to table an amendment to clarify the proposed restrictions on receiving gifts and insist they are trying to draft a widely-acceptable compromise.

The move is nevertheless being strongly criticised by other political groups. It threatens to divide the Parliament and could prevent the proposals from securing the 314 votes needed for the changes to go through.

Despite differences over rules on their own behaviour, MEPs are almost unanimous on the need to introduce a register of lobbyists. This would be accompanied by a clear code of conduct and a system of passes to control access to the Parliament.