The Parliament has adopted a resolution on the suspicions of corruption by Qatar and the broader need for more transparency in the EU institutions, with 541 votes in favour, two against, and three abstentions.
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As an immediate measure, MEPs have decided to suspend all work on legislative files relating to Qatar, particularly concerning visa liberalisation and the EU aviation agreement with Qatar, as well as planned visits, until things become clearer.
They also ask that security passes for representatives of Qatari interests be suspended until the judicial investigations provide clarity.
The House is concerned about potential conflicts of interest caused by “side jobsâ€, especially where some MEPs serve as managers, on the board of directors or on advisory boards of, or as consultants to banks, multinational companies or publicly traded companies. MEPs support a system of asset declarations, at the beginning and end of each mandate.
These declarations could be accessible only to relevant authorities and would be checked if there are substantiated allegations.
They also commit to ensuring full transparency regarding their additional income and to prohibit any external financing of MEP and political groups’ staff.
Parliament will seek to establish an EU-level ban on donations from third countries to MEPs and political parties and asks the Commission to prepare a proposal to this end.
A “cooling-off period†should be introduced for the end of an MEP’s mandate, to tackle the “revolving doors†phenomenon, MEPs say.
MEPs want to make the EU Transparency Register mandatory, extend its scope to representatives of third countries and former MEPs, and strengthen it so that it can be used to verify information more thoroughly.
To help address other related issues, they also seek to set up an inquiry committee following the outcome of investigations and trials, to look into cases of corruption and improper actions by third countries, and a special committee to find flaws in Parliament’s framework and make proposals for reforms.
Moreover, an EP Vice-President should be tasked with verifying integrity, and fighting corruption and foreign interference.
Recognising that parliamentary friendship groups must be properly regulated and monitored if they are to continue to exist, MEPs instruct the Quaestors to implement existing rules and put together an accessible, up-to-date register.
They also call for information on “legislative footprints†to be disclosed for proposed texts and amendments. ■