Rocky start at new ethics body

The EU Commission has presented its long-awaited proposal for an ethics authority. The goal: common ethical standards for all EU institutions. But because sanctions are missing, there is a dispute with the European Parliament – and that could cause further delays.

Uniform ethical standards are to apply in the EU institutions in the future. A new ethics committee will be responsible for drawing up the common rules. However, enforcement will remain the responsibility of the individual authorities; sanctions are not planned. This is provided for in a draft presented by the EU Commission in Brussels on Thursday. Sharp criticism came from the European Parliament and several NGOs specializing in transparency. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had not done her homework, they said.

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